The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-07-25
CROP PROSPECTS
Minneapolis Journals Report
is Favorable.
Conditions in Southern Minnesota are
Most EnCouraging--But Little
Damage Reported.

J W. E. Davis has started out to make
the annual roundup of the crop situa-
ton for the Minneapolis Journal His
first report covers Southern Minnesota,
and is as follows:
Although there are many reports of
rust IN wheat from southern Mime
sofa, grain generally has not yet
suffered from that cause to any ex-
tent. In many counties in the south
ern part of the state red rust made it's
appearance on the grain early, but in
only a few sections has rust made
| serious assaults on the stalk and the
Vitality of the plant. Up to date few,
II any, complaints of black rust have
| been heard. OF the southern Mime
sofa counties, jackson of the extreme
southern tier furnishes the most re-
ports of actual damage from rust.
These are the most numerous in the
territory Immediately around jackson,
| the county seat. Partly as result of
the attacks OF rust, farmers and grain
men look for a small average wheat
yield In that territory The northern
half Of the county of which Heron
Lake is the headquarters, reports some
damage from the same source. In.
Blue Earth and Faribault, two big
wheat counties, rust has been in evil
dence for some time but has done lit
tie if any damage.
While this has been a season of fire.
quent showers and rain in Minnesota
generally, there is one section which
has actually been dry. Parts of Pipe
stone, Murray, Lyon and Cottonwoo
counties have wished hard for rain,
while nearly every other section of
the state has been willing to cork the
skies at times and call it enough.
Over in that section of the state grain
was injured by the drought in early
June. Frost coming about June 20
contributed more trouble. The effect
OF these two adverse elements is felt
for considerable distance along the
Pipestone branch Of, the.Omaha road,
the prospects of grain being more
cheerful from Slayton east. The ter
ritory along the North Western, from
Walnut Grove west TO the state line,
is also sueing from the effect of dry
weather at the wrong time last month.
There is a considerable territory in
that part of the state in which wheat
at its best is promising a compare
lively low yield, although crops in
some sections of the same territory are
doing we'll.
j. f. Drake, farmer at Tracy,
who has recently driven over much of
the country in that part of the state,
says that prospects for all crops in
southern Pipestone. Murray and Cot
tonwood counties are good. June
rains came in time, to help the grain.
In the northern half of these counties
the effect of the drouth was serious;
the dry district in some intances
reaching as far north as the Minnesota
river. Wheat suffered more than other
crops.
Brown county has one of the finest
wheat prospects in southern Mime
sofa. Two or three weeks ago the
farmers in that territory we're feeling
blue over threatened ravages by rust
and other causes. But the grain de-
veloped well, the stand is good. and
many farmers now predict phenom-
email crop if the right weather comes.
Other local authorities content them
selves with the statement that Brown
and Nicollet counties will, with
reasonably good weather produce a
good average, meaning from fifteen to
seventeen bushels
Conditions are good in Blue Earth
and Faribault counties. Nothing has
happened to date to injure the wheat
head. There is little difference in
condition of grain in the territory
along the Des Moines to Blue Earth
City with the exception ruling gener-
ally over southern Minnesota that the
crop is promising better on high than
on low ground. In the west central
portion of Blue Earth county, and
particularly around Garden City, the
sandy soil is making fine record.
There are many fields showing a good
wheat prospect which the high winds
this spring made it necessary to seed
twice. The territory tributary to the
Milwaukee between Mankato and
Albert Lea in Blue Earth, Faribault
and Freedom counties promises well,
although Wells is complaining of too
much water. These complaints Extend
north along the Milwaukee to Maple
ton.
Taken as a whole, Redwood county
has good average wheat prospect.
Wheat in Waseca, LIE Sueur and Sibley
counties is looking we'll. There are
complaints of lodging in many of
these counties, but good local judges
do not now consider damage from this
cause an important factor.