Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-28
CROPS AND CATTLE.
Average Condition OF Wheat and Rye
Shown by the April Crop Report.
More Loss of Cattle in the Aggregate During
the Past Winter than in Any Recent
Year-Losses in Texas.
Correspondence otthe Gazette.

Correspondence otthe Gazette.
WASHINGTON, April 22.-In the April
crop report just printed the average con-
dition of wheat and rye in Texas April l 4,
1890, was: Wheat, "a; rye, &c. The
state agent for Texas and Arkansas
makes the following observations rela-
tive to the condition of winter grain:
TEXAS.
The average condition of the soil at
seeding time was good. IN some few in
stances only has the wheat growth been
attacked by the Uessian fly. There was
a partial drouth for d time which set the
growth back some, but of late copious
rains have fallen and the prospects now
are the most favorable. The winter gen.
orally has been favorable. The late
frosts have done some damage, but not
to any considerable extent: There has
been but little protection by snow, and
comparatively little has fallen. 1t has
been one of the mildest winters ever
known.
ARKANSAS.
The condition of winter gram up to
the first week in March was upon the
whole quite satisfactory. The condition
of the soil last autumn for seeding and
germIuation was quite favorable, and
the winter of unusual mildness with no
snow or freezing worthy of note, was
favorable TO the growth of the plants.
The weather the last of February and
the first week in March was very in
clement. About that time cold ram
with some sleet set IN, which was con-
tinued for several days, followed by a
severe freeze, and for time greatly re-
tarded the growth of the plants. This
was again followed by more rain, max
ing the soil wet and cold, and fears were
entertained that the crop was greatly in
iured. At presen t, however, the plants
seem to have recovered much of their
former vlgor, are free from insect enc
mics, and with their well-stooled roots
will doubtless soon recover what was
lost by the March freeze.
Concerning the cattle the report says
Despite the fact that over the greater
part OF the country the season was ex-
ceptionally mild, and that no disease of
severity have been met with, the past
winter has witnessed more loss of cattle
IN the aggregate than III any recent year.
In the range regions where herds cannot
be sheltered and where but little winter
feed is provided, the loss has been very
heavy, heavy enough to make the aver
"a percentage. Of loss greater than III
a-y year since 1887 In the present re
turns the loss from winter exposure is
given separately, and it will be seen that
nearly thTee-fourths of all has been from
exposure. Based upon the number OF
cattle returned in January OF the present
year the aggregate losses from all causeS
amount to l 1927 ,022 head, or Sc per
cent. OF this heavy loss more than one
half occurred in twelve states and terri
tories which contain but 20 per cent OF
the cattle of the country. The loss is
lighter than usual in other sections:
merely nominal in New England and
along the North Atlantic coast, and
much less than usual in states of the
South Atlantic and gulf coast, though 1t
j. heavier there than in any other dis
trict except the ranch regions and Pa
cific coast.
From Maine to South Carolina but
very small portion of the total loss has
been from exposure, less than one half
n any state, but from Georgia along
the gulf coast and north to the Ohio
river the greatest part of the loss was
the result of exposure, the proportion
falling below one half in but one state.
The states between Ohio and Nebraska
show but q small portion of the aggre-
gate loss to nave been from exposure, in
some the greater number of the deaths
having resulted from errors and indis-
cTetions in feeding. West Of Nebraska
the loss IS almost entirely from stress of
weather, made worse by lack of feeding
material in some districts The general
average of loss from exposure in 2.3 per
cent of the total number of cattle, and
the loss from all causes per cent.
The total number of cattle of all kinds
in the state of Texas January l was
S oil 1876, and the lumber of losses from
all causes was 200 ,280.
The number of sheep in Texas in Jan
uary was 1852 $40, the total losses from
all causes being 100 ,106.
The condition of the different class of
farm animals in Texas on April l was
very favorable as follows: Horses, 9o;
cattle, 90; sheep, %; swine, 50.
THE STORY OF A BAD BOY.