Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-02
Unfavorable Conditions Existing in
Wapello County.
THE GRAINS WILL NOT CERMINA1E
Small Planting Nearly All Completed
Farmers Busily Engaged Prepar-
ing to Plant corn-Help Cannot Be
Had-WilI Pay Good Prices.

AStiAi - pauAy hSSuSu Ill "oPSbiS
county. This condition of affairs is
being made more manifest every day.
Unless Jupiter Pluvius turns loose
within short time, the prospects of a
bountiful harvest in the immediate vi
entity will be seriously impaired.
Farmers who have been in the city
during the past two or three days state
that the ground is in such condition
that the small grain recently planted
will not terminate, unless this section
is visited by good soaking shower
before the week is over.
Late Spring Factor.
The late spring, with its alternating
days of snow, sleet and rain intersper-
sed with periods of freezing weather,
delayed the progress of spring work.
Then followed several weeks of ex-
tremely warm weather which has
drawn the moisture from the ground,
leaving the soil in dry and cloddy
condition, which resists the action of
the pulverizer and the harrow. How
ever work has been rushed through as
rapidly as possible and although the
grain is not as thoroughly put in as
1t would have been had the season
been more favorable, most of the small
grain is planted and the farmers are
now wrestling with the hard dry soil
preparing it for corn planting, which
will begin just as soon as a favorable
opportunity offers.
Moisture Soaked Up.
"The hot sun of the past ten days,
said one of the farmers who was in the
| city today Soaked up the moisture to
such an extent that the soil is very dry
Apparently the evaporation was SC
thorough that the plowed ground had
been left in hard, dry chunks, just as
it came from the moulding board
Hence it happens that the harrow and
the pulverizer have to be used to q
greater extent than in several seasons
past. In fact the ground can only be
reduced to consistency favorable tt
the reception of the grain by the con
| tinuous use of the clod smashing ma
chimes and even after the grain is once
planted there is little likelihood of its
sprouting until we have rain. One
can get a very good idea of the condi
ton of the ground by taking a drive
| outside the city. The roads are yer.
rough and present the appearance no
| ticeable after a sudden freez-up fol
lowing wet weather. Deep ruts hav,
been cut early this spring by thu
wheels of passing vehicles and tn,
earth has been dried out so thorough,
during the time that the travel ha
been light, that drive over them re
minds one of a corduroy road in
tamarack swamp
Farm Hands Scarce.
Farm hands were never so scare
as they are now. All the farmers witt
whom have talked are complaining
that they are unable to get help. OW
ing to the lateness of the season, whicl
has retarded the sowing of grain, eN
i cry farmer has been crowded to tn
! limit trying to get his land in cond
ton for seeding. Therefore he ha
been anxious to secure help and will
, ing to pay good wages. The tram
element which usually puts in an al
, pearance about this time of year shoul
receive scant sympathy of town pei
pie. Every one of these fellows ca
find work if he wants it. While W
t don't care to experiment with the tho
. oughly depraved hobo, we are willin
! to hire all the half-decent roadster
} now touring the country"