This postcard boasts that "Minnesota's 1913 Corn Crop Averaged 40 Bushels Per Acre" -- "A Sign of Minnesota's Prosperity."
The handwritten message on the back of this card says "These look like the pigs we fed last fall."
The 40 bushels per acre seems quite high for that time. The Financial Review 1915 Annual did not specifically mention Minnesota, but reported for 1914 that "The year's product per acre at 25.8 bushels, while greater than in the previous year, was below the average." This seems to be a national average.
A University of Minnesota Extension article on Selecting Corn Hybrids for Grain Production has a chart showing yields between 1948 and 2008. The average corn yield in Minnesota increased at a rate of two bushels per acre per year but was only around 40 bushels per acre in 1950.
The handwritten message on the back of this card says "These look like the pigs we fed last fall."
The 40 bushels per acre seems quite high for that time. The Financial Review 1915 Annual did not specifically mention Minnesota, but reported for 1914 that "The year's product per acre at 25.8 bushels, while greater than in the previous year, was below the average." This seems to be a national average.
A University of Minnesota Extension article on Selecting Corn Hybrids for Grain Production has a chart showing yields between 1948 and 2008. The average corn yield in Minnesota increased at a rate of two bushels per acre per year but was only around 40 bushels per acre in 1950.
Weird postcard! (but weird is good)
ReplyDeleteThat's an unusual composition, I'll admit but I guess that's exactly why it's interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe text is a little dark though but then again... PIGS! Pigs are adorable. :)
That is a very interesting card. Those baby pigs look so tiny! I enjoyed your post. Take care!
ReplyDelete