THE MOVEMENT OF WHEAT-GROWING 



339 



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

 counties, as is indicated in the following table : 



Goodhue 

 Fillmore 

 Wabasha 

 Olmsted . 

 Dakota . 

 Winona . 

 Mower . 

 Houston . 

 Dodge 



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, 12 counties produced more than 2,000,000 bushels each. 

 The 9 leading counties are given below : 



Polk 4,128,620 



Ottertail 3,941,160 



Renville j 3,698,160 



Lac qui Parle ! 3,219,230 



Stearns 3,022,230 



Clay 2,593,390 



Yellow Medicine 2,552,700 



Redwood j 2.529,620 



Marshall 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. 



