Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-03-21
IEx GRAYIINo MICTITGAN THURSDAY. MARCH 81 1888.
THEOUTLOOK FOR CROPS
EVERYTHING POINTS TO AN EARLY
sPRING-FARMERs BUSY.

Preparing to Sow Wheat In Certain Local
ities-Winter Wheat beginning to Grow
Little Movement of Grain-The situa.
tiOn Reviewed.
[Chicago telegram
A careful review Of the crop situation,
as gained from correspondents throughout
the country, may be summarized as fol-
lows:
March so far mas been favorable for all the
| conditions which go TO make up an early
| seeding of spring grain. The deficiency OF
moisture In the winter-wheat areas still ex-
lists. The frost is coming out OF tho ground
! all over the country rapidly, and the pros
poets now point to the seeding Of spring
wheat Mt least fourteen to twenty days
earlier than in the spring OF 1885.
In Southern Minnesota recently the
| weather was warm and bright. the ground
| in fine order for seeding. and farmers will
take advantages OF these conditions at once
| IL there are no storms or freeze-ups to pre-
vent. The seed wheat is largely Nos. and
4 shrunken wheat. The ground is dry and
farmers are anxiously waiting for spring
| rain. Stocks of wheat in elevators are the
| smallest known for fifteen years. The
| movement of wheat is small. and what re-
mains in farmers hands will not be sold
until after seeding. In Western Minnesota
the snow is all gone and the weather was
mild last week.
The weather In Dakota has been unusually
mild also. and farmers are busy preparing
their ground for seeding. A year ago ov-
| erything was frozen up solid over the entire
country. The mercury had been standing
below zero in Dakota and there was eight
| cen inches Of snow in Minnesota. There
was plenty of wheat back In farmers hands.
Reports from Walla Walla, Washington
Territory. estimate $1,000 bushels OF wheat
In farmers hands and $4,000 bushels In spec-
| .l.N Ia Of Nhn Iln hoNrn
shut down for want OF wheat. The grow
ing crop Of winter wheat is looking we'll,
n I'd the prospects are favorable for good
yield provided the rainfall is increased
In Southern Illinois all the reports as to
the growing crops are still favorable. The
wheat yet has practically made but little
growth; little wheat Is coming to market,
and what does come is taken by the mills
for milling purposes. In Central Illinois and
in counties bordering on the Mississippi
River the wheat crop has not started to
grow yet. The crop. however. is IN excel
lent condition, and until the general
breaking up Of the country roads there
has been free movement OF wheat out
of farmers hands for the last fourteen
days.
Reports from Southwestern Missouri show
the condition OF the crop OF winter wheat
about the same as the 1st OF March. 1888.
Some Of tho reports say the wheat looks
better, a few tho same, and some not as
good as last year. Upon the whole il will
average about with March, 1888. Local
mills are beginning to make inquiries foI
wheat. as their stocks have run down very
low.
Reports from Southern Kansas show the
wheat looking we'll and with a continuance
OF the mild weather will commence grow
ing soon. Wheat in store is gradually get
ting lower. and in six weeks Will all be
gone. The demand for flour is good
No thern Kansas reports the wheat In ex-
. celent condition.. The amount OF wheat
from last seasons crop in tho hands o.
farmers Is small. and the amount OF wheat
in dealers hands at stations unusually so
Even with the prospects OF an early har'
vest little IL any new whoat will be on the
market in Kansas much before the 10Th o
Reports from Southwestern Indiana show
that the weather of the last few weeks has
, been unfavorable to the growing crop, bu
, is now more mild and springlike. and whea
is just beginning to start to grow. TIL,
) movement OF wheat Is light, owing to baC
7 roads. Mills are running from one-fourtl
to one-halt time. Stocks OF wheat held by
, millers about exhaused. Reports from
Eastern In1iana say that the crop has no
: start ed to grow any yet. but that II Is com
/ ing through in good condition. and the out
. look is much better than 1t was year age
0 at this date.
/ Southern Michigan reports that in tn
l last part of February there was some COLI
; weather, but there was snow enough oI
the ground to prevent injury, except II
some small spots. Now the snow is mostl!
off and there has been week OF mild, sof
weather and the crop is in fair average
condition. The next two or three week
will tell the story. There is little moistur
in the ground, and this has been the cas-
all season; Wheat was marketed freel
during February, and little remains IL
: farmers hands.
{ In Ohio the weather OF the last two weeks
O was trying on the crop, as 1t was withou
cover. Last week the weather was mild an'
| s. - al IN
tenor OF the reports received is OF an en-
couraging character. Farmers have mar
n keted their crop closely, and many of tn
n large mills will soon commence importing
5 wheat for milling purposes.
!. Summing up the winter wheat situation a
y a whole il is found as follows: The frost |
all out Of the ground. the crop just begin
II ming to grow, but the growth so small tina
l. noticed. There has been u free movemen
l. out of farmers hands lately. This has a
a ceased now, owing to the condition Of tn
3 roads and preparations for spring work. A
y the season advances there does n OF seem
y be any doubt of the closeness with while
- khe reserves OF winter wheat have been maj
d { teted.
It Reports from Southwestern Iowa sa
N that there is not the usual amount OF cor
c. cribbed at this time of year, more espe
10 ally when the low price is considered
4 There are more cattlo feeding than a yea
y = ago. The corn now in farmers hands wi
q not come out unless for much higher price
n Some estimates of the amount of corn y,
ld In farmers hands in this portion OF Iowa al
ie as high as 60 per cent.
r Reports covering Eastern Nebraska sa
n that the consumption OF corn has been ms
20 terially lessened by the mild winter, feeder
claiming that cattle fattened on one-half {
much as II took year ago. There Is lit
corn cribbod at stations. dealers havin
a shipped their shelled corn early in the SCI
~ son.
:. Careful investigation as to the hog situi
p tion in Central Nebraska shows that. own
IS to almost a total absence OF hog cholel
B. and also an exceptionally mild winter. the
~ remain fully rs many hogs for the mark
q, this spring and early summer as at tn
Id time year ago. All farmers and deale
Ia agree that there will be full crop OF pig
~ Good warm spring rains seems to be Il
80 greatest need OF Nebraska at present.
A No.rnI MnrrInna larannnnV.