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The Door of Opportun ity Stands Wide Open Today in the Central Northwest. N By James E. Neville, Commercial Editor of The Journal., O MOKE DIFFICULT TASK could be put be fore the crop statistician than that o figur ing out in advance the money value of a gen eral harvest. So many and diverse are the elements that enter into such a calculation, and so changeable and shifting the ratio of production to farm value, that a basis absolutely tenable and insured against later modification is almost impossible until late in the year, or early in the year following that of production. The government does not pretend to have gathered the data that enables it to approximate total farm values until late in the fall, and not until De cember does the department of agriculture issue a re port in any way final. Yet to an observer of conditions in the northwest, there is always possible on Sept. 1, or just prior to that date, such an approximation as will stand all ordinary analysis, and, with allowance for later corrections of the minor sort, will remain unchanged, and afford re liable basis for all to figure upon, whose interests de pend upon the growth of the country and the produc tion of new wealth. Were it only a matter of estimating the quantity produced of a particular crop, and setting after it an arbitrary figure representative of farm value, the mat ter would resolve itself into a question of ability close ly to determine the production. But, while production is in itself no easy thing to arrive at, until the actual movement of the crop to market establishes a gage, the farm value of a particular crop is even more diffi cult to reach. VALUE OF LARGE PRODUCTION. Economically, the country always profits by a large production, even i prices somewhat lower ensue, for the money return to the farmer, altho the most impor tant, is by no means the only factor in determining prosperity. Given a small crop, and high prices result ant, the money coming into a particular producing sec tion may readily measure up to the total of a year of larger production, but it is false economics to figure this as commensurate, for true prosperity lies in the employment in full of all industry dependent upon crop production, and the railroad tonnages, the transactions of the banks, and the activity or inactivity of the many whose business consists of handling and market ing the produce of the farms, must not be passed over. The most remarkable illustration of the mainten ance of a stable return against change in the produc tion is afforded by the two barley crops of 1903 and 1904. In the former year the state of Minnesota pro duced the total of 27,783,170 bushels of barley, for which the money return was $10,279,773. The follow ing year the production increased to 32,123,041 bushels, a gam of 4,339,871 bushels, yet the farm value, at $10,- 279,373, showed practically no change, a difference of only $400 appearing. This is explained by an average farm valuation in 1903 of 37 cents, and an average in 1904 of 32 cents. Not only the quantity produced birl^ the quality of Hu&JTarnp, the- proportion tha^r^na-t^ low gractef'makes a material difference in *he value. ANOTHER PROOF OFFERED. Even a more striking illustration, and one showing a surprising inverse ratio in the moving of the farm value relative to production is shown in the potato crop comparisons for the two years. In 1904 the states of Minnesota, North and South Dakota produced 19,938,- 972 bushels of potatoes, and the farm value was $5,897,- 069. The year previous the production was only 13,- 880,653 bushels, yet the farm v,alue was $8,000,853, or $2,103,783 greater. This is accounted for by a difference in the value per bushel for the two years, it being 29 cents in 1904 against 61 cents in 1903 in Minnesota, 32 cents against 48 cents in North Dakota, and 30 cents against 54 cents in South Dakota. FLAX Flax is one of the great crops of the northwest, North Dakota leading the entire country in its pro duction. I is the crop about which the least reliable statistical information is available, if one goes back more than a few years, for its relative importance was not then considered such as to draw the attention of the government or the more reliable private statis ticians. This year the northwest lines up with a flax crop Bo good that comparisons would be of little use in any case, save to magnify the difference, for never before in northwest history was there a crop like that of 1905. All estimators agree that the acreage was larger by far than last year, while the condition of the plant was such that, when the crop has all moved to market, and receipts and shipments are available for purposes of comparison, the total will be found to exceed by several millions of bushels anything ever before produced. Government figures for the acreage will not be available until December next. Meanwhile there are competent men in the Minneapolis oil trade who figure the total at approximately 2,500,000, which would be an increase of 500,000 acres over that of last year. There is the big acreage, and the promise of an average production of twelve bushels an acre for the three states. The flax production for 1905 and the two years preceding was as follows: 1903 Yield per Acre. 9.9 7.3 10.5 Acres Harvested. Minn.. 607,425 N. Dak. 1,814,400 S.Dak. 371,925 2,793,750 1904 Minn.. 557,356 N. Dak. 1,233,792 B. Dak. 207,256 -"sffe-"^ fl=?rgw-p^ggt?