The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-15
WINTER WHEAT STATUS
STATEMENT is MADE BY
~ PAUL II. KIRK
Agricultural StatisticianFor the
State of Minnesota Gives $.
Estimate

Office of Minnesota Agriculture
fStatistician, Fergus Falls, Minneso-
ia, April 11.-According to the re-
port of the bureau Of crop estimates
made public today through it's Min
nesota agricultural statistician. Paul
H. Kirk, Minnesota's winter wheat
with but little snow and a rather
unfavorable spring have come out of
of the winter with a condition OF
winter wheat two points above the
ten year average and rye only one
point less than the ten year average
condition April 1. The report places
the condition of winter wheat in
this state on April 1 at SO per cent
of normal compared with 80 per cent
one year ago. The report indicates
that there is every reason to believe
which was changeable. that is sue
cessive freezing and thawing, did
some damage to the crop by breaking
the root growth. The condition of
rye April 1 is placed at 80 per cent
of normal compared of 9 per cent one
year ago. The same weather condi
tions affecting winter wheat also af-
fected rye SO that rye has undoubt-
eddy suffered somewhat during the
winter months. However, from pre-
sent conditions it would appear that
there has not been any serious dam
age as yet to either winter wheat or
rye.
The Satisfactory Feature.
A very satisfactory feature of the
report is the number of brood sows
in the state compared with last year.
There is only loss of one per cent
compared with the year previous.
Farmers are always anxious to have
a supply of hogs on hand as they
bring quick return in money. Feed
Of all kinds is fairly low in price so
there is an opportunity to produce
fairly cheap pork for next falls mar
ket. On the other hand a good many
farmers had to sell both their breed
ing sows and feed to meet loans 50
that is was impossible to keep the
usual number of brood sows. How
ever, the very fact that there is only
decline of one per cent indicates
that fair run of hogs should be had
this fall.
The supply of farm labor this year
compared to the normal supply is
81 per cent. Last year it was ~ per
cent. Decreased demands for labor
one year ago are factors in bringing
the labor supply situation back to
nearly normal. One reporter sums up
the situation when he says. "A year
ago we were hunting farm labor, to-
day they are hunting us farmers.
Demand For Labor Less.
The demand for labor is consid-
erably less than one year ago and
also eight points below normal
needs. The report indicates as a
reason that farmers are not in po-
sition to pay high wages and while
not willing to pay high prices would
If they had the money hire more la
Dor than they will under present
stringent financial conditions. An
other reason for lack Of a demand is
the low price of products which has
created a sort Of depression among
farmers generally and they seem to
feel at present that about all they
intend to do is work what land they
can without hiring extra help. II
is the opinion of the Minnesota Ag-
ricultural Statistician that there will
be a good deal of cooperation among
farmers in exchanging work so that
this factor will not materially cut
down the planted acreage.
In The United States.
For the United States the condi-
ton of winter wheat is estimated at
81 per cent of normal compared to
1876 per cent last year. The condi-
ton of rye in the United States is
estimated at 90.3 per cent of normal
compared with 1878 on April 1, 1920.
1t is estimated that there is de-
crease in brood sows of % per
cent compared with one pear ago.
The number in the United States
April /, 1920 being estimated at 3d.
$4,000. The supply Of farm labor
compared with normal is 95.9 per
cent while the demand or needs of
farm labor throughout the United
States is S7.5 per cent of normal.