The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-06-13
S1IIsES.
THE COMING CROPS.
Good Prospects for the Cereals-Bhd for
Cotton.

The season is certainly late, and pas
turage was poorer IN the middle OF
April than has been for several years.
This condition prevailed from the east
to the extreme west. The first crop to
be considered Is that of corn. In the
corn region of the west it was feared
during February that the ground would
become so eompaeted by wet, and in
many cases by the hoofs of cattle IN
stubble-felds, that it would be unsuita-
BILE for blowing and for being put IN
proper order for corn, but subsequent
frosts. united with the abundance of
moisture, pulverized the Jumps so much
and placed the soil in such a fine condi-
ton that blowing for corn in many sec
tions began nearly a month ago.
To raise such corn crops as have made
the United States famous, have produ
ced so much wealth, and have so often
averted financial disaster, it is Impor-
tant, in fact Indispensable, that the
planting shall all be finished by tbs
25th of May. and the bulk be IN the
ground from the 18th to the 20th, for
the reason that If planted as late as the
1st OF June there Is neither time for the
corn to grow md mature nor fer the
proper work to be done. 1t Is true that
individual farmers, with land in a high
state of cultivation, with abundant help
at command, and with a full knowledge
of all the requirements, may possibly
raise a good crop within 120 days, but
such farmers know too much 10 under
take to do this unless forced to do so 10y
unfavorable weather, while If an ad-
verse condition exists on the first of
June, it is more than likely to be con-
tinued even unto July, as was the case
last wear.
BY all the accounts received from the
great corn region of Illinois, Iowa, and
Missouri, more than half the corn was
planted by the 18th inst; the weather
was warm and extremely pleasant, and
grateful showers had fallen, which were
sufficient TO start vegetation, but not
enough TO retard farming operations.
/ Grass had started up almost at once,
/ giving dairy cows full feed; and rapid
/ increase in milk and in the quality of
/ the butter were noticeable. Oats were
put IN rather dry. but they are now
I coming forward full of promise. There
are conflicting accounts IN regard to
/ winter wheat, which might be suspi-
/ cious, but, as the weather of the later
I winter months was not such rs throws
/ wheat ont OF the groug2rHsr may be
/ presumed that its back ss or the
I appearance Of poor are due
mostly 10 the dry weatl and if so,
/ the wheat viii quickly recover under
the influence OF n warmer sun and Of
f-eQuent showers.
The breadth painted with various
grains. and especially with corn, is rep
resented on all hands 70 be large pos
sibly, or rather probably, 1t has nevSr
been excelled. \ great amount Of sod
land has been broken and brought into
cultivation during the last few years,
giving a larger area that may be planted
than we ever had before, and favorable
weather being given, all that Is required
to increase its production Is a good
price. 1t Is generally estimated that
the net cost OF producing a bushel of
corn Is about p cents. 4 wear ago tie
crop Of the previous year sold for little
more than what 1t cost to raise II, and
when taxes, interest, and other heavy
weights were added, corn-g growing was
decidedly losing business. But with
the bad year of 1873 prices advanced,
and il IS probably true that they who
had no more than half crops realized
more money therefor than they did for
the previous full clop and now, at the
time of this years planting, corn was
sold in the Chicago market in the neigh
borhOod of SO cents, which, less trans
portation, furnished a most handsome
margin, and it has been therefore n
great inducement for broad planting.
The present prospects, then, for large
crop of corn are certainly good, and it
need not be a matter of surprise If 1t
shall be the largest crop ever raised
in the world.
1t may here be stated that there is
much more old corn in tbk eountry and
IN the hands Of farmers Twas gener-
ally supposed. 1t wad bly, held
both for speculative purPSsa end as a
contingency until the prospects for the
coming crop could be forecast. Recent
" large lots were thrown upon the mar
ket and prices receded a trifie, but they
subsequently rallied, for it Is a truth,
nevertheless, that over a wide extent of
the farming region of our country there
is an absolute scarcity of the coarser
grains. This is notably so in New Eng
land and in the middle states, where
drouth prevailed.
1t is not worth while for anybody to
become alarmed at the prospect of
large corn crop, since it viii be large
only relatively, for heavy surplus will
be required to supply deficiencies and
to fatten all kinds of stock, which have
been more or less pinched, and thus
place the country in the same position
it occupied two years ago. The increase
of population is another element to be
taken into account, and also the increase
of the manufacturing population, for
which a large crop will Indirectly, but
surely, find employment. When ten
men previously idle are set to work,
they call for as many more, at least, to
go 10 work for them. The farmers GER
tainly are far from doubling that they
will realize a good price for their corn,
because they think they have nearly
completed a system of reduced trans
portation, or if they find such not to be
case, they will rejoice in the occasion of
reOpening the conflict.
Aside from the disastrous overflow of
the lower Mississippi we have no unfa-
vorable accounts from the cotton fields.
Last year there was constant rain it
was difficult to get "a stand, more difficult
to clean out the grass, and the pillow
ran in mud. This year, so far, IL APP
pears that they are having a fair aver
age season. Whether the cotton plan
teIs are really planting less cotton and
more corn, agreeably to their new mot
to, is uncertain, though it is TO be hoped
that each planter will gradually acquire
the habit of raising his own supplies.
There is so much satisfaction in eating
corn-dodgers grown from corn of ones
own raising, as we'll as bacon, biscuit,
eggs and poultry, that nothing but
spirit of speculation, now proved to
have been i'll advised, could have in
duced the planter to depend upon the
north for supplies.
No widespread disaster to fruit buds
has been reported, though in some To-
calities peaches are killed. The hard
winter of 1928 proved uncommonly
fatal to many orchards over wide sec
tons, and the opening of spring only
proves more surely that the trees are
past recovery. Replantings have been
somewhat extensive, but fruit growers
Will become more encouraged qs, the
memory of their losses weafS2E$S.-
" J. Tribune. asp~x
The Sailors Br48e
A seafaring man, ysAeA lily |
married, gave the foil etisn |
of his bride and her APP will
put some of the regular S.pa-.
pers to the blush: |
Ny wife is just as handNEne q ztsft !
as ever left the millinery dry-dock