New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-22
CONDITION or THE CROPS.

MR. DOWS'S OBSERVATIONS IN THE WEST.
WHAT WAS SEEN on A THREE WEEKS JOURNEY
GOOD YIELD OF WHEAT AND OTHER GRAINS
LIKELY-THE CORN CROP UNCERTAIN.
The condition of the growing crops has caused un-
usual interest this year because the aeness of the
spring has made it matter of considerable doubt.
The cold wet weather which has prevailed gener-
ally throughout the country has delayed planting
and in some parts of the West has made necessary
the replaning of some crops In Wall Street there
have been persons who declared without hesitation
that the country was threatened with absolute fam
inc, and others who said with a solemn air that
never IN the history of the country did year Of
short crops fail to be followed by Of still more
serious disaster.
David BOWS returned on Monday night from
long journey through the Northwest. He left New
York nearly month ago, one OF o company whose
chief object in visiting the West was to attend the
general meetings of railroad companies in which
the members of the party were largely interested.
Among the others from New-York were Benjamin
Brewster Congressman K. p. Flower. Arson e.
Flower and Heber Il. Bishop A. II. Porter. presi-
dent of the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis and
Omaha Railroad, Hugh Riddle, president of the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, and other rail-
road officers members of the party at different
stages of the trip. At Chicago DIR. Isham and his
of the company are still in the far
Northwest, shooting and fishing. Congress
man Flower returned to Washington after attending
the railroad meetings, and Mr. BOWS reached this
city on Monday after an absence Of more than
three weeks. The meetings which were attended
were those OF tho Rock Island, the Northwestern,
the st. Paul and the Omaha companies. special
train carried the party the whole route on it
the members lived visiting hotel only once dur
ing the trip
Mr. Bows said yesterday that the trip had been
an exceedingly pleasant Leaving 81. Paul, the
train went through Iowa to Des Moines, and
from thence to Chicago again. From Chicago the
company went norhward far as Winnipeg, and.
declining an offered trip the Canadian Pacific
from lack of time, they returned to Fargo and from
there turned toward the west on the Northern Pa
cfc They crossed the Missouri River al Ri smarck,
and kept on as far as Miles City, Montana. which
is now about the end of actual travel, although
the road is completed considerable distance beyond
that point. From there the return began, and care
was taken that parts OF the country passed through
at night should be seen by daylight on the return
trip. =,
Throughout this wide extent of country Mr..
BOWS said yesterday =" saw nothing that did not
greatly encourage me The country west of the
Missouri River Ot course Is sparsey settled. Ii is
new land. Parts OF lt-Dut they are small parts
are not suited TO agriculture Some ground west OF
Bismarck was being broken UP, but the settlements
were thin compared with the country we had
passed through All through the Yellowstone VAL
ley as far went was the richest grazing land
Through Dakota, Minnesota Iowa and other sec
tons of the country that we passed through the
crops looked well. In southern Minnesota and
northern Iowa wheat was dong llnely.
1t had good . stand ana notnn8
except rust or blight will prevent good crop from
being harvested. The corn there as almost every
where eLse was late and had TO DC planted Two or
when we saw it. think Illinois has suffered more
| from wet weather this year tnan ever before AZ
the same time that State viii turn out talr crop OF
| corn If the weather should continue favorable In
| some parts of 1t, where the land Is low anu "el
| farmers have planted corn three times. MY o"hoo-
seryatlon and the letters OF my correspondents lIo
narts of inc state which did not VISIT lead NE 10
think that the crop of corn IN That otatc VII o DO
| large; it will be much better however thth mas
| been reported. Minnesota Is MOI really corn coun.
| try bat the farmers there have turned thet
| wheat. They are diyersifymg their crops.
! and | think that most excellent poucy'
Minnesota has planted much larger area Oh corn
tins year than ever before. The planting has been
late on account Of the weather but the crop prom,
| ises we'll In Iowa the corn looked me, anu
| have no doubt that 1t Will turn out Well .....
| ''If were to sum up the result of my oDscrva,
| tlons of the crops throughout the Northwest,
should saw that the yield wheat ami other small
grains would be exceedingly good but that the pro-
| auction OF corn was still uncertain L an not el.
| tnuslastic over tine crop prospects; but, on tas
| other hand, am sure that excellent harVcsts WIZ
be the rule unless unforeseen accidents should
|
| should prevent abundant haryests, Tor what one
section of tue country may lose another section
| likely to make good. - i,
ION our return over the Lake Shore road could
not help noticing the great change which an inter-
val of Ghree weeks had made IN the appearance
OF the grains. W heat was UNIFORM ana even tnoio
| were no thin places III all the great heids. Moio
over, tho growth was not rank all straw, as SUM-
people perhaps may have anticipated, out IL was
| strong and healthy. The dterence IN the appear.
| ance of the heat was very remarkable return
the city Ith great confidence IN the results VI sS
harvests throughout tho Northwest.
| CROP PROSPECTS IN THE WEST.
| ST PAUL Mimi. June 2l.-Crop dispatches
| from nearly onehundred points on lne o"se'
| waukee and st. Paul Railroad In Minneso,' Two 1
Dakoto confirm the previous reports VI 'u9 e'e"' ~
| crease I'm wheat aud the Increase Ia 'uo "f'~ " WIZ
PLANTED IL tho southern part Oh the S'"'0 .ue CUT,
- 20 show the effect OF the cool rains OF the LAST
| - 49, Wheat has improved aud Is In the btsi
,i,tr Reports are favorable, almost without
,tou The plant is nearly foot high. STANDS we'll
has good color, and promises TO hold out vigorous!
and sbundantly The wet weather has preVeneu '1
usual ppearance OF ohinch pugs IA he Uuoi ~ good
,here "a not a single drawback. me rrOhllso o.
| I'm IN certain places, however, mas &c,
ce2ed another check from tho SaSss G sIs
| Wei and dispatches take an uhIahos s ,ns
~ o, lie prospects The rain prevents plougnns wv
weeds arc getting tnck and the plant is small ana II
20" - from two 10 three weeks behind III sioN1n 40
| nvnr the Northwest AMI has not PROMISING i"'"N'
| s,oux CITY Iowa. juno 2l.-Crop reports from o'o
| 700 INT. IN Northwestern Iowa, Southwestern am
! -. s,uthern Dakota and Northwestern Neo "SA'
| - .. foIloxs. The general outlook Is more la'"'s'
| ,ba, n WA. ever known to DO before NJ 'hi' '
The acreage has largely Increased anu M s"'" ma,
| of Dakota is 800 per cent sre"'o' 80 "a
| of last year Small grains are very ""' -
! nothing has yet happened TO hui' ' rha
coru is somewhat backward but the 'tSnu Is .,