The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-04-15
Articles of Interest to the Farmer
Edited by r Huntme County Agent Merose Minnesota
Winter Wheat Report


In this report on acreage and pros
poets of the planted winter wheat
area, Of the southwest, we wish &
say that it is made only after q care.
mi study of conditions in territory Of
the southwestern states by Mr.. w
Brown who has just returned
from three weeks trip to these
=: In order that you may fully realize
the, vast Importance of a special ter
rltory, we wish to say that three
dfths of the total winter wheat acre
age of the United States lies west
Of the Mississippi River, and that
practically so per cent of the winter
wheat acreage of this territory is in
Kansas and Oklahoma. Keep this in
mind.
Thirty Year Record
The Government says that "Kan-
sas has had less rain in the big
wheat belt than any year for thirty
years." From the appearance of that
belt, we believe that this is correct.
Now remember that plowing done
under these conditions makes poor
seed bed, and grain planted in this
kind of a bed don't do much without
rain, and they did not have any worth
mentioning up to. March 22nd when
the writer left 3here, but they had
two fearful wind storms that blew
out thousands of acres of planted
wheat THAT Kansas, Oklahoma, Ne
braska and Colorado land is light
and does blow.) The air was so full
of. sand and dirt that it obliterated
the sun !. and made artificial lights
necessary at 8 o'clock p. m.
With these facts before you, what
do, you think Of the prospects for
wheat. in that territory west Of the
Mississippi River, that plants. so per
cent of that territory's acreage?
The writer calls it mighty SLIM, oE&
80 per cent reduction of winter
wheat acreage, 60 per cent reduction
Of winter wheat conditions. Now,
let's keep Kansas and Oklahoma
right before us. The writer is
thoroughly satisfied that there is at
least 20 per cent reduction of acreage
from natural causes (getting back
toward pre-war acres), and he is al
SO satisfied that the big winds took
10 per cent more. Use 1919 Kansas
acreage and you will have loss In
round figures of 4,O0O,0 900 acres (this
is conservative.)
you find growing condition today
Of only 40 per cent, a loss Of 60 per
cent from perfect, or 40 per cent
condition today compared with SO
per. cent condition a year ago, and
last years winter wheat crop depre-
ciated "a per cent from January to
July. Government will probably is
sue a growing condition report Of 70
per. cent.)
General Southwest Prospects
are not good. In no state did I see
one field that looked good. East Of
the river, Hessian Fly and Winter
Kill took a lot. A late spring and
too much rain have not improved
those conditions. Il - Il q
Big Dat Acreage n & ars
Avery large per cent Of those de-
stroyed wheat acres will 60 into oats,
some barely and some corn.
Signs For The Year
When the southwest has a short
crop, the northwest has good one,
and when the northwest has short
crop the southwest has good one.
for the coming crop will
Wheat values for the coming year
will sundoubtly be very high, posi-,
bly, record prices. Coarse grains will
not hold up in price in proportion.
The lucky fellow this year is the
northwest and a big wheat acreage.