The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-07-19
MISSOURI CROPS.
Rain Il Needed In South eastern Counties
But 1t Retards Threshing In North
era Counties.

Columbia, Mo-, July 17.-The United
States department of agriculture, cli'
mate and crop bulletin of the wealth.
er bureau, Missouri section, for the
week ending July IA, says:
In the northern sections of the
state, the past week averaged sHme-
what cooler than usual, but in the
central and southern sections, the
mean temperature was very near the
normal. There was about the average
amount of sunshine in the central.
and northern sections. The precipis
over the northwest section, the north.
crn portions of the central and south
west sections, the western portion f.
the northeast section, and portions
of the northwest section receiving
from 2 to over 4 inches, but over the
eastern and southern counties it was
generally light, and in portions of the
southeast section there was none. In,
a number Of the extreme southeast
ern counties rain is needed.
The principal farm work of the
week has been the stacking and
threshing of wheat and the cutting,
of oats and hay, and in majority OF
the northern and western counties it
has been retarded to a greater or less
extent by showers, and some further
damage has been done to grain in
shock and also to that yet standing
in the fields. The damage has not
been great, however, except in few
localities. In few of the extreme
northwestern counties considerable
wheat still remains uncut, it having
been impossible to get into the fields
with machines. Dat harvest has
progressed as rapidly as the weather
would permit, and while there has
been considerable loss in some local.
ties, the bulk of the crop has been
put in shock in fair condition. Much
damage by rust is reported in a few
counties. In the southeastern and
extreme southern counties the wealth
er has been very favorable and work
has progressed rapidly. Threshing
returns continue to show heavy yields
Of wheat, but in many places the
quality has been impaired to some eX-
tent by the wet weather.
Owing to the frequent rains in the
northern and western sections, con-
siderable portion of the corn crop
has not received the cultivation it
should have had and many fields are
very weedy; but nevertheless the crop
is making excellent progress and is
caring well. In the extreme southern
counties some of the earliest fields
are now in the roasting ear stage. In
n few of the extreme northwestern
counties some corn has been seriously
flooding of lowlands, while in a num-
Der Of the southeastern and extreme
southern counties the crop is needing
rain, reports of firing being received
from Pemiscot county. Cotton is also
suffering for rain in Pemiscot county
and is shedding, but in New Madrid
county it is doing finely. Flax, in the
southwestern counties, Is ripening,
and some has been cut Kafiir corn,
sorghum, COW peas, millet and tobac.
co are doing well, Pastures continue
In good condition, but in some locali-
ties in the southeast section stock
water is becoming scarce. Early po.
tatoes are ripening, and in the north.
ern and western counties there Is
some complaint that they are rotting,
Apples are not dropping as badly as
they were, and reports indicate that
what are left will be Of good quality,
A. T., HACKETT,
Section Director.