^ ffl^ and Minneapolis, which last year ran to 23,839,- 043 bushels for both markets, shows discrep ancy, and suggests that, as has often been commented upon in the trade, the government reports of northwestern flax yields have been too low. Allowance must be made for duplication, as for instance the ship ment of a car to Minne apolis and from here to Duluth, which would make it appear in re ceipts at both markets but, after figuring this out, there still remains a total indicating that the government has not overestimated the pro duction, and that the northwest, in the past few years, has probably raised some millions of bushels more flax than the government reports show. THE LINSEED OIL INDUSTRY. Total Value at Farm. $4,991,212 10,728,547 3,124,170 Bushels. Value. 6,013,508 $0.83 13,245,120 .81 3,905,212 .80 23,163,840 10.8 10.6 10.0 $18,843,929 5,803,445 13,078,195 2,072,560 2,098,404 The 1905 Estimate Minn.. 580,000 11.7 N. Dak. 1,520,000 11.4 S.Dak. 325,000 11.5 $1.01 $5,861,479 .99 12,947,413 .98 2,031,109 20,954,200 2,425,000 27,851,000 $25,096,835 Minneapolis is the great northwest consuming point, and Duluth the market thru which passes the bulk of the crop not crushed here. Eastern crushers $re always active in Duluth, and'as a market for flax futures it is most important. Many cargoes go out by lake during the season. Duluth received 16,132,317 bushels of flax in 1902, 18,456,675 bushels in 1903 and 15,327,003 bushels last year. From the present crop Dttluttt's receipts should run above the big figures of 1903. A glance atthe figures for the receipts at Duluth $20,840,001 6,786,000 17,328,000 3,737,500 $0.91 $6,175,260 .90 15,595,200 .89 3,326,375 Dependent upon the flax-growing farmers is the linseed oil business, now one of the great manufacturing in dustries in the north west and centered at Minneapolis 'No indus try in the entire north west shows so rapid a growth as this. "Within five years it has twice doubled capacity and capital invested. Six mills make up the group and they do about one third of all the business of the kind in the United States. There are 158 presses here, of which 142 are active and 16 are dormant at pres ent, these latter the Archer mill of the American Linseed Oil company, which is out of commission, but will* -likely be"rebuBfcMater. With deference to size, the linseed oil mills rank as follows: Total THETttDOWJicMllS 1903- WHEAT Wheat, the king of northwest crops, has served the farmers royally this year, and in the grand final show ing is conservatively estimated at a total of 182,296,800 bushels, which in money value means $139,939,538. Practically all this is spring wheat, there being 11,000,000 to 12,000,000 bushels of macaroni wheat in the total. The quality of the crop is on the average much higher than last year, which is a consideration of importance, both in determining farm value and in pro viding ample supplies of raw material for the flour mills of Minneapolis, that make and sustain the great grain market into which the bulk of the farmers' wheat moves. Struck by the black rust last year, at a time when very susceptible to injury, the wheat crop was cut materially. The winter wheat fields of the southwest had already suffered a loss from floods and excessive rains at harvest time, and with a crop of not much over 552,000,000 bushels for the entire United States the price of wheat rose to above the dollar level at the principal markets, and remained high for about seven months. The bulk of the northwest crop was marketed at these very remunerative prices, with the result that while the crop was spotted, some farmers had good yields and others had little, and the money distribution was uneven, the total return to the farmers, so far from falling under the year preceding, actually ran over by almost $16,000,000, notwithstanding the wheat meas ured almost 20,000,000 bushels less. THIS YEAB'S CONDITIONS. Bushels. 173,146,171 117,921,374 84,512,339 20,163,840 50,907,992 2,820,344 Wheat.... Barley Rye Total.. *Hay Potatoes.. 