Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-21
TEXAS GRAIN CROP
FOR the Coming Year Discussed by Well
Posted Elevator Man-rhe Panhandle
aud Wheat Growing.
syscial to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
DALLAS. TEX. March 19-To-day the re-
porter of The GAZETTE called on Mr.. Frank
Cockrell. the manager of the Lone Star
elevator company, and one OF the best
posted men in the state on the
grain crop of Texas, and asked him
If he could give the readers Of
TIVE e LzETrE any information on the COM
ing grain crop of Texas and more partlcu-
Iarlv of the Panhandle. in the course OF an
hours conversation, he not only gave mucn
information as to the growing crop, but
brauched out into the magnificent POSSIBLE
ties of the state. III the first place, ne saws
he regards the farmers in the black land
cereal growing) belt where they
also raise cotton and stock,
as in better condition and circum-
stances than any class OF people
in the state. 2 The grain crop Of Texas IS in
oreasing largely every year IN acreage.
both as TO wheat and oats The prospect of
the present wheat crop in the Panhandle IS
the best ever known at this time OF the
wear. So great has been the increase IN
the wheat crop OF the Panhandle thaI tne
company of which Mr.. Cockreu is manager
in addition to their elevator IN this city
which has a capacity of 100000 bushels,
have built four large elevators in the Pan
handle within the past two or three yeas,
one each at Iowa Park, Harold, Vernon mo-
Ouanah. all under the control OF one coy
pany. The wheat crop of the Paa-
handle for 1891 was four tunes as
large as that of 1890 During
the last six months of 1890 the Fort Worth
and Denver railroad handled 9O4 cars of
their road and during the last SIX
months of 1891 they handled 1907
cars. The home consumption OF wheat
in 1891 for mills along the line
of the Fort Worth and Denver
road and for seeding purposes was
much larger than in 1890, as in that year
there were only two mills on the line of.that
road, whereas Their e has been considerable
increase since that time. The increase OF
acreage on the line of the Texas and Pa
cific road was about in the same ratio, but
of course the acreage was nothing like so
large.
Panhandle country Is that they can RAISE as
| good crops on sod soil as on land that has
| been put in thorough cultivation. When,
ever the land requires fertilizing the best
wheat fertilizer known nature has provided
| in the shape of inexhaustible quantities OF
| pvnsIm. which can be found all through
| the Panhandle country.
Another great advantage which the Wnea'
| grower of Texas has over farmers OF other
states is that the wheat crop mere comes IL
| so early that they always get high prices
| for their crop, old wheat prices prevailing
| until the bulk of the crop from all the states
| begins to come IN.
| last wear was a great export year for
wheat, vet the home mills did good bust
! ness and made money in the fore part OIL
| the season, but the crop was soon exhausted
on account of the large exports, and then
| the mills could only get what grain there
| was left in the hands of the farmers, which
brought too high figure to afford prom
/ to the mills.
sSThe grand possibilities of Texas" re
| marked Mr.. Coolxrell, lean hardly be con-
| ceived or comprehended, even by the mos
| enthusiastic and ardent believer In thf
! greatness of Texas. A little computatlor
| and comparison, however, serves to enlarge
| fine ideas and create a lively imagination
| For instance, the cotton crop of Texas this
| wear will probably be about 2,5OO,0O0 bales
| or about one-third of the entire crop RAISED
| in the United States, which, estimating
one-tnird of bale to the acre, would give
| an acreage of 800, 900 acres. Now 1t ma,
4 seem almost incredible, but Is nevertheless
a fact, that YOU can Gu
ont If fhe Panhandle 100000 acre
of frst-class wheat land which will pro
| duce twenty bushels to the acre, total o.
| $50 coo 900 bushels, or about one-fourth a
much as the entire wheat crop OF the Unlte'
States for 1891, the largest ever raised, ant
| still have left all the land needed for stocl
and other crops. Texas has land wei
adapted. and she can raise one-fourth OF th'
cotton crop, one-fourth of the wheat GRO
and one fourth of the oat crop OF the entlr
country, and still have plenty OF land LEI
for other crops and stock raising.
| According to the rapport OF the bureau
| agriculture, the wheat crop of Texas 10
| 1891 was {, 435, eco Bushels, and MIR. Cock
| rel thinks this about 4, 000,o0O short OF tn
| actual production. In other words the &C
. oct
| about 10. 600 coo or 10, 800, 600 bushels, an
| the acreage 5S6, 247 acres. This year he eS
| Inmates the yield will be abou
| X OO0 900 bushels or full so pc
cent increase over last year. Ak
cording to the government repol
the oat crop of Texas last year was l6,OOO
600 bushels. and the acreage co., 059 acre:
This wear he estimates the crop will be 80
Goa. coo or 90 eco bushels, or abou
| double that of last year.
"Heretofore,' Mr. CockreQ remarked
! there has often been great loss to tn
farmers of Texas on account OF long cor
tinued rains during wheat harvest. o
such occasions it has been impossible
save the grain in good condition, it and ha
to be sold at great loss TO the producer Q
account of its unmarEetaole condition. III
mills cannot handle it in tn
Zvet condition and the farme
cannot store it, hence it has
be marketed at once and sold at low figures
afsrhis wear the Lone Star elevator compan
are putting into their elevators, at gre;
expense, machinery in the shape OF blow
ers, which viii take wet gram ana dry
ont at the rate of 5000 bushels per, hou
On the payment Of a small sum, perhaps
or 6 cents per bushel, wet grain can be pl
through the blower and brought out
good condition, dry enough TO grind
store"