Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-04-17
The Government April
Crop Report Excellent
North Dakota Has 80 per cent Of Unit.
Cd States Rye Acreage Says Gov.
ment April Crop Report

Aue OuIodu Vi crop Lstlln6tes,
Department of Agriculture, made
public today its report for the Unit
ed States covering April 1st condi-
tion of winter wheat, rye, number
of brood sows compared with last
year, and farm labor supply and
demand.
Reviewing this report, A. }. Sur
raft, Field Agent for North Dakota,
says that practically all reports from
the winter wheat states indicates
that this crop has come through the
winter in excellent condition. The
planted wheat acreage last fall was
the largest on record for che U. s..
49, 600, 600 acres or an increase Of
15.9 percent over last year.. Win.
ter wheat conditions for the U. s.
lis estimated to be 99.S percent of
normal. No winter wheat condi-
tion issued for North Dakota owing
to the unimportant acreage in this
state.
Practically all rye condition re-
ports for states east and south Of
North Dakota are favorable. North
Dakota however has about 80 percent
Of the U. S. rye acreage and owing
to the spring opening up rather
slowly the state rye condition could
not be intelligently estimated for
the state as a whole for April. The
bulk Of North Dakota rye was sown
in the stubble and frost which is
always slow in coming out Of stub.
bic fields, was not out of the sur
face soil in several of the northern
leonnties at the, close Of the month.
The fall condition of rye was below
average due to the, dry season.
Partof the planted acreage germin-
ated more or less unevenly last fall
and was damaged about 10 percent
later by drying out. The outcome
of the late sown acreage remains to
be determined by growing weather.
Reports from the southern counties
in the state indicate fair stand of
both late and early sown rye. This
area reports practically no winter
killing of plants that were alive at
the time Of the fall freeze up. Ow-
ing to the unfavorable fall condi-
tion there will no doubt be some
abandonment and numerous thin
stands. These thin stands however
will no doubt show decided inn
provement under the present spring
moisture conditions which are near
" ideal for giving rye a good start.
Numerous fields that look un-
promising at present will thicken
up surprisingly later, especially
where stands are uniformly thin
without large dead spots in the
fields. The April '1st condition of
rye in North Dakota ia estimated to
be 80 percent compared with an
average Of IS percent. Rye condi-
tion for the U. S. is placed at 9O.6
percent compared with an average
of 80 percent.
The number of brood sows in
both the u, s. and North Dakota
is estimated to be the same as a
year ago. A small decrease in the
central and western sections of this
state due to the limited grain feed
supply is just about offset by a
small increase in the eastern third
of the state where the feed supply.
especially barley feed was more
plentiful. The eastern third of the
state produces approximately as
many hogs as the western two
thirds of the state. The number Of
pure bred sows shows very SUBJ
stantial gain over year ago.
| According to reports received
from all counties in the state the
supply Of farm labor shows consid.
cradle improvement over last year
but remains over Is percent below
normal. Owing to- the return Of
J, soldiers to their farm homes, the
usually large rye acreage.