The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-20
NEWS OF THE FARMING WORLD.
Our Washington Correspondent Tells What
Progress is Being Made in the Various
Sections Of the Country.

Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
According TO information received
here, the damage caused to the
crops by the recent hot weather and
droughts in the West has been great
ly exaggerated, probably with view
to speculation. Assistant Secretary
Taylor, of the Treasury Department,
who has just returned from a trip
through the middle West, says that
the crops in that section are really
still in excellent condition. "Be-
sides personal observation, he said,
81 have talked with friends, inolud-
ing a great many reliable and closely
observing railroad men, upon the
CROP CONDITIONS IN THE GREAT WEST.
Railroad men make an especial point
of keeping thoroughly posted on
crop conditions, and their testimony
on the subject may therefore be ac-
cepted as entirely reliable. They
say the reports from Kansas and Ne
braska concerning the damage done
by the drought have been magnifed.
There is. every prospect for un-
usually large crops all over the
West, Notwithstanding unfavorable
weather conditions. In Minnesota,
the great wheat crop is in excellent
condition. Oats, barley, rye, pota-
toes and hay are also in good shape
and the crops of these products for
the year will largely excel those of
last year, both in quality and guam
tity."
The officials of the Interior De-
partment take little stock in the sue
cess of the alleged plans for evading
the purpose of the government to
put the lands in
THE RECENTLY OPENED OBSERVATION
in Oklahoma into the hands of bona
fide settlers. One of the latest of
these alleged plans is TO have the
lucky man who has drawn a home
stead sell out his claim by having an
understanding with purchaser by
which the f~rmer will throw up his
claim and allow the latter to settle
on his land before his act is known
to any one else, thereby giving him
an opportunity to secure the quarter
section under the homestead law.
Any attempt to sell homestead be.
fore final proof is made will result
in an investigation by the Depart
ment and will probably result In the
purchaser securing a law suit rather
than a farm for his money. The
homesteads will be turned over to
the lucky men who draw them only
for their own settlement, and any
act that gives evidence of specuIa-
tion in these lands will be promptly
investigated. The efforts of the De-
partment to eliminate speculation
for this transaction, which involves
giving away 1000 good farms for
bona fide settlement has so far met
general approval, and every effort
will be made to carry out the lpur.
poses of the Department in spite of
any ingenious device that may be re-
sorted to on the part of those who
are the benefciaries of this land dis
tribution. Meanwhile, extraordinary
tales are told of the fertility of the
lands in question. For instance, a
real estate man, who proposes TO
locate there, has this to say: Corn?
Say, Kiowa corn is wonder. You
can hear it groan any night from
growing pains. The sound of these
groans at midnight, mingled with
the coyote howls, makes strange
chorus that frightans the tenderfoot
at first 1t did me. The Indian on
my place lost promising son last
year. The young buck was on a
ladder that leaned against stalk
about 25 feet from the ground. He
was lowering a medium sized ear of
corn with a rope, when he fell and
broke his neck -
The Treasury Department has in
preparation a circular letter to Gus
toms officers throughout the United
States directing them to absolutely
refuse entry to all hides of meat cat
tie from wherever shipped when not
accompanied by regular consular
certificate showing that they are dry
salted, arsenic or lime cured, or have
been thoroughly disinfected accord
ing to the sulfur formula prescribed
by the Treasury Department and