Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-08-24
CROP PROSPECTS WORSE.
Jtatistician snow Says They Have Con
Back Since August 4.

sknttsttCthu snow Snys Ancy nave ooho
back since August 4.
Chicago, Aug. 20.-"Tae tardy, but
none the less complete. recognition OF
drought damage 10 the corn crop or
the part OF the officials OF the depart
/ ment Of agriculture" said Statistlcian
Il. w. Snow. OF the board OF trade, In
his weekly report. may be taken as
closing that phase OF the discussion, as
every other authorized authority had
for weeks fully appreciated the grav-
ity OF the situation. The vital ques-
ton now remaining unsettled is the full
extent OF the crop loss.
The official report has been general
~ accepted as indicating a possibility
on August ] OF a crop aggregating
about ] 200. 900, 900 bushels, and II that
forecast may be taken as correct at
that date the crop promise at the close
OF the present week Is for a further ma
terlal shrinkage. During the two week.
that have elapsed since the official re
port was complied weather. conditions
have continued unfavorable, and croE
prospects have grown worse.
West OF the mississippi river rains
during the closing days OF July were
so distributed as to bring showers &c
the greater part OF the corn belt. but
enough moisture for permanent relief
was secured only here and there In dis
tricts locally favored with thunder
showers.
a the present time iowa, Missouri,
Kansas and Nebraska improvement
since August / in the sections which
secured sufficient moisture has been
fully offset by n further and continuing
crop deterioration in districts where
rainfall was only sufficient to temper
arily check drought destruction, so that
in these states Ii Is not reasonable to
look for any higher condition now than
that which actually ruled on August l..
East OF the Mississippi river the
drought Is yet practically unbroken,
except I'm a narrow belt bordering the
lakes. and the situation in the greater
part OF the Ohio valley is radically
worse. The crop In this district may be
characterized MS In about the same
position as hat occupied by the Mis-
souri, and Kansas crops a week prior to
the breaking OF their drought. In this
crop destruction has gone on
with cumulative ratio since the official
was issued, and the present state
averages for Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
are probably quite az low as the group
Of stricken trans-M Mississippi states.
The deterioration IN the Ohio valley
since August / may be taken as suf-
TO lower the official indication 10
a figure little, If any, better than l,5OO.-
300 bushels.
LAS has been frequently pointed out
great damage his year viii result
from the killing OF the tassel and or
inability OF the ear TO fertiliZe.
Such a condition means husks and ears
Jf deceptive appearance, an apparently
air development OF the shoots, but
only a small percentage OF grain on the
No amount OF stalk growth or
OF color OF the blades viii
help the condition, and the result viii
De Il constantly decreasing crop cXpec-
as local observers realize that
general condition applies to their
territory.
Winter wheat thrashing returns
'ully maintain the very high averages
reported, and the year is likely
o go on record with the highest aver
eve made.
Spring wheat harvest Is completed,
except I'm the northern belt, where 1t Is
being prosecuted under conditions
July as favorable as usual"