The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-14
THE GROWING CROPS.
Serious Effects of Drought in the West and
NOrthwest-Damage by Insects.

CHICAGO, June 13.-The following crop sum
mary will appear in this weeks Farmers Re-
view:
threatening the spring wheat sections, still con-
tinues, and has become in some respects serious
menace to the growing grain. Dry, hot winds
have prevailed in Dakota and Minnesota adding
to the already serious outlook in many portions
of that State and Territory. The effects of the
drought have begun to be seriously felt in Wis
consin Iowa and Nebraska, and very few of the
reports received, down to Saturday night, dwell
upon much but this subject. Many fields of
oats are reported turning yellow, and the injury
to that cereal threatens to be more serious than
to wheat The rains which have prevailed in
the sections named while saving many fields
from ruin, have not given the relief which, ac-
cording to nine -tenthS Of the reports from cor
respondents would appear to be imminently
needed. The reports from Faribault, Goodhue
and Mower counties, in Minnesota, all indicate
serious need of rain The present prospect in
Meeker county is not to exceed one-half of the
average crop. In Monroe and Sank counties, In
Wisconsin, the fields are dry and parched. and
all grains are looking badly. The reports from
Iowa, particularly from Adair. Che sokee, Ma
haska, Pottawattomie, Winnesheik and Nor
man. indicate that many of the advanced fields
of grain already show signs Of turning yellow,
and are badly in need of moisture. Good rains
would insure full average yield in the large
portion of the entire spring wheat belt, but
without them a continuance of the present hot
and dry weather, would undoubtedly prove fatal
to the outlook for the entire crop, as the situa-
ton has already become critical.
The reports of damage from insects continue
to come from portions of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio, Kansas and Michigan, but none indicate
that any general injury is to result either to the
winter spring wheat crops, and that it is to
he confined, in the main. to isolated localities
The section most seriously threatened is south
ern Illinois, where the early prospect of large
crop yield has been lessened very considerably
from the ravages of the chnch- bugs.
Grasshoppers are reported in large numbers in
Hamilton county, Indiana; Fayette and Logan
counties. Ohio, and In Wapello county, Iowa
The reports from Indiana indicate that the
yield OF winter wheat will fall slightly below the
average. In some Of the counties the wheat has
gone back during the past three or four weeks
In Gibson county the fields do not promise as
much as one month ago, owing to dry weather
and rust In Lagrange county, wheat that
promised twenty bushels to the acre will not
produce to exceed five. The general prospects
in Ohio continue good, and the State has the
promise of full average yield In Kansas and
Michigan the prospect has not changed. The
official report, indicating that Kansas will not
produce to exceed 1000, 900 bushel yield,
only confirms the report of the widespread in
jury inflicted on the crops early In the season.
Harvesting il progressing in Missouri Kentucky
and Tennessee, and the general tenor of the re-
ports continues very favorable.