The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-05-20
STATERECORDFROMlS5O
PROGRESS MADE DURING
PAST SEVENTY YEARS
In Census of 1850 There Were
TO Under Cultivation; In 1920
There Were 1910
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatchl

ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch1
st. Paul, May 16.-The progress OF
agricultural activities in Minnesota
during the past seventy years is
shown in a comparison of farm census
taken by the state department of az
riculture.
Another significant feature of the
two census reports is that the one
taken in 1850, when Minnesota was a
territory, was one of the country,
while Tho farm census for 1920, was
the first taken under supervision of
the state department of agriculture
There were $40 farmers listed in the
territory in 1850, representing total
number of approximately ITO farms.
as compared with total of 1910
farms reported under operation In
1920.
/ The total improved acreage In ter
ritorial days was listed at 5,035; un-
improved 23,S46 acres or q total of
2S,881 acres. The total improved
acreage of the state in 1920 Is given
as 14,185,289; not cultivated 1854
237, or total Of 26,859,526 acres In
the state.
Rapid Strides in oairyins.
The rapid strides in dairying &c
tivities are also noted when the total
output of butter of the territory
which amounted to 100 pounds, Is
compared with the total production
'of the year 1919 for the state, which
amounted to 143,176.204 pounds.
Livestock industry increased in like
proportions to other activities, and the
value of increase in this line runs into
red and thirty four swine were ac-
counted for in 1850, while the recent
census gives the number Of the pork
er at 1,31,779 The mortality of the
swine in the state, for the past year
alone was 1929. The value Of live
stock slaughtered for consumption
purposes, in 1850 is given as $3.50,
as compared with $77,437,10 worth
slaughtered during 1920.
The wheat yield In 1850 was 1,4O1
bushels as compared with total yield
of 29,109, 900 bushels OF spring and
winter wheat, according to the report
of the bureau of crop estimates, Unit
ed States department of agriculture,
for 1920. -
The Total Oats Crop.
The total oats crop in the terri
torial days during the 1850 season is
given as 30.582 bushels. while the to-
tai yield for 1920, based on the state
farm census, was 33.O04.425 bushels.
Corh, apparently was a more popular
crop with the pioneer farmers of the
territory, as census figures show that
1925 bushels of this grain was rails
ed. The state farm census reports
that for grain alone 3.125,048 acres
were planted to corn, which according
to the average estimate of corn yield
per acre by the bureau of crops est
mate, United States department OF
agriculture. yielded 117,189, 300 bush
els for 1920 This total in 1920 does
not include the acreage planted to
corn for silage purposes. Census is-
ures show that 407,957 acres were
planted for this silage.
Other grains were seeded in like
proportions to those mentioned here
in, showing the vast increases in the
production Of farmers in the short
space of seventy years. With the re-
turn of the values of the farm ma
chinery, including the tractor, electric
lighting plants and other modern
equipment, the story of the advance
ment of the agricultural interests are
wildly portrayed.