The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-07-17
WHEAT, CORN AND POTATOES.
encouraging Crop Reports Made by the
Government-The Country Will Raise
1.OOO,OOO,OOO Bushels More Corn Than
it Did Last Year-Reports Indicate a
Promising Potato Crop Over the Coun


the constant inquiry is Chow are the
crops" Crop estimates are something
that are more or less indefinite, and
even the so-called government esti-
mates are only an approximate esti-
mate. But they are reasonably re-
liable, and taking the whole country
into consideration are of much VALUE
as showing crop conditions. At pres
ent the figures of the government crop
report Indicate harvest of 1852. 339, 900
bushels of winter wheat, which com
pares with an actual harvest last year
of 429, 675, 149 bushels.
. The indicated spring wheat yield is
PSI, 161 900 bushels, against an actual
harvest last year of 31S, 7S5, O7S bushels.
The indicated total wheat yield is
therefore 633, 500, 900 bushels, against
harvest last year of 74S, 46O, 21S bushels.
The condition of spring and winter
wheat combined on July /, was 92.9, as
compared with 91,1 on July /. 1901:
69,S on July l, 1900, and 1872 at the COR
responding date in 1899.
The amount of wheat remaining in
the hands of farmers on July is esti-
mated at about 2,44O,O0O bushels or I
per cent of crop oflast year.
Preliminary returns to the statis-
tician of the department of agriculture
On the acreage of corn planted indicate
an increase of about $500, 900 acres or
SO per cent on area harvested last
year. OF the twenty-five states and
territories with 100000 acres or up
ward in corn harvested last year, Iowa,
Nebraska and Michigan report an in
crease OF l per cent. Pennsylvania,
Indiana, Virginia and Louisiana of 2
per cent: Georgia, Arkansas, Wiscon-
sin and Missouri 3 per cent; Ohio,
illinois and Indian Territory per
cent; Kansas and Tennessee 5 per
cent: North Carolina and South Caro-
lima per cent: Texas per cent:
Alabama 8 per cent and South Dakota
and Oklahoma II per cent.
The first report of the season upon
corn yield indicated by the govern.
ment report figures out 1853, 95l 900
bushels, or more than 1,00O,O00,OOO
busels in excess of last years actual
yield at harvest of !, 5222, SIS, 1891 bushels
The yield now indicated is far in ex-
cess of any corn harvest ever reported
by the department of agriculture.
What of potatoes? This crop is a
hard one, to estimate and very little
figuring can be done until the spuds
are on top of the ground The gov
eminent crop report places the acre
age throughout the country at 100000
acres greater than last year. Of the
% states and territories reporting,
twenty show increased and eight de-
creased acreages. The average con-
dition Of potatoes on July was 81. 9 as
compared with S7.4 on July l, 1901,
9l.3 at the corresponding date in 1900
and ten year average Of 92.3. Wis
consin shows condition point above
a ten year average; Ohio 5, Iowa S and
Illinois 8, while New York, Minnesota,
Michigan and Pennsylvania conditions
l. 3, 5 and 10 points respectively, be-
low such average.
It will be noticed that the Mime
sofa crop is placed three points below
the ten-year average. If the potato
crop in other sections of the State is
as good as in the famous belt the crop
should be above ten-year average.
There are sections in Iowa, Michigan
and Nebraska and many other states
where the potato crop is reported to
have been seriously injured by inces-
SAINT rains, and on the other hand
there are sections in the south where
the crop will be big one. The Kaw
valley in Missouri is a case in point.
This valley is tributary to Kansas
City and it is said that the Weld in
that section is the largest for years, as
high as 200 bushels to the acre being
reported. This big crop must all be
consumed before, northern potatoes can
find market in that section. At Kan
sas City this week early potatoes were
selling at 80 cents at wholesale. Last
year at this time there we're no pota-
toes in that section and the result was
that early Minnesota potatoes were
worth Is cents bushel at home mar
kets. With potatoes selling at SS cents
at Kansas City Minnesota earlies are
worth about Is cents. The crop on the
'American bottoms a big stretch of
country from Quincy south to St. Louis
and beyond, is large and with the Kaw
valley crop will supply the southern
and eastern markets for some time to
4 L -.