Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1902-04-17
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
SAYS OUTLOOK is MUCH BET
TER THAN WAS THOUGHT.
PROFITABLE YEAR PROBABLE.
Big Acreage of Wheat, Eleven Points
Above Average in Condition and
Chances of Unusually Large
Corn Acreage.

COLUMBIA, April 9.--Secretary Ellis
of the Missouri State Board Of Agri-
culture Issued the following bulletin
to-day:
although hard hit by the drouth
last year the farmers OF Missouri have
never been in better spirits, and they
are now putting forth their greatest
efforts to produce a reoord-breaking
crop this season. 1t is true that in
some Of the newer settled portions of
the State, where the people were not
generally prepared for a failure In
crops, and where the drouth was most
severe last year, there are some Of our
people who need help, but the people
of other parts Of the State have been
responding nobly, and we are sure
that they will all be taken care Of and
assisted so that they can plant and
produce a crop this year.
1.-THE conditions now are much bet
ter than 1t was thought possible they
could be six months ago, and with
favorable conditions this year we may
reasonably expect profitable year for
the farmers Of the State. Reports
from Ill Of the ia counties Of the
State give the following conditions;
GREAT WHEAT ACREAGE.
"Wheat-The wheat acreage last
fall was considerably above the aver
age, being 54 per cent greater than
the previous year. In "a few counties
the growth was small and was injured
some by the dry weather, but during
the coldest weather Of the winter the
crop was well covered with snow, and
the recent rains, without any great
amount of the usual spring freezing
and thawing, puts the crop generally
in fine condition. The condition April
l was 90 per cent compared with 10,
the general average condition Of the
previous five years, and compared with
95 one year ago.
OATS ACREAGE MAY BE SHORT.
"Oats-The soil is generally In fine
condition for sowing in the northern
and central parts Of the State. 1t
has been too wet in many of the
southern counties. The bulk Of the
crop has been sown north of the river,
and unless the ground is in condition
for sowing within the next few days,
the probabilities are that the acreage
will be considerably reduced in the
southern part of the State. Sixty
two per cent Of the crop OF the whole
State was sown March 20.
BIG CORN ACREAGE PROBABLE.
"Meadows-On account of the dry
weather and very close grazing, a
great deal of grass was killed. The
average condition Of the timothy is
6s, for clover 81, and for blue grass %.
The probabilities on account of the
poor condition Of the meadows and
pastures, are that great deal Of 1t
will be plowed up, which will probably
cause an unusually large acreage Of
corn this year.
LIVE STOCK BELOW THE AVERAGE.
"Llve stock-The condition OF the
live stock Of the State, as might have
been reasonably expected, is some
what below the average conditian on
account of the general scarcity of
feed. However, a number of our cor
respondents report the stock coming
through the winter in very good con-
dition, and a number report that some
surplus feed will be left over. In a
few counties, however, some stock
have died on account of lack Of feed.
Those farmers who sowed wheat and
rye for pasture In the fall have turned
their stock on and can soon quit feed
ing. A number of our correspondents
from the southern part OF the State
think that with a few warm days
stock can be turned on the range by
April Is.