The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-03-28
WHAT The FARMERS
INTEND TO PLANT

Turning TO flax IN rather lntenS-
i've way, South Dakota farmers have
expressed their intention of increas.
ing last years acreage Of this crop
fully forty per cent, while the coun,
try YER the indications are there will
be an increase in acreage amounting
to fiftyfour per cent
Another step which indicates a bet
ter balancing of agriculture in the
state is the intention to increase the
acreage of alfalfa, clover, timothy
and other tame grasses. This means
that farmers are getting away from
the one crop system and into the rota-
tion of!crops and the raising of ad-
ditional livestock 1t also means
cleaner land, and greater per acre
production with less acres Of each
crop.
These and many other interesting
items which follow are taken from
the report of the bureau of agricult-
ural economics Of the United States
Department of Agriculture as based
on the planting intentions of many
thousands of farmers all over the
country as of March /. While the
report cannot guarantee that the
farmers will carry out their intentions
as recorded here, it is indicative OF
what is apt to be planted this spring.
The individual farmer can take advan-
tage of this expression by adjusting
his own paintings accordingly. This
NAV mean increased acreage in some
crops and a decrease in others.
Prospective Corn Acreage
South Dakota farmers, if they carry
out their intentions, will plant eight
per cent more corn this spring than
thew did last year. Farmers of the
United States as q whole contemplate
putting in three per cent more corn,
or a total of 107, ,40S,000 acres. If
these intentions to plant are carried
out, assuming that the 1924 yield will
be approximately the average yield
of the five-year period of 1913 to
1922, or 2S.4 bushels per acre the
indicated corn production for 1924 is
3,050, 1887 900 bushels, which is approx
imately the same production as for
1923. If, however, 1924 should prove
to be poor corrf year a sharp reduc
ticn in the total crop produced would
probably occur.
Spring Wheat
South Dakota farmers have evident
ly found wheat an 'unprofitable crop
to grow, as they have expressed their
intention to grow eighteen per cent
less wheat in 1924 than in 1923. The
farmers in the United States as a
whole, according to their intentions.
will plant fourteen per cent less
spring wheat. This will mean that
the acreage of snring wheat will be
approximately 17,l35,0O0. If it is as
sumed that the yield in 1924 will be
about the average yield for the five
year period of 1913 to 1922, which Il
1873 bushels per acre, there is indicat-
ed total production of 236 $1,000
bushels. If foreign countries were in
a. position to buy and if there were a
decreased acreage Of wheat being
planted in other countries, wheat
would appear to be good crop for
the individual farmer to grow. Wheth-
or or not the increase in the wheat
tariff from 30 to AZ cents will affect
the price of wheat in this country is
problematical. Wheat is worldwide
crop and is seriously affected by for
eign plantings and production.
Oats
The oat acreage will be increased
eight per cent if the intentions OF
South Dakota farmers are carried out.
All farmers in the United States in
tend increasing their acreage seven
per cent, which would result in the
planting of 43,691 900 acres of oats
Assuming the five-year average yield
of 3O.6 bushels per acre, the total
production Of oats indicated for 1924
is 1886, ,944, 900 bushels in the United
States and would be an increase III
production of 100000 bushels.
Barley
Shortly after the Eighteenth amend
ment took effect, tEe acreage planted
to barley steadily decreased. This
wear. however. farmers Of the United
States are increasing barley acreage by
nine per cent. hTe farmers OF South
Dakota are decreasing their barley
acreage by three per cent. The farm
ers of the United States intend to plant
S,7l6,000 acres OF barley. IT this
Yields the average of the last five