1904 Total. Barley Rye Total. Western mill (American) 40 Midland mill 40 Daniels' mill 40 Archer mill (American) 16 Minnesota mill 12 Northern mill 10 The Midland Linseed Oil .company built its big mill here a few years ago and has operated almost con stantly since. The Daniels Linseed Oil company fol lowed. The American Linseed Oil company's mills were already here. The largest capitalization repre sented is that of the Midland, which is capitalized at $2,250,000 and has paid 7% per cent regularly on its common stock, besides 6 per cent on the preferred. The Daniels mill is the newest of the properties and has recently been enlarged. The comparative showing in presses for the Minnesota mill does not give an ade- quate idea of the size of that company, the Minnesota Linseed Oil and Paint company, which does an enor mous business in the manufacture of paints aside from the crushing of flaxseed. These mills represent consuming capacity for 25,- 000 bushels of flax a day, or 7,500,000 bushels for a 300-day operating year. The business runs to 575,000 barrels or about 18,750,000 gallons a year, which, for linseed oil, is an enormous production. The money equivalent of the oil output varies from $8,000,000 to $11,000,000 a year, according to market values during the period. Incidental to this there is an important export business in oilcake, running to 150,000 tons a year. This averages about $3,500,000 in value, and the mills of Minneapolis sell it to Antwerp, Liverpool, Rotter dam, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Belfast, Glasgow, and other United Kingdom and continental points. About 600 men are directly employed in the mills, and in all over 1,000 obtain employment directly or indirectly from the industry. 527,082,931 2,314,490 21,058,400 *Hay Potatoes Tons. 3F Defective Page -m "Lmi^j j^p^y.M.jJiu i UJI^JJU^WW*yni Farm Value. $112,848,713 35,322,190 30,952,843 18,843,929 18,285,016 1,226,588 449,472,060 2,032,879 13,880,653 $217,479,279 12,541,859 8,000 852 $238,021,990 Bushels. 153,793,233 144,014,115 87,578,665 20,954,200 59,428,739 2,621,851 Wheat Flax Barley Rye Farm alue. $128,032,968 36,545,210 31,604,901 20,840,001 18,2US,474 1,622,317 468,390,803 2,044,339 19,938,972 Hay Potatoes 1905- Wheat $236,861,871 10,576,828 5,897,069 $253,335,768 Bushels. 182,296,800 154,492,000 95,863,500 27,851,000 63,634,000 2,945,631 Farm Value. $139,939,538 37,946,100 34,631,302 25,096,835 23,429,854 1,206,118 $262,249,747 13,432,366 7,241,798 $282,923,911 Presses. 158 COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL PUBLICITY SECTION. THURSDAY EVENING,, AUGUST 31, 1905. But That Is the Amount of Money It Takes to Measure the Farmers' Harvest from Fields and Dairies and Herds and Gardens in the Central Northwest This Year GRAND SUMMARY Showing the Production and Farm Value of the Principal Field Crop? of the Three States, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, for the Past Three Years, The following table shows the yield and the esti mated yield and the value of the wheat crop of Min nesota and the Dakotas for 1903, 1904 and the present year: 1903 Yield per Acre. 13.1 12.7 13 8 Acres Harvested. Minn... 5,393,328 N.Dak. 4,349,652 S. Dak 3,424,130 13,167,110 1904 Minn... 5,339,395 N.Dak. 4,567,135 S.Dak.. 3,287,165 13,193,695 1905 Minn... 5,554,000 N.Dak. 4,817,000 S.Dak.. 3,290,000 13,661,000 This year the rust was found again in many fields, Reached figures big enough. to make it highly impor- and it did damage in places, in the cutting down of tant with, reference %Vm V=Hole Today it is spread- Increase of 1905 over 1904, in grain 58,692,128 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $25,387,876 Increase of 1905 over 1903, in grain 77,610,871 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1903, in value $44,770,468 Increase of 1905 over 1904, in wheat 25,503,567 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $11,906,570 Increase of 1905 over 1903, in wheat 9,150,629 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1903, in value $27,090,825 Increase of 1905 over 1904, in oats 10,477,8S5 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $ 1,400,890 Increase of 1905 over 1903, in oats 36,570,626 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1903, in value $ 2,623,910 Increase of 1905 ovsr 1904, inn corn 8,284,835 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $ 3,026,401 Increase of 1905 over 1903, in corn 11,351,161 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1903, in value $ 3,678,459 Increase of 1905 over 1904, in flax 6,896,800 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $ 4,256,834 Increase of 1905 over 1903, in flax 7,687,160 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1903, in value $ 6,252,906 Increase of 1905 over 1904, in barley 4,205,261 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $ 