Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-07-18
FIGURING ON HARVEST.
The Department of Agriculture Makes 1t
July Report


WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE July re-
port of the department of agriculture
makes the acreage, compared with
that harvested last year: OF corn
10s.3; potatoes, 1923; tobacco, 1926.
Conditions: Corn, 9iS; winter wheat,
96.2; spring wheat, GAL; rye, 03.9;
oats, s7.6; barley. oo.9; potatoes, 95.3;
and tobacco, OIL.
The heavy increase IN corn acreage
is more apparent than real. Compari'
son is with the breadth harvested last
year, when there was q loss of 0,000,O0C
acres by abandonment on account ot
drouth. The present returns make the
acreage slightly less than 7s.000,00c
acres, or somewhat smaller than the
area actually planted last year.
The crop of corn is late in all sec
tions on account of the drought and
unfavorable conditions at the time of
planting and the cool weather during
May, but June was warm, with abund-
ant moisture, ana the crop was coming
forward rapidly on July /. In OHIO
and the upper Mississippi valleys the
progress during the month was especi-
ally gratifying, but in Kansas and Ne
braska considerable damage resulted
from the excessive rainfall. In many
districts June rains prevented proper
working, leaving the fields foul. but Il
few days of sunshine would remedy
this.
The general average is fraction be-
low that of 1883 and 1890 and slightly
above that of 1889. The averages of
the surplus states are: Ohio 90; Indi-
ana 95; Illinois 90; Iowa "a; Missouri
ss Kansas So; Nebraska 90
The condition of the winter wheat is
returned practically the same as in
June. The crop is harvested except in
its more northern habitate, with the
condition the highest reported since
1879, with one exception. So far as
can be judged ut the time of harvest
the berry Is reported generally plump
and in keeping with the heavy straws,
but occasional mention is made of short
heads The average of the principal
states are: Pennsylvania 9s, Ohio %,
Michigan 80, Indiana 90, Illinois %,
Missouri 9S, Kansas "a, California 0S.
The condition of spring wheat i'm
proved during June, the advance being
in Minnesota and the Dakotas, where
the month was exceptionally favorable.
Chinch bugs have appeared in portions
of the northwest, but with no apprc-
ciable damage yet. The state averages
are: Wisconsin 81, Minnesota 90, Iowa
90, Nebraska 9G, North Dakota %
South Dakota 81, Washington 90.
Oats have improved during the
month, but the general average Is the
lowest reported since 1879, except in
1887 and last year, when the July con.
dition OF sl.6 was followed by practi-
cal failure of crop. The poor condi
tion Is generally the result of drouth
early in the season, the present i'm
provement having followed seasonable
rains and the high temperature of
June.
The first return of potatoes shows q
condition higher than the average of
recent years, while that of tobacco is
higher than in any year since 1885,
The fruit prospect Is very fiattering in
New England and the north Atlantic
states and west of the Missouri
river TO the Pacific coast. The crop in
Ohio and Michigan was materially
damaged by the frosts of May. A
special cable from the European agent
indicates heavy deficiency in the Eu-
ropean rye crop