THE MOVEMENT OF WHEAT-GROWING 



339 



In the meantime there was a rapid falhng off in the older 

 counties, as is indicated in the following table : 



Goodhue 

 Fillmore 

 Wabasha 

 Olmsted . 

 Dakota . 

 Winona . 

 Mower . 

 Houston . 

 Dodge . 



Product in 1870 

 (In bushels) 



1,815,403 



1,687,424 



1,476,643 



2,117,054 



i435.36i 



1,315,012 



673,017 



623,557 



634,741 



Product in 1890 

 (In bushels) 



604,327 

 156,728 

 305,388 

 198,992 

 64,806 

 466,845 

 108,763 

 129,619 

 132,900 



Coming down to the year 1900, we find that there were 42 

 counties producing more than 1,000,000 bushels each; and out 

 of these, 1 2 counties produced more than 2,000,000 bushels each. 

 The 9 leading counties are given below : 



. Bushels 



Polk 



Ottertail . . . 

 Renville . . . 

 Lac qui Parle 

 Stearns .... 



Clay 



Yellow Medicine 

 Redwood . . . 

 Marshall . . . 



4,128,620 

 3,941,160 

 3,698,160 

 3,219,230 

 3,022,230 

 2,593,390 

 2,552,700 

 2,529,620 

 2,225,440 



Thus the tendency of the wheat industry to shift northward and 

 westward, as shown in the figures for 1890, is still further 

 emphasized by those for 1900. Figures since 1900 show further 

 movement in this direction. The valley of the Red River of the 

 North, that part of the valley of the Minnesota River northwest 

 from Blue Earth County, together with the plains lying immedi- 

 ately north and in the central-western part of the state, accordingly 

 comprise today's great wheat-producing areas in Minnesota. 