5,213,380 Increase of 1905 over 1903, in barley 12,726,008 bushels Increase of 1905 over 1903, in value $ 5,144,838 Increase of 1905 over 1904, in rye Decrease o 1905 under 1904, in value... Increase of 1905 over 1903, in rye Decrease of 1905 under 1903, in value Increase of 1905 over 1904, in hay Increase of 1905 over 1904, in value $ 2,855,538 IncreasI of 1905 over 1903, value. Increase in money value of all principal field crdps for 1905 compared with 1904 $29,588,143 Increase in money value of all principal field crdsps for 1905 compared with 1903 44,901,921 IncreasI of 1905 over 1904, in potatoes 1,119,428 bushels Increasf, of 1905 over 1904, in value $ 1,344,729 IncreasI O&1905 over 1903, in potatoes 6,058,319 bushels Decreasf of 1905-under 1903, in- value $ 759,052 In addition to the value of the annual! production of $eld crops given above, it is safe to say that the value of the annual production of the dairy farms, the truck farms, the marketable increase in cattle and sheep and hogs and, horses, will bring the farm production of the current year for the three states of Majftjlsota and North and South Dakota up to $340,000,000. yields and lowering of the quality. But the crop on the whole stood against it well, and while there were times when with weather favorable to the spread of the rust, the partial destruction of the crop seemed im minent, no sv-h calamity followed. The rust visitation of 1904 and the remarkable de velopments following it, gave birth to many theories not fundamentally sound with reference to the wheat producing northwest. I the rise of No. 1 northern to the high point of $1.27, the extreme top, the excite ment in the grain markets,' the importation of about 3,000,000 bushels wheat from the Canadian northwest, the bringing back to America of wheat cargoes shipped from the Pacific coast to Europe, and the decision by the treasury department permitting the milling of im ported wheat in America in bond, all operated to strengthen the argument that America had ceased to be a wheat exporting country. Many viewed the con ditions as representing a permanent turn, but the truth is that they were but temporary. t is entirely clear that if the population of the United States increases at the present rate, and the wheat area increases no faster than the present ratio, the time must come when the country will produce only enough wheat for her home needs, but this condition will not be reached for many years yet. Value. Cents. 69 63 62 13. 13. 13 Total Value at Farm. $48,750,292 34,801,565 29,296,856 Bushels 70,652,597 55,240,580 47,252,994 173,146,171 $112,848,713 12.8 11.8 9.6 68,344,256 53,892,193 31,556,784 87 81 79 $59,450,503 43,652,606 24,929,859 153,793,233 $128,032,968 74,979,000 64,547,800 42,770,000 79 76 74 $59,233,410 49,056,328 31,649,800 182,296,800 BARLEY No important crop in the United States has shifted its center of production so far as barley. I 1850 its center lay in New York state. Today it is on the line between Iowa and South Dakota and is now about stationary, moving only slightly north and west from year to year. California produces 23 per cent of the barley of the country, and Minnesota, Iowa, Wiscon sin, the Dakotas and California, together produce 75.7 per cent of it. The shj$i$ng^f, the center to the west and northwest could be shown, if other statistical evi dence were lacking, by the movement into Minneapo lis, -which in 1893 received only 2,358,290 bushels, and last year 11,600,360. The effect upon the northwest, of the tendency on the part of farmers to go in more for coarse grains has been very marked as has also been the effect upon the Minneapolis grain market, which reflects every change in northwest conditions. A RAPIDLY INCREASING CROP. About five years ago barley production -first MILLIONS OF GOOD, GOLD DOLLARS IS A LOT OF MO?TEYJ 270,151 tons 281,611 tons 890,507 RUSSIAN-JAP WAR During the period of Yield per Acre. 25.3 21.6 31.4 Acres Harvested. 1,098,149 577,240 339,377 Minn N. Dak S. Dak 2,014,766 1904 Minn.. 1,131,093 623,419 349,558 $139,939,538 S. Dak 28.4 28.1 28 N.Dak 2,104,070 59,428,739 Estimate for 1905 Minn., 1,175,000 28.5 33,487,000 N.Dak S. Dak 685,000 390,000 27.5 29 ing very rapidly, and the acreage promises to increase from year to year. The business of trading in barley has grown to large propor tions in Minneapolis, and firms interested on the buying side of the market, that in former years paid little atten tion to tne northwest, now. keep in closest touch. A number of men prominent in the trade have moved here from the east the better to be in close to the primary offerings. From being a relative ly unimportant point Minneapolis has grown to be a market where buyers for the largest maltsters are always ac tive. The local malting