Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-17
OFFICIAL REPoRT.

Condition OF tho Crops According to the
Department OF Agriculture.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE Department
Of Agriculture reports the general per-
centaGe Of the condition of corn at S1.J
against 800 a month ago and 81 Tor the
crop of 1888 October ]; of potatoes IL
against eos last October; of buckwheat
80, against 81. last year; of tobacco 90 Z,
against 81. in 1888 The prelimin airy esti-
mate of the yield per acre is IL for wheat,
IL for rye and 222 for barley.
The past month has been favorable for
corn. Slight frost north of 40 degrees in
jured late corn, but the perceK .age Of
damage was generally very small, as the
crop was we'll matured in the third week
ef September. The dry weather came OPP
portunely after the abundant rains of
July and August which somewhat inn
paired the condition of crops on
the Atlantic coast In the States
south of Maryland the bottom lands
were quite too wet for the best yield
or quality. Considerable acres were
blown down and some injury resulted
from rotting in all of the cotton States.
In the Ohio valley there was an excess of
moisture in May and June that retarded
planting and delayed maturing. The best
development of maize was in the Missouri
valley. The best growth of rye was in
proved in either district, though the yield
per acre much greater in the higher
latit-
were injured east Of the Allie.
.xcess of moisture, causing
-. Vest Virginia and Ohio similar
repori S are received. Drought reduced
the yield in Michigan, though the quality
is generally good. In the Mississippi
valley the crop is more promising. In the
Rocky mountain region, where the area is
largely increased, the season has been un-
favorable.
The returns of yield per acre of wheat
are in thresher measurement This re-
port is preliminary, as the local estimates
will be tested by the record ooks of the
threshers now coming. The present aver
ages for thu principal States are
1913 bushels in New York; in Penn
sylvania. 1913; Ohio, 14.6; Michigan, IA. Z;
Indiana, 14.7; Illinois, Is: Wisconsin. "A 2;
Minnesota, 14.6; Iowa. ID L; Missouri, ID;
Kansas. 1874; Nebraska, -; Dakota, s.3,
and California, To- Winter wheat was in
jured in many districts, during harvest
and in the stack, by heavy rains, and is
comparatively light, grading badly, thus
reducing value. It's weight and quality
will be the subject of further report, after
test of the scales in marketing.
The cotton returns show large plant
ings, active opening of bolls, fibrine in
good condition and generally fine weather
for packing. Yet the plant is everywhere
reported late and fears are expressed that
frost may seriously shorten the crop. The
condition is naturally reported higa with
a reservation by the most intelligent
correspondents that present favorable
appearances are deceptive; that in seasons
of excessive moisture the outcome falls be-
low expectation, while in those Of drought
the result is better than was feared. With
an early date of killing frost the present
condition will be heavily discounted,
with a date later than the average a large
crop will be gathered. The following
State percentages are presented: Vir-
ginia So North Carolina Y, South Caro-
lima 81, Georgia 81. Florida So, Alabama
81, Mississippi 70, Louisiana SO. Texas Is,
Arkansas SO, Tennessee 80. This makes
as general percentage SL4 of a full crop
prospect October l, compared with 1919
per cant last October.