The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-08-18
the CROPS.
Report OF the National Department oi
Agriculture for August.

SPRING WHEAT.
WASHINGTON, August 10.--The August
crop reports to the Department Of Agri-
spring wheat tor August Is o., the same
as IN 1852, but higher than tor any previ'
Gus August since 1877. In Wisconsin re.
cent rains have injured the crop in the
southwestern counties; average, 30. the
prospect IN Minnesota favOrs crop OF
1917 bushels per acre. Notwithstanding
the bad weather IN early spring, and the
subsequent drouth in the northern coun-
lies, the condition il 90. The fears excited
by the excessive heat early in July in
Northern Dakota have been happily dis
pelled. Cass and Richland counties prom.
Use better yield than last year. Other
counties will scarcely equal their last rec
ord. In South Dakota the harves Is pro-
crossing. The straw Is bright, the heads
large and yield better than last year. The
returns OF August do not essentially
change the indicated aggregate of July for
the entire crop. The result of the harvest
will be more fully tested on the return of
threshers' blanks. 1t IL now certain that q
shortage exists which will require all the
surplus of last year, and keep prices well
sustained.
There has been al improvement IN the
appearance of the corn fields during the
month OF July in New England, the Md
die States, the Ohio valley and west OF the
Mississippi. In Illinois, Missouri and
Kansas 1t Is slight, measured by single
point There has been u retrograde In the
south in consequence OF the drouth and
some decline in Michigan from too much
moisture. Taking the whole area together
the condition has advanced from 80 to 80
per cent of perfect crop. The condition
of the census crop IN 1879 In August was
80, and the yield % bushels per acre. The
present returns indicate a yield of not
much over 25 bushels per acre, or 1,700,.
100000 bushels, which is as much rs was
produced in 1879. The condition IS six
points higher than last year in August,
1880 inclusive. The nights have been too
cool for rapid development, and the crop
is late. Fears are expressed that frost may
yet cause disaster. In August, 1874, the
condition was one degree higher than the
present average, and the crop was late
from wet spring and local summer
drouths, and the yields less than 81 bush
els per acre. The averages of the states of
principal production are: Illinois, Sc;
Ohio, SO: Kentucky, 81; Kansas, 81, Ne
braska, "a; Indiana, 50; Michigan, SO;
Missouri, 49, Iowa, So; Wisconsin, So
New York, 90; New Jersey, 10l; Penn
sylvania, 90; Virginia, 93 North Caro-
lima. SO; South Carolina, 70; Georgia, IA
Alabama, 80; Mississippi, 81; Louisiana,
1907 Texas, 90; Arkansas; 81; Tennessee
80.
OATS.
The condition OF oats IS represented by
| 100, u figure surpassed only by last Au-
gust since 1878. North of the parallel of
30 deg. the high condition is almost uni
versa. In some western districts there
has been injury from lodging, the result of
storms.
The condition of barley averages 81, the
same MS IN August, 1882, but higher than
IN aay previous year since 1874. The av-
erage for New York Is 1902; Pennsylvania,
81; Ohio, 80; Michigan, SO; Wisconsin, SO
Minnesota, 96; Iowa, 90; Nebraska, 1902
California, 80. These states produce more
than two.thirds of the crop.
POTATOES.
Returns indicate full development of
the potato crop-conditlon 1Ol. The
promise is better in the Central States
west than on the northern border, where
the soil has been saturated with moisture.
BUCKwHEAT.
A breal It'll of buckwheat eqna! TO that of
last year has been sowr, and is condition
IS high, represented by 80.