Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-06-13
PROSPECTS POORER
FARMERS LOOKING FOR SMALL
CROPS.
CORN PLANTING DELAYED
Farmers Still Breaking Sod for Seed
That Should Now be in Ground
Wet Weather and Cold Have De-
iayed Spring Work-Damaee by
Floods and Hail.

The Wisconsin crop report for May
as prepared by John NJ. True, secre
tary Of the state board of agriculture
says that at the first June crops
throughout the state are fully two
weeks later than usual. This condi
ton is charged to the unusually COO
weather, and frosts during the last
weeks in May. Warm weather is
greatly needed for all crops Contin
uing Mr. True says:
while at date of this issue most 10
calities report sufficient moisture in
soil, the drouth had generally become
quite sharp at time of rains, about
May 20, and grass and grain had al
ready ben checked in growth. The
hern-southwestern portions of the
state, including the counties of Grant
La Fayette, Green, Iowa, and parts OF
Dane and Rock, seem to have had a
greater rainfall during the month of
May than any other general portion of
the state.
Winter grains, shown in our last
report to be less in acreage than last
year, are at present date reported as
from fair to good in condition,
though wheat is not yet headed.
Spring wheat, being one of our earliest
sown spring grains, is in fair form and
gives promise of an average crop.
Early sowed oats are in good condition
and growing we'll, while late sowed
cd
fields not having come up until the
late May rain; while others, on &C,
count of drouth, have very uneven
stand. Barley, which is usually sowed
early, is reported as fair in the barley,
growing districts of the state.
''The present outlook for corn is
anything but propitious. Planting was
later than usual, and fields that were
planted early have suffered from the
cold weather and frosts, the plants
looking yellow and sickly, and having
little, if any, advantage over that
planted later. However, little com
plant is made of ravages of the cut
worm, and with a good stand secured
favorable weather in July and August
may yet give Wisconsin a good corn
crop.
Tobacco plants are said to be in
good condition, though very little
planting has yet been done, On &C
count of the continued cold weather
while most of the clover sowed
last season lived through the winter
tho nnrol iC 10
the stand in many parts of the state is
thin, nevertheless it's condition is
even better than that of old, mixed
meadows, which from lack of rain in
May, are thin, short and unsatisfac
tory.
Timothy meadows of recent seed
ing are fair, though short in growth
1t is feared that our hay crop will be
less than an average one, and farmers
will do well to arrange for supple
mentary forage crops.
stock was generally turned upon
PASTURE before grass had made any
strong growth, and subsequent condi-
tons have not allowed the grass to
make much gain upon heavily stocked
pastures, and they are almost univer-
sally reported as poor or fair, where in
June they should be good and very
good.
THE live stock and dairy interests
Of the state are menaced by the I'm.
promising condition of it's grass crops
The prices of butchers stock in local
markets, already high, will doubtless
be sustained.
This is to be an 'off-year' with ap-
pies in Wisconsin. Trees did not bios
som heavily, and the crop will be light
though doubtless of good quality, as
trees seem to be in healthful condi-
ton. Plums and cherries promise a
full crop. Grapes and small fruits
have been somewhat injured by frosts
but their show is fairly good. Straw
berries blossomed very heavily, and
though they were somewhat injured
by frost, will still be an average crop.
'The month of June will have much
to do with settling questions of pres
ent doubt, relative to our leading farm
crops, and it is hoped that warmer
weather, accompanied by copious
rains, may not much longer be with
held "