GRAIN FARMING IN NORTH DAKOTA. 7 
The value of implements and machinery per farm is comparatively 
high. The average value of implements and machinery per farm of 
640 acres, not including tractors, thrashing outfits, or automobiles, is 
approximately $1,800. (See p. 17.) 
CROPS. 
In 1917 records were obtained from representative farms in various 
parts of the State showing the following percentages of crop area in 
various crops: Wheat, 39 per cent; oats, 17 per cent; barley, 14 per 
cent; corn, 6 per cent; flax, 6 per cent; miscellaneous crops, 18 per 
cent. Tame hay and prairie hay occupied the largest areas among 
the miscellaneous crops; rye, millet, and alfalfa followed in order. 
Summer-fallow land occupied less than 3 per cent of the crop area. 
Pasture and waste land occupied approximately 22 per cent of the 
total farm area. | 
Fic, 4.—A field of oats on a characteristic Red River Valley farm. 
The lines in figure 3 show the trend of acreage from year to year 
from 1891 to 1916. Wheat always occupied the first place, increas- 
ing from about, 3,000,000 acres in 1891 to more than 9,000,000 in 
1911. In 1891 flax occupied less than one-quarter million acres, but 
in 1902 occupied nearly two and one-quarter million acres; from 
that date it has diminished in importance to the present time. 
Flax reached its greatest importance at the time when a maximum 
amount of prarie sod was being broken up, as this crop is perhaps 
better adapted to “breaking” than any other crop produced in the 
region. 
Oats and barley increased in acreage from 1900 to 1916, but had 
remained at about the same level from 1890 to 1900. ‘These crops are 
utilized locally quite largely for feed, although considerable barley 
is sold. <A good field of oats is shown in figure 4. 
Corn, potatoes, and rye received little attention until after 1900, 
when the corn acreage increased markedly. Varieties of hardy and 
quick-maturing corn were developed, so that in 1915 nearly three- 
