The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-21
Norman ]. Colman Says the Ruin
of "King Grass" Is the Greatest
Disaster of a Generation.
SECOND CROP THE ONLY HOPE.
Even This Cannot Be Matured in
Time Unless Rain Comes Very
Soon-Conditions Daily
Grow More Serious.

Drought has destroyed the grass in the
great pasture regions Of Missouri and Kan
sas, where grass Is considered king Of all
farm products. In consequence, the natural
supply OF beef, mutton, pork and all the
dairy products has been seriously affected.
The one hope for escape from the most
serious results OF this devastation is that a
second crop Of grass can be matured before
frost Gomez, and even this cannot be done
unless rain falls soon.
Farmers Of Missouri are feeding wheat 70.
their stock in some of the most parchsd
sections Of the State. They say that tAey
have found this cheaper than resort!ng to
the supply of oats In the present extremity.
Large stock owners in Missouri have been,
shipping their horses and cattle across the
river into parts of Illinois which have es1
capped the worst of the wave Of heat.
Norman ]. Colman, former Secretary OF
Agriculture. who has been receiving for the
last week full reports from all the agrtcul-
tural domains of Missouri and Kansas. as
serts that this is the most disastrous time
that has visited the country for genera
tion
He has advised the various farmers as
sociations OF this State to begin sowing at
once a second grass crop. which, IT is recog-
nized, will be dependent on the drenchings
Of long rain. The advice carries with It
the significance of his statement that the
first grass crop has been totally elimt-
mated.
Conditions Grow More Serious.
1.-THE conditions right now are much more
dangerous than they were one week ago.,
said Mr.. Colman yesterday. THE failure
of the great pastures of the State to Feed
made the beef unit for the market. Nut
ton has suffered in the same way. Inese
products are poor and thin and must pe
disposed OF at great loss s TO .ns inr our
butter and milk supply on these very pas
lures which have been burned up m .ne
fierce torrid wave Of the last thirty days.
keeper. who sells the farmer his supplies
for the winter months. will realize the forge
OF the argument when the farmer curtaiis
not purchase from the wholesale merchant
OF the city, and so on the endless chain Will
extend.
plant turnips, grass barley and even wheat
OF course, the success of the experiment
depends on the promised rain. There IS now
planted early in the season. This has. been
attempt to stem the disaster by sowing
SECOND supply Of feed for the stock" ~.
grass supply as frausht with more menace
to the public welfare than the possible
ehrtnkage In the visible supply OF wheat
and kindred breadstuffs. He called attention
to the belt through Iowa, Illinois and Indi-
ana where the wheat and corn have not
suffered to the extent that they have in the
other Western and Southern States
Grass the Greatest Of Farm Products.
Remember that grass II king this sea-
son." he exclaimed. ut used to be cotton,
but grass has taken precedence. At no time
within my recollection has so severe a
drought visited Il e country at 50 critical =
time. 4 It had come. later, when, every
thing that grows had matured. the loss
could not have been felt SO keenly. But we
have been stricken in: the very youth OF
the year. when our grasses and cereals are
tender and cannot Withstand much con-
tinued heat. The ehowers that have fallen
In some parts Of the country have done no
good, for the reason that they were not SUI
ficient to saturate the parched earth.
The failure OF the corn crop In this State
and Kansas. two Of the greatest corn-rais-
felt by the loss Of the grass supply. Advices
I have received show that the corn is wilt
Ing on Its stalks daily without the needed
relief The results of this failure point to
the lean kline Of. the Scriptures. Pork and
cattle will not bring the returns upon which
the farmer had reckoned. Prices on cream
cry products can be expected to advance IL
our supply Is diminished -