Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-07
WHEAT AND CORN
What Secretary Wilson Says of the
Condition of the Crop.
BOTH ARE BELOW THE AVERAGE
This Means Increased Prices and
Better Times for Farmers.
BEET SUGAR AND HORSES

BEEI SUGAR AND HORSES
There is only an average crop of wheat
in the west" said the Secretary of Agri-
culture TO Star reporter today. Those
who think we have an unusual crop are
mistaken If there exceptions, it will
be that the crop will fall below rather than
to exceed the average crop.
Secretary Wilson has just returned to
Washington from an extensive trip through
the far west. during which he visited the
states of North Dakota. Montana, Iowa.
Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. He
made the tour to ascertain for himself the
conditions of agriculture in those sections,
and with especial reference to certain
branches.
The effect of this condition as to wheat
will be- of course, to make 1t go higher.
Corn will also be higher, in my opinion.
The corn crop. in any event. will be below
the average, and II may fall very short.
If there should be severe frost within
the next two weeks in Iowa one-half the
corn crop Of that state. the greatest corn
producing state in the Union will be dam
aged IL will not bring injury 10 the peo-
pie of the northwest. however. for large
proportion of last years crop is still on
hand
THE price of corn will go up. as well as
wheat There is certain to be an increased
demand for corn for food, growing out of
the fact that there will not be enough
wheat 20 supply the people with their
breaGstuffs. All of this. of course, means
increased prices and better times for the
farmer.
Farmers Are Feeling Better.
"All through the west the farmers are
feeling bPTter They are ON a broad SroiIc
of cheerfulness and hopefulness. They have
a great deal to be thankful for already,
and more to be hopeful for in the near
future They are getting more for their
wheat, corn and meat even now, and other
crops are bringing increased prices in pro-
portion.
This condition means prosperity for the
whole country. You start the farmers in
come on an increase and you start good
times for the merchant, the laborer and
the manufacturer. The farmer is seldom a
miser: he spends freely when he has it. He
has not had much in the past few years,
and there is a great deal 10 be bought now.
The merchants in the large cities are be-
ginning to feel this now. Every little
country storekeeper is laying in a larger
stock for the fall. in anticipation of an in
creased demand. and he will not be dsap-
pointed.
The only dismal people / saw in the
west were the pessimist, whose stomach
was out of order, and the politician whose
nose out of joint. The latter felt bad
because his calamity capital is being
taken from him. The people who did not
vote for Mckinley are compelled to ac-
knowledge the coming of better times, but
they say it is Mckiniey's luck Those who
did vote for him know it is because of Nc
kinley'S election.
While in the mining regions of the west
i looked into the mining industry Silver
is on the wane of course Very few mines
are putting silver n,,Iy ;,,
Gases where other metals. such as gold and
copper. can be mined with the silver
Nevertheless, even with this suspension of
the silver mines, the laborerS are not be-
ing hurt thereby. The awakened industries
in other lines are absorbing the labor that
might otherwise be idle on account of the
suspension of the silver mines. The only
people who are injured are those who are
interested in the property in the little viii
lagos that nave grown up around 1he silver
mines This might be called individual loss
however. and not national or affecting the
" hole community.
More than that. the wages of the miners
are going up. As 1 said before they are
finding work in other branches of their i'm =.
duStry that have been stirred into activity
by the general lettering of the times and
business conditions.
Sugar Beet Growing.
What branches OF the agricultural in
dustry die you give your special atten-
NA'44- AtNi'tsitN W ilSpH was ASKED
Sugar beet growing and horse raising"
he replied. These were two lines that /
wanted to learn practical facts about 1t
Is the PresiG -nts wish and my intention to
make the Agricultural Department a prac-
teal institution, and while i was on my
trip did not spend my time lollng under
q tree. but was on the move constantly
Sometimes / would drive fifty miles dav
overland with the farmers.
As TO sugar beets, IL is only question
OF Il few years when We will produce in our
country all the sugar tnat we consume
That VIII mean the saving Of Sl60,0U1.0gO a
year to oGr people. The sugar beet indus
try IS making immense strides in the west.
IL Is the one crop that can be raised in
spite Ct drought and nails storms and
c"mEends Itself To many sections by its
hdrdihood as well as its profit. There are
sugar Jeet factories in Nebraska on the
very edge IF the desert.
More than 22.OJo farmers in the United
SttteS are now experimenting with sugar
hcets. This department sent out seven tons
Ci seed into tWenry-seVen states last sea-
son Heretofore We have had TO buy al,
OF oGI beet seed abroad. but / am promised
:trac tons from Utah alone for this season.
: he beet seed Is thing of cultivation and
some varieties have been cultivated for
forty years TO bring them up TO their pres
Ont strength in saccharine matter
The boom in the beet sugar industry will
be good for the dalTymen. The Dy-products
Of the beet after the sugar has been OBJ
tained from it. rich in nitrogenous mat
Ter and as good for cows as bra n which is
known 10 be nutritious for milk cows The
GARY and butter-making Industries will be
stimulated by the growing of sugar beets
Horse Raising.
Now as 10 horses. 1t is found that the
farmers are not raising in the west the
kind ot horses for which there is demand
In the United States. The iGea seems to be
&c make the horse CO. no matter what his
weight or condition is. There is a demand
for solid horses. and We have to send to
Europe to get them.
II found out west that they did not feed
their young colts in the winter as they
should. They let them run at large IN
stead of putting them up and feeding them
- Feed your horses in the winter said /
to the stockmen-
= But we haven't enough feed they said
Raise more said L.
g But We haven't enough land under irri-
CATION they said.
= Build more dams said l. and irrigate.
I" But that takes money said they. And
that is where they are beginning to realize
that the east whence they obtain their
loans. is a little inquisitive to know what
kiad OF money the loans will be paid back
H.