The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-11-19
Farmers Were Fortunate.

tioHS NHaSOfaDlG TO Cotton.
Farmers Were Fortunate.
The statistical returns of tho Depa TT
ment OF Agriculture for November make
the corn crop one of the largest in vol
ume, with a rate OF yield slightly above
the average of twcnty-six bushels per
acre. Condition has not been very h gh
at any period of its growth, but it has
been quite uniform. with no record of
more than 10 per cent. of disabilt es
from all causes. An extraordinary crop
has not been possible; planting was il
regular and late in many places, growth
tardy and uneven, and fears of drought
or floods or frostS generally fe in the
latter part OF the season; storm in some
sections threatened loss which was mini
miZcd; drought in others checked the
growth, which was stimulated again by
OppOrtunc seasons of moisture.
FroStS made early thr.a:s of disaster
and then delayed Their appearance
through the entire mo- TIL Of September,
which was warm and forcing. drying
out soft corn and shrive ing the imma-
ture growths. The re ut is we'll
ripened crop, somewhat variable in
quality, with 4 mo :erate proportion of
chatfy, unified, and immature ears.
The eastern and western ends of the
crop belt hio Iowa. and Nebraska
gave somewhat better yields than Indi-
ana and Illinois or Missouri and Kansas
the lower levels of the great corn belt
suffering more from threatened drought
than the higher g cvationS
The highest rate Of vie as estimate
appears in New England, from - to 40
bushels per acre: in the South t G range
is from IL in Florida to % in Maryland,
while in the surplIS corn States the fig
nres are as follows: Ohio, 81. :; Indiana,
SO. o; Illinois, 81; Iowa, 3o.T; Missouri,
2a9; Kansas; 2G.7: Nebraska, 80
Frost In August wrought some injury
in the Northwest; in Wisconsin the
yield is 3G.7; Minnesota. . .; North
Dakota, 21.2.
Both drought and frost conspircd to
reduce the yie,d in South Iakota to
twenty-five bushels.
Much of the crop is yet in the stack,
and the condition and rate of yield may
be somewhat better known after the
garncring and marketing. Yet it is
evident that the product will not make
less than 1000, f0D, 90 bushels, or thirty
one bushels per un of popu'at on.
The cotton returns of the Department
Of Agriculture for November are not IA
vorab!c for a high rate of yield. The
lateness of the crop. the extremes of
temperature. the excess OF rainfall, fol-
lowed by drought, causing enfcc blod VI
tality and loss of foliage have be n UNI
favorable for large crop. On the
northern border of the belt killing
frosts occurred on the 21th in some
places as early as the > d. West of the
,,,. ! l. l.
ment during the past month,
The season has been favorable for
picking Quality is almost every where
reported high, and the fiber is of good
color and unusually free from trash
The yield, "a averaged fro II the conn
ty estimates, averages Ia pounds per
acre. distributed by States As follows:
Virginia, Isl: North Carolina. lis:
ida, 12o; Alabama, 1855; Mississippi
sas, 2l0; Tennessee, 40.
Hay has made a nearly average yield
and is of medium quality. Tho tobacco
product is somewhat above til" average
and will fully meet the requirements Of
consumpt on and export.
The October condition of potatoes has
only been equaIed ohcc since 1850. and
the average yield. according to these
preliminary estimates, has not been sur
passed In the past ten years 1t aver
ages 93.9 bushels per acre. The warm
weather in september dried out the soil
and checked the iucipient potato rot
whif h was threatened after the rains of
August so cfcctualIy that it is scarcely
reported except in Pennsylvania, some
counties in Southern New York and Ger
tain districts ia New Jersey Quality is
generally reported good except in these
regions in infested hy rot