The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-07-18
SOUTH DAKOTA CONDITIONS

weather Bureau at Huron submits the
following brief summary of the wealth
er conditions for this state during
June, 1918: The average tempera-
ture for the state during June was
considerably above the normal, the
excess having been greatest in the
western part. Cool weather prevail
ed during the early part Of the month
and again at it's end. Temperatures
generally did not show great high or
low extremes. The average precipi-
tation was considerably less than nor
NAL, though at a few stations, mostly
in the southeastern part of the state,
the normal was exceeded. 1t was
fairly well distributed throughout the
month, but as a rule the heaviest
rains occurred in the early part and
again near the end"
The field agent for South Dakota
for the Department of Agriculture, is
sues the following resume of the con
ditions in the state on July LIST:
The month of May closed with abb
noramlly high condition for most
crops and when the statement is
made that the month Of June could
carry those crops without important
change except that hay and grass
have been improved materially, all
has been said that can be said. There
seems to have been a marked differ
ence in the degree of advancement in
the southeastern portion of the state,
more thar there usually is due to the
location being so much more south Of
the remainder of the state but his is
probably due in a a o better
farming methods. There is one other
area also which is very much below
the remainder of the state which in
cludes western Mcpherson, Edmunds
and Faux and the eastern portion Of
Walworth, Campbell and Potter coun-
ties. This area is and has been suf-
fering from a severe drought and the
condition is very low and it is doubt
full if an improvement could be Sc
cured after this date. This smaller
area, however, is out of the region of
real heavy production and its effect
on the total is only minor.
The indications are for the largest
production of corn eve produced in
this state. This is on a reduced acre
age and is entirely because Of the
very high condition of the corn crop
in the more southern counties, espec-
tally in Lincoln, Union, Turner, Clay,
Hutchinson, Yankton, Charles Mix,
Douglas, Gregory, Trip, Dawson,
Hanson, and Minnehaha counties. The
condition in those counties is most
excellent while to the northward, the
crop continues good but has not at.
tanned such a development, however,
it is fully up to the usual or better.
Much effort was put forth to secure
good seed and these efforts were not
in vain as the fields are more uniform
and show more even stand than any
other recent year. The high state of
cultivation at the time of planting was
a large factor in producing this con-
dition. Fields are less weedy than is
usually true for South Dakota.
The stock of wheat remaining on
farms in South Dakota is only about
one half the usual amount at this
time of year and considerable less
han the usual. The winter wheat
crop is being harvested in the con-
fned areas where it is grown in
South Dakota and the promise is very
good, indicating a yield of abOut eigh-
teen bushels of high quality grain.
The promise at this time is most
excellent for spring wheat. The con-
dition of the grain is such that we
should hardly anticipate the misfor-
tune of 1916 as the crop is about two
weeks advanced of the usual. The in
dicated production at this time is the
greatest ever produced in South Da-
kota exceeding even the production
of 1915 which had previously been
the banner spring wheat year.
The high condition which is indi-
Gated for the wheat crop is equally
true for oats and gives promise for
the greatest production since 1915
when it was exceeded by about five
million bushels in this state. The
stand of straw this season is lighter
than usual but more than sufficiently
heavy to give full yields and will
cause no difficulty in harvesting in
most sections.
Partly due to the limited amount of
seed corn and also because of the
high price paid for barley early in
this season, an a~bnormally large acre
age was planted. In addition to this
the conditions which have prevailed