The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-08-30
THE GREAT CORN BELT.

THE GREAT CORN BELT.
Its Extent of Territory and tho Crop Pro.
duced.-The Rain--Corn at Fifty Cents
per Acre.
A correspondent, writing of the crops
and crop prospects, gives us the follow
ing: A large part of the Northern
States has been visited by a common
calamity. The region embraces much
of western Pennsylvania, most of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and the east
ern parts of Kansas and Nebraska; and
it includes the great corn belt of the
United States, where is grown the sur
plus of corn that enters into the mar.
kets of the world either in the form OF
grain or of provisions, viz: pork, beef,
lard and butter. On no other part OF
the earth's surface can so much corn to
the area be produced, and in no other
part is the quality so good. II is to be
added that intensity of production is
limited to a region not much larger than
the State of Illinois, equal to about 12O
average counties, and that the corn pro-
ducipg counties lie, few in Ohio and
Indiana, perhaps five in each, in the
whole of central Illinois, in southern
Iowa, eastern Kansas, and Nebraska, and
in the river counties of Missouri. It is
from these counties that the actual COM
mercial surplus comes. Elsewhere the
supply is absorbed by the local demand.
A commercial corn crop must be
planted from the fifteenth to the twenty
second of May, or it will be a failure,
because the field is so large that, if
planted later, there will not be time to
work it. As soon as the corn appears,
teams, harrows, or other implements are
ready to stir the ground and kill the
weeds, and not day, not On hour is
suffered to pass unimproved. Ihe
whole business is reduced to complete
system and may almost be called
science, and, except as to some slight
differences, as to check planting or drill
ing and in the use of Implements, all
the farmers agree on common methods,
and the work progresses with the
promptness and certainty of huge piece
of machinery. In uniformity, in vast.
ness of extent, in capital invested, and
in generally successful results, no other
example Of rural commercial industry
in the world is at all comparable to corn
growing in this great corn belt. The
three great cities, Cincinnati, Chicago
and st. Louis, which stand at the outer
angles of this region, have been built
up and are sustained by this wonderful
grain.
Well, the corn crop for 1876 Was
planted in due season, though under
great disadvantage, for the ground was
cloddy and hard, and many teams were
broken down, 80 terrible heavy and
urgent was the work but it was ali in,
and the triumphant farmer waited for
little season. The story is soon told.
Rains fell continually, and on low, level
ground it was impossible to work the
corn, and the mournful observer travel
ing through from beyond the Missouri
almost to the Alleghanies sees thousands
upon thousands of fields where the corn,
never yet touched since the day of plant
ing, is from six to twelve inches high,
yellow standing in water. No work, no
possible favorable conditions. can make
it worth fifty cents IN acre. On rolling,
high, quickly drained land, the corn
looks we'll, and the estimate is-perhaps
it is high-that there will be half crop.
There were twelve days during June
when an Incredible amount of rain fell
in central Illinois, stated to have been
43, 500 cubic feet to the acre, or an
amount equal to twelve inches on level.
As there was no discharge over 80 vast
an area OF the prairie, there could be
only one result. Meanwhile there is O
large stock of hogs raised since the
scarcity of two years ago, and plenty Of
cattle, all looking well at present. How
they are to be fattened is q question.
But there is one hopeful view, so far as
the whole region is concerned, to the
effect that the corn crop of last year was
the largest ever grown, and heavy lots
are on hand in central Illinois, estimated
to be $4,000, 900 Of bushels, which will
largely increase this years half crop.
Il is manifest that while the rain was
falling wheat, oats, barley, and rye must
have suffered, and that, therefore, there
is shortage go far as these products are
concerned. Certainly the wheat crop
must be short, and yet only few days
since wheat fell nearly fifteen cents a
bushel. The reason for this wonderful
decline is alleged to be the deficiency of
suitable storage in New York city and
the damage wheat is suffering by the
hot weather and on account of the low
condition in which it was harvested last
year. There are said to be 4,000,00
bushels in New York and scarcely 2,000,-
900 in Chicago, all below good grade,
and now comes low grade from much
of this years crop.
There is pretty large wheat produc-
ingregion not yet mentioned. Commenc-
ing on line 100 miles west of Kansas
City, we have country $50 miles wide
where the rains were timely and where
an immense breadth of most excellent
wheat was grown, which is now mostly
thrashed. This includes all of western
Kansas and Nebraska; and besides fa-
vorable weather prevailed in three
fourths of Iowa, where not only wheat,
but corn, oats and all vegetables are
good and abundant. Thus, while the
losses by wet weather have been enor-
nous, vast amount has still been saved
and the wealth of the country is mater
tally increased.