The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-04-11
ACUTE LABOR ],
SHORTAGE IN
NORTH DAKOTA
Hundreds of Workers Needed
But Few Men Apply For
Places on Farms
INCREASE IN DEMAND
Farmers Work More Land
With Improvement in
Financial Condition

Hundreds of laborers are needed
on North Dakota farms and few men
are applying for; work, according to
reports reaching here from all sec
tions of the state The call for men
has been broadcasted over the North
west but transient laborers are not
coming into this state in the num-
bers they have in years past
Not only has the supply of workers
fallen off, but the demand has very
materially increased as the improv-
ed financial condition has instilled
a desire on the part of the farmer
to work as much of the farm as pos
sible this season, thus requiring more
laborers.
The United States Bureau of Agri-
cultural Economics weekly report
lshows that the ratio of supply of la
Dor to the demand on April 1 this
year was 1855. Last year on April
l the ratio was 1879.
The report of the United States
Bureau of Agricultural Economics
shows the condition of winter rye
. crop in North Dakota to be approx
inately 81 per cent. This crop went
into the winter at a condition Of ap-
proximately 85 per cent according to
the findings last December The in
adequate snow protection over all
but the most northeastern counties
of the state accounts for the less
satisfactory condition that this crop
is found in now than it was four
months ago. The present soil mois-
ture is much more satisfactory in the
northwestern part of the state. The
estimated acreage of this crop in
North Dakota was placed at 1,i29,000
acres December l, 1924. Assuming
the par value close to II bushels per
acre the previous 10 year average
yield of Rye l North Dakota has
been IL buShels) the production
would be a9proximately 1s,54S, 900
bushels. Thfs is slightly less than the
the production of this important crop
The real condition of the plant is
still hard to tell as growth has not
become very strong.
The national winter wheat crop
April 1. 1925 was found to be con-
dition of 687 per cent compared with
S3 per cent, April l, 1924; and 81.2
per cent, the average condition for
the past 10 years. There was de-
crease in condition from December
1. 1924 to April /, 1925 of 1913, as
compared with an average decline
for the last 10 years "a between
these two dates. Upon the assump-
tion of average abandonment of acre
age and average influences on the
crop harvest. the condition April 1,
1926 would forecast a production of
about 474 ,255, 900 bushels, which COM
pares with. 59G037, 600 bushels in
1924: 571 .959. .999 bushels in 1923 and
59l ,957 900 bushels the average for
the past S years.
The average condition of the ma
tional rye crop GAO per cent? now
shows a probable production of ap-
,proximately 61,652,000 bushels, the
production in 1924 was 63,446,0 900
bushels and the previous 5 year
average has been 70,410,000 bushels.
The national supply of labor as
compared with the demand cratic of
index is more satisfactory from the
farmers point of view than it is in
North Dakota. being relatively 98.7;
one year ago labor was less satisfac
tory, being 92.3. while April 1, 1928
it was only 88.4.