The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-23
BUMPER CORN
CHEERSC0UNTY
AGENTS0 n. D.
Weekly Crop Reports Are
More Optimistic Than For
Several Weeks
WHEAT SOME BETTER

bumper crop and potato prospects
looking better each week, the crop
reports sent in this week to the Of
fees of the North Dakota extension
division from % county agents have
more cheerful tone than any re-
ceived for some time.
Many county agents report that
corn is expected to be a better crop
than it has ever been in the history
of their counties. Some of the flint
varieties are entirely past danger OF
frost and dent corn is beginning to
dent Corn throughout the state is
passing out Of the milk stage. Pota-
toes are heavily vined but some of
the agents find that there are rel
atively few tubers under the hills.
However, this crop in general is very
good.
Wheat yields bear out little bet
ter than the estimates Of this crop.
The average yield is from eight to
ten bushels but the quality is very
coed in most sections of the state.
Kota wheat seems to be yielding
better than other varieties.
Rye is generally light in yield but
fair to good in quality. Many rye
fields were not threshed as it was
felt that the crop would not pay
threshng and harvest costs. Flax
continues to look good in many sec
t;ons of the state. Late flax promises
to yield better than the early variety.
Alfalfa seed is not setting well and
in many districts there will be but
very light seed crop. In other sec
tions the second growth of alfalfa
has been cut and the third crop is
rapidly growing. Sweet clover Is fur
nishing some seed but the chief
value of this crop to the farmers is
it's feed value as pasturage. More
than half of the county agents report
that this legume is furnishing ex-
cellent pastures since the late rains.
In Kdder county blowing is in
full swing, the farmers taking ad-
vantage of those days when thresh
ing was impossible because of the
rains.
Wages paid by the farmers during
the harvest and threshing varied
from $500 to $4.00 per day although
the usual rate was by the hour and
many farmers requiring from ten to
twelve hours per day. Threshing costs
in Towner county were estimated ut
40 cents bushel for threshing mar
quis wheat.
Weather throughout the week was
generally fair with some light local
showers and with one or two coun-
ties reporting hail which resulted in
some crop loss. An interesting feature
is the report from Towner county
that the extra shoots and suckers
resulting from the last rains were
lessening the chance of the corn crop
coming to maturity before frost.
County reports from the various
extension agents for the period end
ing last Saturday follow:
MORTON-"Some farmers are not
yet through harvesting. Wheat yields
are from six to Is bushels. Quality,
however, is very good. There are
many fields of No. l Dark Northern.
Alfalfa growths have lodged badly,
making it necessary to cut the crop
for hay. Sweet clover is furnishing
good pasture. Pocket gophers have
is progressing, due to the continuing
warm weather.'-George H. llse,
Mandan.
GOLDEN VALLEY-"Harvest is
completed this week. A few threshing
machines are starting up. Labor is
plentiful at So per day. The crop is
not as good as was hoped. The quail
ity, however, is not going to be bad.
Grasshoppers and Hessian flies have
done considerable damage. All pas
lures except sweet clover are dry,
but sweet clover is furnishing excel.
lent feed. The second crop of alfalfa
is short, but will furnish fair sec
ond crop. A little hail was experien-
ced this week.. c. Russell, Beach.
PIERCE-"Harvest of small grain
is practically completed, but the
late flax is still green. Wheat thresh-
ed varies from two to IL bushels per
acre, with an average Of about six
bushels, quality varying from NO. A
to No. l. Corn and potatoes were inn
proved by recent rains, but corn
needs two weeks more to mature.
The potato crop also will be improved
clover have been benefited by the
rains. The second crop of the latter is
promising. The sawfly has done con-
siderable damage in some localities.
There was no frost in the county
this week. It is generally dry
throughout the county."-H. r. DAN
ielson, Rugby.
OKNER-"The harvest in the
southern part Of the county is about
completed, and in the central part
well under way. while there is still
much to do in the northern end. Some
threshing has been done in the
southern portion, with yields MS fol-
lows: rye, six bushels; marquis, six
to seven bushels of so to So pound
wheat. One field Of Kota yielded II
bushels Of 50 pound wheat. One
thresher estimated the cost Of thresh-
ing marquis wheat ut 40 cents bu-
shell, as the threshing returns run
from $23 to $50 an hour, wages and
threshing being 40 cents an hour. A
large acreage of sweet clover seed
was cut this week. Corn continues to
do we'll, but cold weather and the
extra shoots and suckers which re-
suited from rains, has lessened the
chances for maturity before frost.
Early flax was injured seriously by
the drouth, but late flax looks very
good. The rain throughout the coun-
" this week delayed farming oper-
atoms. ~. W. Lawton, Cando.
BURKE wheat harvest II about
three-quarters done, and threshing