The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-22
THE CROPS.


The Chicago Times-Herald of the 10th
inst. has an interesting article about the
crop conditions, from which we quote:
High temperatures and excessive rainfall
characterized the past week over the prin-
cipal agricultural districts east of the Rocky
mountains. 1t was a combination favorable
to plant growth, but interfering seriously
with the already delayed spring work. For
crops requiring no cultivation small grains
and grass, it was an ideal season, but for
corn, potatoes and cultivated crops gener-
ally it stimulated a vigorous weed growth
that will interfere with a proper plant de-
velopment
Corn planting is not yet finished even in
some districts where at this date the crop
should be almost entirely worked out the
first time. This failure to get the whole
intended area planted is not confined to any
one section, but. is met with locally almost
everywhere in the corn belt east of the
Missouri river. West of that stream there
is little complaint. Planting can yet be fin
lshed with every assurance OF good crop
results with a future season of moderate
length, but unless the next 10 days shall
bring a cessation of the constant rainfall
lately experienced there will be some land
not planted and a considerable part of that
already in will suffer On account of I'M
checked weed growth.
Taken as whole the crop is not now in
as promising a position as at this date a
year ago, and is decidedly lower in general
condition. An unfavCrable feature in con-
nectlCn with the present situation is the
tendency to surface rather than deep root
growth which always characterizes a crop
which experiences marked excess of mois-
ture during its period of early growth.
With the roots running near the surface
instead OF striking deep down for subsoil
moisture, the plant is less firmly anchored,
more liable to fall over so as to interfere
with cultivation, and what is more impor-
tant, is much more subject to damage from
even the ordinary droughts which are ex-
perlenced every year. 1t was this charac-
terlstic of growth which resulted in such
sudden and severe suffering of the crop last
year in Kansas and portions of Nebraska
even at time when the weekly records of
rainfall did not in themselves show par
ticularly alarming lack of moisture. The
trouble was then, and is likely to be this
year, that the bulk of the root growth is
near the surface, and when a few weeks of
dry weather is experienced these roots dry
out and there is not sufficient root connec-
ton between the plant and the moisture
further down in the SOIL
At time when bottom lands are too wet
to cultivate and when there is apparently
from sufficient to an excess of moisture
ONeI Tie Wuole Dell, III may seem eXtrdVa-
CANT to speak of conditions as favoring hot
Winds but meteorological conditions west of
the Missouri river seem pointing in the
direction of possible heavy loss from this
cause. Why the crop may be especially
susceptible this year has been already
pointed out
An examination of weather records of the
past two months will show that there are
disquieting conditions in the Southwest
The hot winds from which Kansas and
Nebraska so frequently suffer and which
occasionally blast a crop well to the east
ward or the Missouri river come up from
the great plains and SANDY wastes of the
Southwest. They result from the passage
OF the winds over country blasted with
heat and without moisture. Since March |
there has been very little rainfall in East
ern and Southeastern Colorado, Arizona and
New Mexico. In this wide area there has
been and continues an intense drought; the
ground is baked, vegetation withered and
cattle either driven out or dying. Such a
condition SO early in the season is almost
without precedent and is pregnant with the
possibilities of whitening hot winds a little
later in the season.
The views of this writer as to the
Northwest are more favorable. He
says:
Continued heavy rainfall in most portions
of the Northwest during the past week has
served to bring out some apparent appre-
hension of possible damage from this cause
to the spring wheat crop, but there seems
little basis for this fear It is true that
the moist season has induced very rank
growth, but it is accompanied by good
stooling, strong roots and up to the present
time thoroughly healthy condition Of the
plant. period OF hot, muggy, rust-induc-
ing weather with such condition Of
crowded growth might work great and rapid
damage to the CROP but up to the present
time no complaint of any tendency in this
direction has been received. So far as
surface indications may be accepted. the
crop in the spring wheat belt fully main
talns the high promise which it has held
from the beginning, and, indeed, there may
at this time be justification for belief in the
possibility OF the repetition of last years
extraordinary rate of yield. Current lib
eral marketing of spring wheat is ample
evidence that the growers are we'll salts
he'd regarding the outlook for their crop.
ana so long as the prospect continues good
liberal receipts may be expected
With winter wheat harvest now at hand
there is very general acceptance of the fr
ures OF possible production suggested in
this column at a time when current opin
ION was favorable to much larger total
That the crop will not exceed 275. 900 600
bushels is now conceded by nearly all an
thorities. and this figure is only %. 600 Don
ousneis under the maximum possibility sug-
gested April %, suggestion which we,
qualified with the statement that the
chances decidedly favored "a range under
rather than over that figure" There il less
olHerence OF opinion in the matter of cur
rent spring wheat promise, so that 55OOG0 :
0O0 bushels may be taken as a reasonah1v
conservative probability Of the years har.