The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-09
CROP PROSPECTS.
Report of the Area and Prospects of the
Winter Wheat Crop in Various States.

MILWAUKEE, Feb. SIS. W. Tallmadge is
in receipt of the following late information
as regards the area, condition and prospects
of the winter wheat crop:
Virginia - Randolph Harrison, Commits
sioner OF Agriculture, says: | have official
figures from all sections OF the State, and
the acreage is short fully 80 per cent. from
last year. As regards the condition. since
my last report to you 1 have advices from
the southwest portion of the State reporting
that the wheat is being almost destroyed.
winter-killed, and from advices and what l
have seen in the last few days the prospect
for wheat is worse than it has been since
1866. Alternate freezing and thaHs, with
no snow to protect it, is the principal cause.
Maryland-Fhe area s0wn TO wheat is fully
% per cent. short as compared with last year.
Hear of no serious damage the condition,
however, is not tiatteriDg owing 10 the haste
in sowing, and the soil not being fully pre-
pared to receive the seed.
Miseouri-J. w. SanbOrn, Secretary of the
State Board of Agriculture, says the area
sown to wheat is 10 per cent short of 1854.
! hear Of but little damage TO the plant as
yet.
Ilinois-The acreage sown to wheat is
about 10 per cent short of last year. Some
damage, but nothing serious was reported IN
the southern part of the State early. Tle
ground is now covered with snow, and will
not be able to tell much about the condition
OF the grain until the snow goes of.
Tenne ssee-A. ]. Whorter, Commissioner
of Agriculture, says the crop of Tennessee
is fully 20 per cent. less in acreage than in
1884, and the damage by freeze Is all OF 10
Per cent.
Ksnsss-The area sown TO wheat in this
State is about 80 per cent as compared with
last year. Some of the largest wheat grow
ing coun ties in the State have reduced their
wheat area from % TO 30 per cent, owing
primo; pally to the ruling low price of wheat
during the past season. The condition OF
growing wheat is not mp to the standard.
Some sections report damage by insects in
the fall, and owing 10 the severity OF the
winter many predict injury by winter-kill-
Ing; however, it is too early to tell much
about the latter.
Kentucky-C. f. Bowen, Commissi oner
o. agriculture, says the acreage sown to
wheat in this State is from 10 to ID per
cent. less than that of the previous year.
The winter has been very Unfavorable. AL
ternate freezing and thaws have lifIed the
plant 10 the surface, and it ie in a badly
crippled condition.
North Csrolina-The area sown to wheat
is very much less than last year, and the
condition is not very encouraging, on ac-
count of the long continued drouth of last
fall. The winter has been unfsvorable and
much complaint of winter killing is heard.
New York-The area sown to wheat is
some what less than last season. The condi-
ton is quite favorable. No damage by win
ter killing or other causes heard of.
West Virginia-John n. Steyder, statisti-
cal agent. under date OF February 4, says:
THE acreage of West Virginia is short July
20 Per cent as compared with last year. The
condition is very unpromising. With our
worst weather, March winds. freezing and
tbawing yet to pass, the present outlook
will not warrant half CROP"
Georgia-The extreme drouth of the fall
extended almost to December. and has
caused a large telling off in the area sown
TO wheat. The condition is very unfsvora-
ble, owing to the unreasonable weather dur
III the fore part of the winter.
Minneso'a-H. II. Young, Statistical
Agent of Minnesota, says in regard to the
spring wheat seeding. the arsa sown to
wheat will probably be fully II per cent.
short of last year, or not more than l 500, 600
acres.
Dskota-James II. Bains, Statistical Agent
of Dakota, says not more than one-eighth
of the crop in Northern Dakota, and three
eighihs in Southern Dakota remains in the
farmers hands, and the elevators are kept
we'll cleaned out. II prices remain low, the
area TO wheat will not be increased any this
spring.