The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1920-08-12
" MILLIONS IS
CROP ESTIMATE
Great Reduction In Prospective Wheat
Yield Caused by Rust and
Drought
CORN OUTLOOK Is PROMISING

CORN OUTLOOK Is PROMISING
Flax is Expected to Go Much Better
than the Average
North Dakota's wheat crop for 1920
is estimated at 77,794,000 bushels, in
the Aug. / report Of the United States
bureau Of crop estimates.
A. ]. Surratt Of Grand Forks, field
agent for the state, says rust and
dyought in July reduced the estimated
yield materially as compared to tho
July 1 report.
About IS per cent Of the states
wheat acreage is affected by the rust,
the damage being from Is to 20 per
cent.
A fax crop above the average, q
potato crop materially better than last
year, a corn crop about 60 per cent
better than 1919, are revealed in the
estimates.
The oats production 10 fixed at about
the same 40 last year, while barley
is under 1919. Hay is reported bet
ter. In defining the crop situation,
Mr.. Surratt says:
"Crop conditions are spotted, rye
below average, corn and early hay
crops above average, and outlook for
other crops average or better for the
state as . whole, are the features Of
the Aug. report Of the United States
bureau OF crop estimates for North
Dakota.
"July was marked by decidedly un-
even and deficient rainfall with num-
erous hot days over the greater part
Of the state. The high point Of North
Dakota's earlier favorable prospects
was reached about July 10. A COM
bination Of damage factors, rust, pre-
mature ripening, blight, and to soma
extent hoppers and scab, caused inn
pairment to become more noticeable
daily from that date until the close Of
the month, reducing the former favor
able outlook to near the average.
BLACK rust made slow progress up
to July 10, but subsequent weathsr
conditions favored its development.
About 81 per cent Of the wheat acre
age tn the state has been damaged
from 26 to 40 per cent. The remain
der Of the wheat crop while too far
advanced to be seriously damaged.
was pinched down by the prolonged
drought and resultant premature
ripening. At least so per cent Of the
total wheat acreage 10 sown to dur
um which is showing up slightly bet
ter than other wheats this season
over the state. Drought damage to
wheat is much greater in the north
ern than in the southern half Of the
state. Most Of the northern border
counties have been hit hard, especial
ly Divide and northern Pembina
counties, where drought has been
most severe. Hoppers in addition to
dry weather have reduced crop pros
poets in few north-central counties
to about the same class. The quality
Of wheat will vary sharply, ranging
from shrunken to plump grain of ex-
cellent quality in all sections Of the
state.
with the exception Of rust dam
age, which has been confined chiefly
to wheat, the above comments will
apply in q general way to oats and
barley. The condition Of oats and
barley is decidedly better than wheat
in the southern half, and below av-
erage and poorer than wheat in the
northern half Of the state. A large
acreage Of oats and barley was sown
late in the northern part Of the state
and was badly stunted by July
drought. Numerous fields approach
ing failure have been cut for hay
especially that Of late oats. In fact
the condition Of all late crops in this
section Of the state was on the decline
at the close Of the month and con-
tinuation Of dry weather in August
will warrant considering this report
for oats, barley, flax and potatoes
slightly high by the time it reaches
the readers hands. Rye harvest was
completed by Aug. 1 and the harvest
ing OF wheat, early oats and barley
was quite general over the state.
"The state corn crop with its lib
eral acreage this year, showed splen-
did improvement during July and ID
noticeably above average generally.
This crop 10 especially favorable in
the more important corn belt in the
southern half Of the state.
about one-hslf Of the state fax
acreage located in the northern half
Of the drier part Of the state was
heavily damaged by July drought,
and to some extent by wilt and hop
pers. Localities benefited by local
rains show very favorable stands and
well boiled, but the bulk Of the crop
IN this part Of the state was caught
IN the critical Towering stage. and ths
number, size and I'll Of boils = belev
average. The crop 10 mere advanced
in the southern half Of the STATE.
Moisture conditions have been nnore
favorable i'd this area which shov1s
enay*a moderate reduction from ths
favorable. nd ftinn g. - j..k ,,.-..tI