capacity has been in creased by the erection sof 323,780 bushels 416,199 125,287 bushels 20,470 the North Star Malt ing company's large plant in Northeast Min neapolis and the enlarge ment of the plants of the breweries. As a malting point the city does not compare with Milwau kee, Buffalo and. other centers, but the business here is in its infancy and judges of conditions in the malting trade have predicted a great increase ultimately. More recently the eastern exporters, who handle barley, have been getting into the Minne apolis field, and promi nent men in the Atlantic seaboard trade who make Minneapolis their head quarters during the sea son, predict that the northwest, having taken the lead in new interest for barley buyers and exporters, new develop ments affecting the trade or the production are sure to occur here, and that Minneapolis is destined to become the greatest barley market of the country CREATES DEMAND. the Russian-Japanese war just preceding the last land campaign, Minneapolis sent out round lots of feed barley to the orient. Local grain firms handled the business safely and expedi tiously and brought about commercial relationship be tween the American northwest and the merchants of Japan and the Philippines, likely to result in further expansion of trade at times when conditions favor. Grain producers who have gone into barley culti vation have had experiences not always pleasant, some times thru ignorance of the importance of protecting the yield from deterioration, by change of color or otherwise, after it is harvested. Growing the crop and gathering it in does not in itself assure a remunerative price for the product. I is sometimes possible, thru very adverse weather conditions, and always possible thru carelessness or neglect, to bring down the qual ity of the grain materially. Minneapolis firms have recently employed some of the most expert men in the barley trade of the country, who have moved here. They have also iven the farmers the benefits of any thing gained by their experience, and circulars about the care of barley at harvest time have been sent out very widely. When barley yields well and holds a high grade, it is a very satisfactory crop to raise, and while the farm value is always comparatively low, yields an acre run high enough to counterbalance. In 1899 the northwest production of barley was as follows: Acres. Minnesota 877,845 North Dakota 287,092 South Dakota 299,510 MINNbSUIA HlQTOniOAL SOOIETY. Bushels. 24,314,240 6,752,060 7,031,760 Totals 1,464,447 38,098,060 The crops of the past three years, equivalent figured out, are as follows: 1903 Value per Bu $.37 .36 .33 Bushels 27,783,170 12,468,384 10,656,438 50,907,992 $18,285,016 $10,279,373 4,905,061 3,132,040 32,123,041 17,518,074 9,787,624 $.32 .28 .32 $18,216,474 $32 2 $1,782,814 18,837,000 11,310,000 2,250,000 .32 .32 OATS Next after wheat in size, the oats crop is one of the big money producers of the northwest. Nothing raised here, unless it be barley, has played so impor tant a part in the progress of the three states in the past year or two. Time -was when the center of oats production lay far in the east. Today it has shifted into Dlinois and is rapidly moving farther northward and westward. The states of Minnesota, North and South Dakota always produced oats, since first their soil was tilled, but the great expansion occurred about two years ago, when buyers from all parts of the coun try began to turn towards Minneapolis, and this, cre ating a good market, and materially advancing the average price to the northwest farmer, turned the mind of the country districts more to oats production. Thus 6,027,840 6,619,200 63,634,000 $23,429,854 If You Would Be Pros perous Yourself Cast Your Lot Where Others Are Prosperous. --& ^Minnesota last year produced the great total of 85,178,- 503 bushels, which, in money value, meant $22,146,411 for her farmers. Up to about two years ago tne big buyers, the cereal companies and others, drew *,he bulk of their supplies from western Illinois and eastern Iowa. The running down of the crop in important sections of -this area, and the production in the same season of a crop of oats of high quality the northwest, changed affairs. ^Buyers found it advantageous and often nec essary to come to the northwest for their supplies, and naturally they came to Minneapolis. The result of all this was that while in 1902 Minneapolis received the total, then the record figures, of 12,066,490 bushels of oats, the movement jumped to 22,384,050 the year fol lowing, and again to 25,848,000 last year. MINNEAPOLIS A GREAT OATS MARKET. Todajj^ all buyers, including the American Cereal company and the Great Western, the two largest con sumers, are represented here. The elevators last year carried at one time the