Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-29
HOPES SHATTERED
Wapello's Best Crop Prospect in
Years Ruined by Water.
VALUE HAS DROPPED FULLY HALF
Hon. A. w. Buchanan, an Old Resident
of County and Close Observer of
Crop Conditions, Says Loss is Great
HAY Will be Good.


What would have been the greatest
crop Wapello county has ever, in all
its history, produced, was to great
measure ruined by the recent rains and
high water, and Hon. A. w. Buchanan
of this city, who has. resided in this
county for many years and has OBJ
served the crop conditions during the
whole time, estimated today that the
value of the yield of small grains in
the whole county has been depreciat-
ed by fully so per cent by reason of
the floods and heavy rainfall.
This is the greatest blow that has
ever been struck in Wapello county,"
said Mr.. Buchanan today. 1.-THE crops
were doing better than they had ever
done before. as is shown by the yield
from the high land where the grains
were not much affected by the heavy
rains and floods. One farmer brought
317 bushels of rye to town yesterday.
raised on seven and half acres of
land, wheat is running about twenty.
nine bushels to the acre and oats about
fifty-three."
When the farmers had made their
plans for a good crop in every line, had
planned trips or had figured on buy.
ing machinery or carriages, maybe adj
ditional lands. with the proceeds of
their years labor. the only thing that
could possibly have ruined their pros
pects.a perfect deluge right in the mid
die of the summer, visited the country
and tho state as we'll. Every river
I,oo
creeks became rivers. and gullies
usually dry overlooked into the fertile
fields
The rains came so suddenly that the
farmers had no opportunity to make
preparations. and stayed so long that
even now after the water in the
streams has subsidized the ground is
so full of moisture and SO muddy that
no machinery can be taken into the
fields for a week. Meanwhile oats are
dead ripe and will become decayed or
will fall before they can be cut. Some
oats. already cut and in shock, were
carried away by the water or so badly
soaked that whole fields are now rot
ting in the sun.
Much of the wheat was cut before
the flood came, but had not been
threshed. Although this is now being
threshed and sold as fast as. possible
and is yielding about twenty-nine
bushels to the acre, it has begun to
| sprout and is still damp. and will con-
sequently be graded no higher than
No. 4, whereas had it been allowed to-
mature as it promised before the big
| rains it would have been of No. 9
| grade t
The only comforting fact about the
| recent flood is that the fertility of the
fields has been increased by reason of
the fresh mud having been left there.
However, this same coating of mud has
ruined corn in fields where there was
water to the depth of two feet or more.
In many of such fields the stock of
corn has decayeds and been swept
away on account of the water remain
ing so long. Some fields which gave
good promise of yielding fifty bushels
and upwards to the acre now have the
appearance of having been cut down
for fodder by some one with a dull
knife handled clumsily.
Had the flood come earlier in the
season. even by few weeks, the re-
suit would not have been SO bad. Then.
with the advantage of late frost in the
fall good corn crop could have been
assured by replanting the fields, but
now there is no hope along this line,
and the majority of those who are now
planting anything in their flooded land
are sowing millet seed, which will de-
Velop into good pasturage before cold
weather overtakes it.
Dairy Prospects Suffer.
The hay crop this year is being dam
aged much, but is now getting the best
weather it could possibly have. and If
there is no more rain for week or so
this crop will be good in Wapello coun-
ty. Said one man whose interests are
largely with farming and dairying:
The pastures this year are in excel
lent condition so far as the succulency
and general condition Of the grass are
concerned. The fields are we'll covered
with tall grass and all would be well
If it were not for the fields being so
wet. The wet fields give the cattle
tender feet and this is a serious him
drance to the best results.
THE hay crop now depends on dry
weather. The farmers cannot get ous
to cut the grass and harvest the hay
The ground will not stand the cutting
machines and although the grass is
good and the hay crop would undoubt-
edly be large if it could be secured
the injury is going to come from this
very inability to secure the crop. Dairy
interests will suffer accordingly. for
they depend largely on the pasturage
and hay crop conditions. We had
splendid hay crop last year and would
have good one this year if it could
only be harvested"