The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-07-24
CORN CROP PROSPECT
Secretary Wilson Gives The Farmen
Valuable POin.S
HOW TO SAVE CROP
The Ground Sheu'd he Pl0w, d Offer
and Deep During DrOulh-An
Average Corn Crop Is the
Estimate Made Now.

New York, July PA dispatch b
The Tribune from Washington say
that Mr.. Wilson, secretary of agricul
ture, has favored The Tribune with q
talk on the effects of the long continued
drouth on the growing crops of tn,
west. He does not take so gloomy Q
view of the agricultural prospects be
tween the Allegheny and Rocky noun
tains as do some of the so-called experts
who are not connected with the govern
ment service. Nor yet does Mr.. Wilson
attempt to minimize the injury alrea y
done, and that will increase unless there
is great precipitation of moisture dur
ing the next few weeks in the vas
stretch of country between the noun
tains.
While he acknowledges that the hard
wheat belt of the northwest has beer
damaged, he does not yet despair of an
average yield of corn in the corn belt
which he defines as extending east from
the Missouri river to the Alleghanies-
embracing the states of Iowa, Wisoon.
sin, the northern part of Missouri and
all Of Illinois.
The regrettable loss from the view
point Of the department, declares the
secretary, is that of the macaroni wheat
crop. For the first time an experiment
had been made this year in the produe
ton Of this variety Of wheat on large
scale in the United States. Secretary
Wilson has been encouraging this en-.
pertinent ever since he has been at the
head Of the agricultural department
and imported the seed from northern
Africa where most of the wheat Is pro.
duced which supplies Europe and the
world with macaroni.
The secretary is especially hopeful OF
an average corn crop. He says IL viii
not be record breaker or "a bumper
in the parlance of the agricultural de-
partment, but that at this moment the
prospects favor fair average yield. Mr..
Wilson said:
eff something could be done to induce
the farmers in the corn belt to extend
their period Of cultivation about two
weeks this year beyond the usual limit
! would look for q big crop. But the
usual season for cultivation is rapidly
drawing 10 close, and fear that with
comparatively few exceptions the farm.
ers win ''lay by" their corn at the reg.
ular time regardless of the drouth.
''In the entire corn belt. with the en-.
ception Of Missouri, which has shall.
low soil, 80 inches Of rain during the
year is all that Is needed to produce O
crop. If even only 10 or IA inches Of
this falls during the four months Of pro-
duction good yield can be counted on.
The corn belt soil, with the exception
noted, 10 deep and holds moisture well.
To utilize this moisture TO the best ad.
vantage In the absence Of rain the soil
should be continually stirred, 20 a. to
make what we call 'mulsh' until the
crop. Is fnatured. Therefore, I repeat
that If the farmers in the corn belt at
this time could be shown the advisable.
ity Of extending their cultivation season
about two weeks we could look for
good corn crop.
1.-THE farmers, like. every other bust. |
ness man, always does what he believes
10 be best for his own interest, but in 0 |
case like this 1t is extremely difficult TO |
broadly in farming oommu.
mites the information that is Of pressing |
and immediate value. BY this mean |
II we only could spread all through the |
corn belt the news that IL the season Of |
were extended about two
weeks beyond the usual limit, there /,
would be no fear of the result.n