heaviest stock of contract oata in ths country, and stocks of all grades ran much larger than ever before. The stimulus to expansion of the oats acreage last year came from both directions, for while the Minne apolis market felt the benefits of the eastern demand, and the increase in export shipments from the Atlantic seaboard that originated here, the west coast was also an active buyer. Many lots of oats for the govern ment were taken here and sent to the Philippines, and other sales were made for private account to the orient. This business, it is believed, will be seen again, a little later. The eastern demand should begin to show up here this year about Nov. 1. Everything indicates that the Minneapolis market will receive more oata this year than ever before, and that the outside de mand will increase materially. The acreage and production of oats in the north west made a material advance this season. The esti mate for 1905 and the two seasons preceding, follows: 1903 Yield per Acre. 32.3 27.4 38.6 Acres Harvested Minn... 2,130,315 N. Dak. 797,263 S.Dak.. 706,404 3,633,982 1904 Minn... 2,172,921 N.Dak. 829,154 S. Dak. 713,468 3,715,543 1905 Minn... 2,225,000 N.Dak. 930,000 S.Dak.. 840,000 Value. Yield per Acre. 28.3 25.2 27.2 Acres Harvested. Minn... 1,439,112 N.Dak. 86,008 S.Dak.. 1,530,076 with money 1904 Total Value at Farm. $10,279,773 4,488,618 3,516,625 Total Value at Farm. $20,642,752 6,771,952 7,907,486 Bushels. Cents. 68,809,174 30 21,845,006 31 27,267,194 29 117,921,374 39.2 37.4 39.0 $35,322,190 85,178,503 31,010,360 27,825,252 26 24 25 $22,146,411 7,442,486 6,956,313 144,014,115 39.5 36.5 39.5 $36,545,210 87,887,000 33,845,000 32,760,000 3,995,000 25 23 25 $21,971,750 7,784,350 8,190,000 154,492,000 CORN Altho outside the corn belt, and producing a total that by comparison with corn-growing states appears small, Minnesota and the Dakotas find the yellow cereal a source of great wealth. Of late the produc tion of corn has increased materially, and the increase la likely to continue. In 1904 an important part o the area of southern Minnesota and South Dakota, where corn was planted, suffered from too much moisture, and yields per acre were disappointing. This operated to prevent such an increased acreage as would otherwise have followed, yet the three states this year ran well above last year in production, with, a total of 95,000,000 bushels. As in the more important corn producing states, so also in Minnesota and the Dakotas, a large propor tion of the crop never sees the open market. Much of it is consumed on the farm where it is produced, more nver gets beyond the county line, and still more does not leave the state. I is turned into wealth in different form. The cattle raising interests and dairy ing industry of the three states stimulate the produc tion of corn which promises to increase steadily. North Dakota, naturally, raises very little. South Dakota beats out Minnesota in any ordinary year, and in a favorable season that state is capable of producing 50,000,000 bushels, while Minnesota should come into line with 40,000,000 to 45,000,000 in any good year. The acreage and production for 1905 and the pre ceding two years were as follows: 1903 $37,946,100 Value. Cents. 38 42 35 Minn... 1,554,241 26.9 41,809,083 36 N.Dak. 90,308 21.2 1,914,530 40 S.Dak.. 1,560,678 28.1 43,855,052 36 3,105,227 1905 Minn... 1,575,000 28.5 44,887,000 36 N.Dak. 101,000 26.5 2,676,5i/0 40.5 S. Dak.. 1,725,000 28 48,300,000 36 3,401,000 95,863,500 HAY Hay is a crop that from its nature comes upon the open market in quantity very small relative to total production. Much of it necessarily never leaves the farm. Its value appears ways too numerous to ol- Total Value at Farm. $15,476,211 910,309 14,566,323 Bushels 40,726,870 2,167,402 41,618,067 84,512,339 3,055,196 $30,952,843 $15,051,270 765,812 15,787,819 87,578,665 $31,604,901 $16,159,320 1,083,982 17,388,000 $34,631,302 low. Like corn it creates wealth in form other than,*j its own. The crop is not often figured upon as important in wealth production, yet in Minnesota it is so big-this year that it stands the farmers a money equivalent of $10,784,812. The Dakotas do not raise much hay, as is natural. With the growth of diversified farming, and the cutting up of the larger holdings of land into smaller farms, hay raising will increase. The bulk of the northwest crop now comes off Minnesota land, the total for the three states in value this year showing $13,432,366, with North Dakota and South Dakota re ceiving only the smaller part of it. Yet North Dakota increased its acreage by 228.8 per cent in the ten years prior to the census of 1900, and has gained steadily since then. An important new hay produeting district *an| from Winnipeg Junctiton north to Crookston, Minnf "i