The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-23
OUTLOOK FOR WHEAT.
Reports Received from Six of the
Big States.
PROSPECT is POOR IN ILLINOIS.

the Present Time-Fair Promises from |
the Blue Grass State-Hoosiers' and |
Buckeyes Suffer from the Ravages of the |
Elements-Outlook in Missouri.
Chicago. March 23.-For the next two |
or three weeks the condition of the |
growing winter wheat will be the factor
in the wheat market which will out
rank all others, barring, of course the
accident Of war. There has been a great
diversity of opinion shown so far in the
reports received from the winter wheat
field, but not until now has the season
been far enough advanced to promise
a satisfactory view to be formed of the
situation.
The Tribune furnishes a summary Of
opinions by wire from the various coun-
ties of Ohio. Indiana, the southern two
thirds of Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri,
and Kansas. These six states, accord
ing to the government figures, produced
one-half of last years winter wheat
crop. No effort was made to include the
state of Michigan, one of the banner
winter wheat states, for the reason that
the season has not sufficiently advanced
there to allow any valuable judgment
as to damage which may have been
done during the winter.
The state of Kentucky scarcely ranks
with the other states in point of pro-
duction, but on account of the forward
ness of the season there it was taken
int in N a a
more satisfactory statemant of damage
and crop prospects as viewed from the
present standpoint. The damage re-
ferred to by correspondents is princi-
pally from winter killing and floods. Oc-
casional reports tell Of damage by Hes
sian fly and by recent cold snaps. and
number refer to the possibility Of fut-
ure damage by frost.
Reports Are Significant.
The reports, taken as whole, GER
tanly indicate that the season has suf-
ficiently advanced to allow an estimate
to be made on crop possibilities. About
I two-thirds of the correspondents who
make reference to the position or the
| crop say that the season is not sufii-
| ciently advanced to allow of careful fig
| uring on possibilities, but half as many
assert that judgment can be passed
I safely on the general outlook. OF the
people reporting that ii is too early to
express an opinion, many give this
merely as a qualification as to the pros
J pect Of a change in position during the
! next week in the event Of certain def
nitely described contingencies.
Figured for the entire field the pre-
dictions of nearly half the correspon-
[ dents are for a crop as large or larger
] than that of last year. To be sure
I prospect of the equivalent of last years
crop does not mean much in three OF
four out of the six states where last
years yield was way below the average
but in Kansas last year the yield wa:
an excellent one. and Missouri had
fair crop Twenty per cent. of the re-
ports claim that the yield will be hal
of last years crop or even less, many
of the reports from Illinois particularly
suggesting a practical crop failure.
Outlook Worst i'm Illinois.
By far the worst showing is made 10y
Illinois. over so per cent. OF the cor
RESPONDENTS reporting say that the out
look is poor, none reported good, ant
only about 16 per cent. admit that II j
in any way promising. There Is con
siderable difference Of opinion as to th
position Of the crop and the possipiiit.
of deciding on prospective yield One
third of the correspondents reporting
assert that il is too early to form al
| oninion. while about one-quarter sa.
that the season is we'll advanced. ma
iority of those who have nothing to sa
on this point make reports which woul
lead 70 the inference that the crop is u
a position to allow an approximate
TO be made as to possible yield.
Not one of the correspondents In I'LL
no,s has anything good to say of tn
lost winter and its effect on wheat
while one-third of the reports stat
without qualification that the seaso
: has been unfavorable. On the subjeo
, of prospective yield two-thiros Oh III
nredictions are for a half-crop or les!
! and many are for practical failure.
q the reports tabulated from iihnol
many of those predicting crop OF
+ per cent. of last years or less are io
o a Weld of one-third and even ohe-quai
ter of that of 1896. or all the iiliho
estimates only one Is for crop create
than that Of last year. In hguring u
Illinois returns 1t must be remembers
that last years crop was small.
Good Showing for Ohio.
The showing in Ohio is much MOI
favorable. Two-thrds of the repor'
rive the outlook as excellent. On'
,hird of the correspondents, howeve
, sav that IL is too early to judge u
nosition of the crop. There Is dire
ence of opinion as to the conditions du
,ng winter. Damage by floods Is r.
ferred to frequently and occasionally
statement of damage by the Hessla
ev last fall is made. In referring 10 u
irrespective yield majority OF repor
recognize that last years crop was
unusually small one. The great maJo
= TO- ~ correspondents say that the we
, ,,,,I no much greater than that OF lSs
.nd one-third claim a full average GRO
As might be expected, the showing
,nd,ana is a fair average between III
na,s and Ohio. The percentage OF 7
nor,s making the outlook exceiient
pot 40 high as in Ohio. but there q
saw of the claims so frequently ma
hv Illinois correspondents OF q ne
's Weld and crop failure. Two-tniros
,ha Indiana dispatches say that =
non will be as much or more than is
croP -, soa,tn0 reearding the POI