Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-12
SAGE MAKES REPORT.
Head of Weather and Crop Services
Reviews Conditions.

Des Mones, Dec. 1.-THE annual
crop report of Director j. r. Sage.
head of the Iowa Weather and Crop
Service, issued today, is Of more than
ordinary Importance, coming as it
does after a summer season of I'M
paralleled dryness and season Of
scare reports and pessimistic howlings
from the professional grain brokers
and dealers.
To secure this years report Direct
or Sage has gone to extreme care, so
that the report will be thorough and
accurate, covering every county in the
state, tue reports being sent in by the
county statisticians in each case. The
report will be remarkable in more
| ways than one.
| The corn report, when published to-
| day. Will show that while last year
was the banner corn year for Iowa, the
season of l9ut was q remarkable one
and that the total valuation of the
corn crop for Iowa in I9UI compalCs
very favorably with thar of previous
years, despite a smaller aggregate
acreage yieid and despite he Gaia t.
Gus howlings of the boxers du
the season. Corn this year is sc g
tor better price and is of far b +
quality than it was last year, so c
the aggregate value of the Iowa IL
/ fields in 1901 is almost. ii not fully as
much as last year. when established
a new record for the state. Director
| Sage's report this year Win give rise
| to some decidedly interesting compu
tations and comparisons and will show
that the year closing has been an ex
cellent one for the farmers of Iowa
yielding them almost as great imam
cial returns for the cereals produced
as any year in the history of the state.
1t is well known and undispuLed
fact that the corn product is better
and richer in dry years than in wet,
provided the two extremes are not too
radical. The season of 1900 was
marked with an over amount Of mois-
ture; there were rains and moisture
galore, so that while the aggregate
yield of the corn was better than in
previous years the quality of the corn
was not up to the standard. This year
the other extreme of climatic condi-
tions prevailed and the season was
marked with drouth and excessive
dryness. There were rumors and re-
: ports that the cornfields of Iowa were
burning up; that the crop was an en-
tire failure, and as a result the price
\
times and fell at other times with a
dull sickening thud. 1t was a great
; season for corn SPECTATORS and grain
brokers. But throughout the entire
season Director Sage remained opti-
miStic and persisted in claiming that
the corn crop was all right as the fin
J al report would show. 1t is claimed
by those in a position to know that
his annual report, to be published to-
day. will prove this and will show that
the corn this year is of far better
, quality than last year; thar the yield
: lis far greater than was anticipated,
and that the aggregate financial value
to the farmers is fully as great this
, year as last On this account the re-
!. port will show d remarkable condi-
ton Of affairs.
l In addition to the report on the corn
crop Director Sages report will cover
/. all the cereals produced in the state
y giving the number of acres planted,
y the yield per acre, the aggregate yield
Il for the state and the financial value of
l. the yield.
In this connection it is interesting to
3 mote what last years report showed
!. for the crop results, in Iowa, for 100
e Director Sage's last report, for 1900
SuOWS tuS lOiioNihS iGouitS Ill Sho'
S lyear:
+ Total yield of winter wheat, LOIS,
y 070 bushels: 1873 per acre.
Total yield Of spring wheat, 20,2S0,
e $50 bushels; 14.3 per acre.
), Total yield of corn, 345.055,040 bush
els: 40.3 per acre.
J. Total yield of oats, 1882, $50 bush
) els BAT per acre. ~
Total Weld of rye 1,621 500 iShelS.
), 1876 per acre.
e Total yield of barley .2,s95,2ot
bushels; 1858 per acre.
e Total yield of fax, l2s 1880 bush
1. els; III per acre.
y Total yield of potatoes, 1O,S5O, 800
I. bushels; 73 per acre.
Total yield Of cultivated hay, 3,609,
y 010 tons; la per acre.
e Total yield of wild hay, l,153,O5
tons; IL per acre.