The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-15
SPRING WHEAT.
Reports from the West and North
west More Favorable Than
Ever known: sz.s

CHICAGO. May 14-The following fig-
uresa re taken from l. Everingham & Co IS Mil
waukee spring wheat crop review, which has
just been completed This ia the first full ro-
port from the spring wheat section of the coun-
try, and is therefore OF more than ordinary
interest Ia tho spring wheat section,
comprising northern Iowa, northern Ne
bra.ska, a few counties in northern iii
nois, and all OF Wisconsin, Minnesota
and Dakota, there are between 800 and 400
counties. To the treasurer and sheriff of each
one of these counties Eyeringham & Co. on
May sent letter OF inquiry concerning the
progress of crops of ali kinds, bat directing
special attention to the average of and general
outlook for the spring wheat crop. The replies
were received between the Sth and 18th, prompt
attention being paid to them, and came about
equal from the sltefiffs aud treasurers. The
statements and estimates of these officials viii
be better appreciated when it is known that
ia nearly all cases these Offices flied by
practical farmers-men well posted in agrioul-
tural matters in general and better acquainted
with the agricultural outlook in their respec-
tive counties than any other men can be
Summed up briefly the reports show the
spring wheat outlook to be very favorable
more SO than ever known before at this time OF
tho year. In the appended review the attempt
has not been made to give therepo from each
of the many counties heard from, but so far
as possible, Representative counties have been
chosen; that Is countless each one of which
fairly represents the condition OF several OF
its nelGhbofs.
1t viii be seen in this review that not only is
the outlook FOR spring wheat favorable, but
that there has boon a material increase in the
acreage sown this wear. Just how much of an
Increase cannot be stated unless the actual
acreage of each county were known. One
county increases It's acreage 10 per cent and
another decreases its acreage 10 per cent but
the 10 per cent increase in the one may equal
70 per cent decrease IN the other.
From Wisconsin reports from forty one
counties are given of these sixteen report an
increase in acreage of spring wheat of from l o
to loo per cent; fourteen report u decrease in
acreage of from to x; per cent, and the re-
mdInder give the same acreage lust year
But one or two report the outlook at all uptav-
orable In all the others the soil was in SPLEEN
did condition whom ii received the grain, and
the wtsa ther very favorable. From II number
come tine complaint oi Il backward season, but
this il not necessarily unfaVOrable Last year |
the state yielded little more than ~, coo, 600 !
bushels. conservative estimate of the in |
crease IN acreage III spring wheat would not /
place it below Il per cent Making due al |
lowance for the decrease of winter wheat acre
age noted in several counties, the increase in |
yield ought then to he 10 per cent Provided |
the general conditions continue favorable, this !
would make the yield for lSa; 2, 600 900 bush |
els. This estimate, however, differs materially
from the semI-oificiai estimate made by the |
various statistioians, and there is no way of
reconeilng the conflicting figures, each one |
must judge the matter for himself from the in !
divldual reports from the counties.
From Minnesota the reports of twenty-five |
counties are given. OF these, five report de |
crease IN the acreage soWn to spring wheat OF |
from to 80 per cent thirteen report an ia |
crease in acreage OF to 100 per cent, aud the |
remaining four give the acreage the same as |
last year. Nine counties report appearance OF |
crop and general outlook more favorable than |
at this time last year: three report them less |
favorable, and the remaining ten give them rs |
being equally good as last year. In some of |
the reports estimates of the yield of the STATE |
for 1853 given, bat they diiTer too widely to |
he considered OF any value.
From Dakota, reports from twenty two I
counties are given. with perhaps solitary /
exception ali of these counties report an in
crease III acreage OF spring wheat ranging
from y 10 600 per cent 1t should be borne
did not produce more than few hun
dred bushels last year, and some not
this AMOUNT, so that the percentage
of Increase given does not always rep-
resent large aggregate yield Only one
county gives uHf4vorabie report From
there comes the complaint of cold and flood
and all the rest speak iii glowing terms OF the
outlook. Duo allowances must be made, OF |
course, for the enthusiasm common to the in-
llabitauts of all now countries; but after max
ing such allowance thermssill remains basis
enough upon which to bsild the hopes of a |
weld ut least double that of last year The
crop of 1852 was abont : 900, 600 bushels of
wheat Ia of the reports it will be seen
the estimate for ISIS; is placed at q, COCO
From Nebraska the reports OF twenty one
are given Ten OF these report de
crease in the acreage of spring wheat and SIX
an increase in acreage The outlook
for fine crop is good in all. Ia some of tho
counties whore the spring wheat acreage ID
given as less the winter wheat acreage Las
been increased; but most of the decrease
comes from the encr0achment3 of corn, the
acreage of which is largely increased
From Iowa are given reports from fourteen
Six OF these report decreased
acreage of spring wheat and five an increased !
acreage. All report a large Increase in com
acreage. Six of the COMMITTEES give the condition.
and general outlook superior to those OF the
pre- vIOus year, and the remainder give about
the same condition at this time last year. |
OF tile five Illinois counties given, three re-
port decreased acreage, but all n favorable out
look Northern Illinois il rapidly doing away
with wheat raising. Each of the counties an
nuaiIv decrease their wheat acreage For this
reason spring wheat reports from Illinois are
not of much Importance