Evening star., 1901-08-10
EFFECT OF DROUGHT
Secretary Wilson Describes Condi-
tions in the Corn Belt.
FAVORABLE WEATHER WILL HELP
Not Too Late to Get Fairly Good
Crop.
w III e AT IS ALL RIG L

TRAER, Iowa, August 10.-Secretary VIII
son of the Department of Agriculture has
completed his tour of the corn belt and is
resting for few days on his farm at this
place.
1.-The weather of the future said the
Secretary to an Associated Press reporter,
will have much to do with regard to the
final yield of corn, and final figures cannot
be given by anybody at the present time.
Late corn will be benefited by favorable
fall weather, and early corn, growing un-
der the best conditions, will fill cut better
with sufficient rainfall in the near future
II have been travelling through the corn
belt" he continued more with the view
of studying the conditions that have
brought about the present results than to
ascertain the precise amount of damage
done to the corn crop by the hot weather,
in order that may have bulletins prepared
in the department for distribution among
the farmers, showing them where they may
improve their methods.
Variation I'm the Damage.
'I observe that the corn is seriously in
jured." said he, ''in a good many localities
in the corn belt. 1 observed also that the
corn is quite promising in other localities" !"
This he ascribed to the varying system
pursued Less injury followed where rota-
ton in crops has been observed than where
the land is perpetually cultivated
"a common observation regarding the
corn crop this year is that the tassel upon
coming out has been withered by the heat
and failed to fertiliZe through the silk.
This is the case, more or less in all the
fields that | have visited, but pollinatfon
has been much more perfectly performed
where the soil was full Of organic matter
from plowed-under grass roots than where
corn has been grown so long that the or
ganic matter has been oxidized-burned out
of the soil. Where there was plenty of Or
ganic matter In the soil, and thorough
cultivation had, the effects of the heat
upon the tassel mas been to great extent
balanced by the amount Of moisture that
the plant could get to offset evaporation.
In cases where the ground was saturated
by excessive rains in the spring (and this
occurred in many fieids) the roots spread
near the surface. They could not get into
the saturated soil because they could not
find oxygen there.
Early Crop Suffered Most.
EARLY corn has suffered most, where all
the conditions, including organic matter in
the SOIL and thorough cultivation have not
been obtained, but where those conditions
have obtained, early corn is the finest.
'The oat crop is abundant and variable
1t may have ripened prematurely in some
cases, but there will be plenty Of oats.
Wheat is excellent everywhere The hay
crop is abundant, and, of course, put up in
fine condition. Northern and extreme
western states will have an abundance of
potatoes to supply the states further east
where they have suffered.
THE sugar beet Is entirely healthy
everywhere, and has withstood the drought
admirably. I have visited no locality"
said Mr. Wilson, where the people need
any help from anybody There is
abundance Of forage in the west to winter
all kinds of stock, and the damage done to
the corn crop may result in management
in the future that will enable the farmer
to avoid to large extent repetition of
this years experience"