Daily globe., 1881-08-29
THE CORN CROPS.
Large Falling or In the Yield Resulting
from the Long Continued Drouth--
The Shortage In Yield PartiallyIMade Up

from the Long Continues DrOutn--
The Shortage In Yield PartiallylMade Up
by Increased Acreags--The Germanl
States Suffering from the Same Cause.
CHICAGO, Aug. 27.-The Times gives full
reports from the principal corn centers in the
Western States. Concerning the prospects of
the corn crop of the year the reports represent
the condition of this grain throughout the
great corn region of the United States, from
Ohio to Kanaas, and from Kentucky to Min
nesota. The season is far advanced and can
not be greatly affected by any future event.
Early frosts may somewhat alter the present
outlook, but y many sections corn is already
beyond reach of them, and regions that may
be injured by frosts are not those ranked as
the heaviest corn producers. The drouth has
already done its worst, and rains that may
come will arrive too late to change the present
situation. The information given below may
be considered, therefore, as practically settling
the question OF the corn crop OF the
season. 1t is clear the present year is
to see no such tremendous production as
made the year 1880 remarkable in the history
of corn cultivation. Encouraged by that
year, farmers In the heaviest corn sections
planted mach larger area than at any
previous period. On account of the very
backward season, planting was unusually late,
but the early appearance OF crops in most
places promised well, and favorable weather
stimulated an unusually rapid growth. At the
time when cron most needed rain, however, a
GREAT DRoUTH BEGAN,
which extended over the entire corn section
The earth dried up, crops were parehed and
withered in the fields, and in many localities
the farmers could barely furnish water for
In the southern sections of Illinois, Iowa and
other Western States, where the yield of corn
is heayier. In these regions stalks which had
grown rank and lusty were dried and scorched
IN the sun, and the ears were small and
stunted. AS the weeks went by without rain,
the outlook for any sort of a crop in some OF
the most afflicted sections became hopeless,
and farmers plowed the dying corn under. In
suuti elm Illinois the effects OF the drouth
were extremely disastrous. South of Pana,
down to the end of the State, there is practi-
cally no corn. In the more central localities
early platings promise well, but late ones will
ne mostly converted into fodder. In several
sections the crop will not average
SEVEN BUSHELS TO THE ACRE.
In Northern Illinois the drouth was, at rare
intervals, relieved by rain falls. Fields at
present stand we'll, and though not SO far ma
the crop, if no frosts come, will be large
enough to assist in offsetting the great falling
off in the south parts of the State. One-third
of crop as compared with last year appears
a fair estimate for the crop of 1881 in Illinois
1t must be remembered, however, that the
year 1881 was a remarkably large one. This
fact tends to bring this years average crop to
that of ordinary years of productions and
small acreage. Reports from Iowa, the rival
of Illinois as corn producing State, are very
harmonious. In no section, however, is a
full crop expected. The varying reports ap-
pear to be due to the fact that many sections
were less severely visited by drOuth than 9th
ers. The acreage, as reported, is somewhat
greater than that of last year, and the defect
of the entire crop, caused by drouth, is on
this account, discounted by increased acreage.
The yield, compaeed with last year, is in some
localities placed as low as
FIFTY PER CENT.
and the average bushels per acre at twenty
five instead of seventy-tive or eighty bushels.
The crop in this State last year was also un
precedently great, and the presumption per-
haps is justified that the crop will not be
much below an average one. In Missouri
the drouth was severe and long, and prospects
in that State are that the crop will be cut
down from one-quarter to one-half The crop
of Kansas also appears likely to fall consider
ably below the average of usual years. In
other States the drouth was more or less Sc
verely felt and the crop does not, by any
means, promise to be full one, as compared
with the years of the greatest productions.
THE ONLY RELIEF FROM A SHORTAGE
will be the fact that the highly profitable croI
of last year encouraged farmers to put in in
creased acreage. 1t may not be far from the
truth to say that the gloomy reports from
some sections are in measure due to hopes
built upon the unusual product Of 1880
Farmers expected to see that memorable yield
duplicated this season, and the present indi
cations certainly are that such expectations
are not likely to be realized to them.