The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-29
AGRICULTURE HAS
UNDERGONE CHANGE
The Last Decade Has Been One Of the
Most Momentous In Amer
lean Farming.

CHICAGO, May 2S.-The face Of ag-
riculture in the middle and southwest,
the chief farming section Of the coun-
try, has undergone some remarkable
changes in the past ten years 1t Is
shown by reports from state agricul-
turaI authorities gathered here.
The decade is indicated as one Of the
most momentous that have passed
over American agriculture. Improved
methods of farming are given credit
for much Of the transformation.
In some states production OF their
old time crops has fallen off as atten-
ton focused elsewhere. Meantime
production per acre has increased
while other states, by advancing their
own acreage have helped to wipe out
a slack that might otherwise have re-
suited. New crops have sprung to the
fore here and there. In several states
the character of farming has almost
been made over.
Texas has forged to the front until
its agricultural chiefs claim more
wheat grown there than in some other
states where wheat is we'll nigh the
principal crop. They declare their
grape fruit and oranges, grown in the
Rio Grande valley, equal to the best.
In wheat, Kansas, which holds the
| lead, has increased its acreage nearly
| 100 per cent in the last ten years. The
| increase is 4,196,000 acres. Oklahoma,
which last year stood fourth in wheat
production, meantime increased it's
planting by 1,334,000 acres. Iowa, the
| banner corn state, enlarged it's wheat
crop 5S per cent.
On the other hand Minnesota which
stood second in spring wheat last year
cut it's wheat production 26 per cent in
| the ten years, while North Dakota,
which stood first in spring wheat in
1920, also recorded a reduction to make
way for other crops.
While Kansas was nearly doubling
It's wheat acreage, it dropped $685.
600 acres from its corn planting. Ok
lahoma, which likewise saw greater
advantages for itself in wheat, cut its
corn acreage by 2,5S2,000. Nebraska,
which stood third in corn production
last year, slightly reduced it's acreage
in the decade, and Missouri, which
stood fourth, cut off 1,2S5,000 acres.
Meantime Iowa was enlarging its
corn production IL per cent Minnesota
jumped It's corn yield 80 per cent
South Dakota made one of it's chief
advances in corn production.
Il Wisconsin is reported changing II
the decade from a grain growing state
to leading dairy state.
} Michigan made notable strides in the
J livestock industry as did Iowa, Soutf
Dakota, Indiana and other states.
Many farmers have been enabled tt
go on basis of IL months production
instead of only through the growing
season., it is reported for instance
from South Dakota, where diversified
farming as in Arkansas and elsewhere
has made great progress in ten years
| Kentucky has almost quit raisin.
: hemp. South Dakota farmers are pay
, ing less attention to flax. Sugar bee
acreage increased 700 per cent and al
i. falfa 76 per cent in Nebraska. Ry,
made great gains in Indiana. Mime
} sofa, Ohio, Nebraska and elsewhere
! Kentucky raised three times as mucl
/ tobacco while Ohio cut its Tobacco,
; yield so per cent. Oklahoma's are;
7 in crops increased nearly 100000
acres.