The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-04-11
MISSOURI CROP REPORT.
State Board OF Agriculture.-.0iiice Of
Secretary, April ), 1908.


state and taken as a whole show a very
satisfactory condition of crops and live
stock but a poor condition of the soil.
The warm weather during March
started the grass aud wheat nicely,
and oat sowing has begun aud is well
advanced in several of the southern
counties, however, only sixteen per
cent. of the oat crop that was sown
March S0th, compared with sixty-two
per cent. OF the crop that was sown at
the same time last year. Early pota-
toes and gardens have been planted
and In a few localities In the southern
part of the state some corn has been
planted.
The soil is almost universa.l y too
wet and is working poorly where
blowing has begun. On account of
wet weather but little tall and winter
plowIng has been done which puts the
farmers behind the usual progress of
their work at this time. The pastures
and wheat are futher advanced than
the average. The wet winter and
scarcity of labor greatly retarded farm
work and in some neighborhoods some
of last years corn crop was ungather-
ed on March 80.
Wheat.-The present condition of
the wheat crop is 81 which is one
point above the condition at the same
time last year and seven points above
the average for the previous five years,
and is practically the same as the aver
age condition for the crop for the years
1900, 1901 and 1902. A few cores.
pondents report some damage from
Hessian fly, and some damage has been
sustained from overflow along the
streams. The largest damage from
this cause being in Mississippi county
where fifteen or twenty thousand acres
was probably totally destroyed. Some
fields on fiat undrsined soils have been
injured by freezing. The condition by
sections is for the northeast, go; north
west, So; central Sc; southwest, 81;
southeast, 80. This shows a prac-
tically even condition over the state.
The estimated acreage is 1891, 900
acres, OF about eleven points below the
acreage harvested last year. The
present acreage IS, however, above the
normal, being forty-two per cent.
larger than the crop harvested IN 1900.
The acreage of this year'5 crop by
sections compared with last year is,
northeast, SO; northwest, 80; central,
80; southwest, 80; southeast, 1O1.
The total acreage for each section is,
northeast, 404, 200; northwest, $780,
000; central 462, 600; southwest, 933,
ZOO; southeast, 766 400.
Meadow Timothy meadows are in
excellent condition and the growth at
this time is in advance of las. wear.
The present condition Is SO compared
with only 6S n year ago and a five
year average of &C.. Clover has been
injured some by "heaving," and some
OF the spring sowing has been killed
BY the late freezing but most OF the
correspondents report a good stand OF
young clover. The condition of the
clover crop is 50 compared with 57lasl
year 10 some of the southern coun.
tics the cowpea CROP is taking the place
OF clover and is proving very sati.fac-
tory. Alfalfa is doing well in a mum.
Der of localities and will be tried more
extensively this year.
Live Stock The very wet weatbe,
has been damaging to all live stock
that we're not properly sheltered, anC
some losses have been reported from
number of localities. The losse.
among cattle have been on account o
improper care, from blackleg anC
malignant catarrh; the losses anon
horses from distemper and indigestion
caused from feeding spoiled hay an,
fodder; the losses OH hogs have beer
principally from swine plague anC
hog cholera. Taken as a whole. how
ever, the live stock Of the state are il
about tae average condition as I,
health and thrift for this season Of In,
year. The average condition for cat
tie is 81 which is exactly the same "a
the FIVE year average. The averag
condition is go which is five poinl
above the five year average. The re
port is quite general that hogs are YER
scarce and that the number OF eprIn.