Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-05-17
CROPS DOING NICEly
THE GRAIN AREA NEEDS MOP,
AND WARM WEATHER A'N

Corn Planting Is Nearly Finishe.,-,,
Wheat Holds Its Own, but Is Be,,;,,r
to show the Need of Rain-O.,s
Grass Making butLtttle Hea,iway. "'
[Chicago special May7l
The country has experienced woo,
decided cold, dry. backward weather. zen s Of
only in limited areas and OF short dura.aal!s
In some districts the winter whea, n.'ol.
rain. The oats and grass are makin m,y i1s
one hand and lack OF moisture on tn. o,t me
the spring wheat has had IL hard strnsp UlheF
Eastern Nebraska reports that IN
present time they have had but lit1lI.' ~ ,. tAe
The weather has been cool. Consi1o's.;;,Ii.
the dry weather the oat crop looks raH
first OF May with corn planting than !, ', ns
have been for many years. V'ey
In Southern Nebraska some refrosh;v
showers have fallen recently. ana ing .n
spring wheat and oats are six inches sha sae
the ground. Excellent progress has b ,oe
cent. of the crop is now ptante /. I'm r ~.
Nebraska as whole, the crop situation wy wy
never more promising ut this ti.ae Of No.
year. WY
The acreage of flax has been increase,
largely. and would have been even larr.rit
seed could have been procured. Little com
is moving. and the oats that are lett am ~.
mostly of poor quality.
Although during the last ten DAYS Son,,
western Iowa has had light rains which 1i,
good for tbs time being the effects have no u
all Disappeared. Grass and oats are mutn.
slow growth. and will not improve n my
more rain comes. Everybody is pln,nn,,
corn. The soil is in excellent conlii"as
and there seems to be no complaint wi,S
regard to seed. Cattle are moving , Gnu
freely, and there is disposition amons
feeders to sell. At the present price Of corn
there is no disposition on the part OF COM 1v,A
try dealers to sell.
Farmers are all busy in the fields and
little or no grain is being delivered, at con-
try points. Hogs have been sold closely
during the last ninety days. Tie prevailing
feeling during the winter was that booss
were high, and shipments were much larrer
than usual. While reports from the Sta,a
OF Iowa do not indicate scarcity OF hoes
at the same time the general opinion seems
to he that the crop on the opening of The
spring has been cleaned up much closer
than usual.
There is no uniformity at this date in the
general condition Of the spring wheat cr ron
OF Minnesota or Dakota. Commencing 4.
Grand Forks. and running north to DevlI's
Lake, the wheat looks we'll, but is begin
Ortonylle, on the Red River, they have had
some bad wind-storms during the last week
that have done considerable damage: 10
what extent. however. it is yet too early 10
state. In Southern Dakota at Wesent raj,
is needed, In Southern Minnesota and on
the branches of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and St Paul Railroad, which includes geo
miles, the crops Of all kinds look well.
Northern Dakota reports no rain, EXCEPT
light shower two weeks ago. for eight
months. The tremendous winds have un
covered many fields and torn up the wheat
powder.
In Eastern Dakota the wheat now is re.
ported us all up. There are no reserves Of
moisture. and favorable season is neces-
sary to insure good crop. The winds have
blown steadily for three weeks, and more Or
less of the grain is uncovered. All summer
fallowed land that was plowed twice, and
light and sandy land everywhere have been
similarly affected. These conditions are so
general that rain now seems absolutely es
sential to insure even an average yield. In|
ordinary seasons Minnesota and Dakots
have always had plenty of snow and fros.
during the winter to help them out But the
last winter was almost devoid of both.
The reports from California are not as
uniform and favorable as thirty days ago
NOR fallowed wheat is headed out; that the
barley is beginning to turn color; that the
crop prospects are better than since 1850
The stocks of old wheat are low. Central
California reports that opinions are divided
as to whether summer fallowed wheat will
or. will not make grain without another
rainfall. The summer fallowed wheat is
filling out. Western California reports
that they have the dry northern winds,
which have rapidly exhausted the moisture
from the soil. Although no serious damage
is yet reported, there are many localities IL
the whcat-growng districts where more
rain is absolutely essential in order to give
an average crop of grain. While the out
look for the whole State is regarded as
promising more than an average yield. the
ar ic N-n% IL. a,
ponds upon the weather during the month
of May.
Many portions of Indiana report dry
weather and conditions becoming serious.
The wheat is at IL standstill and oats in
poor shape. Central Indiana reports The
wheat crop knee high and general outlook
never better. Some portions also OF The
best winter wheat counties of soutlega
Illinois report dry cool weather. needing
rain. badly, and unless rain comes soon
present crop prospects will be materially
reduced.
Eastern Missouri reports prospects 70,
winter wheat good. Ii anything the ground
is a little too dry. Tho whea. varies in
height from twelve to fifteen inches. In
Southern Missouri everything is Favorable
although a good many report chinch bur:
IN the wheat. There are some complains
also In the northern portion OF the State il:
to the appearance of insects.
In the southern tier of counties in Kansas
wheat is reported us being all headed out
There has been more or less rain the pres.
emit week, with cold weather. which hi;
been discouraging to chinch bugs. CentrJ
Kansas reports wheat just about ready e 4
head out and is twenty to twanty-fou.
inches high. In Northern Kansas tie +
ground is much drier than in other po:-
tons OF tho State. An abundance of ram |
all through the summer seems to be an cs'
sential to Il full crop. Chinch bugs have up.
peared in great numbers. They have no,
yet taken off their winter overcoats and
gone to work.
In Southern Michigan wheat is all the VII!
from six to twelve inches high. More
less OF the wheat begins to show the wa!.
of rain. Grass needs it and so do the o":'
which have recently been sown.
These reports cover the country if0a
California to Texas. and from Texas y
Michigan; from Michigan to Dakota, ;ia
Dakota south to the Indian Territory; \! ~
this vast area. which grows the great oa."'
in fact the entire surplus OF wheat. corr 'if
oats. and grass crops of the county VII
the exceptions of Kansas ana Allssou!,
there is not single State that does NO.
need rain. Corn is largely planted ':'
wants rain to bring it up and make IL soV'
stand.
Oats are all the way from two to ~,
inches high and just coming up. ms t ;ag:
should have within tho next week coP!g-
SC