The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-24
AgricuItural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON 8. WHITE.

list In importance I will mention It first From a very close estimate think 1t safe to state that only about 10 per cent ir aereaRe, as compared with last year, 1902 will be planted to corn. Of thls only about 60 per cent has been planted Muct land intended for corn has not yet beer broken, and much that Is broken is notye planted. It Is very surprising that thls condition exists even In Texas and our other states south and east where the crop should be all plowed over by this time.
 The crop everywhere Is small and a poor stand, looks yellow, puny and mak- ing a very slow growth, In Texas where they had so much expected a big crop the early corn was badly damaged by frost and the cool, dry weather In Marcf and April. Pretty much the same con ditions prevail over the two territories Indian and Oklahoma, as we find II Texas. only in Oklahoma the crop wal not so large and so was not so badly dam aged Then, in this territory good show CTS followed close after the frost whicf helped the crop to grow out quickly.
 In Texas much replanting had to b' done, and there are many fields where 1t would have been better to have plowed up the entire crop and planted all over,  In a place, and to replant under such con- ditions makes the crop ragged and diffi- cult to cultivate. In Kansas and Ms sour the work of planting is yet delayed badly by heavy rains, and in many sec tions especially in Kansas, t will be June before some of the lowlands can be planted. What I have seen of Alabama and Mississippi shows that frost was not so destructive in these states as 1t was ,I ,.. he crop is late in both O. these states. On a trip down through Alabama I saw along the Alabama river the best fields of corn l have seen anywhere this season.
 The stand was fairly good, the crop clean, and many fields looking well for the backward season. All through Ten nessee, Kentucky. Indiana, Illinois and Iowa the crop Is late and much land not yet planted.
 So taking the situation on the corn crop as we now find it over even the best corn states. we are bound to conclude that all conditions from now on must be most favorable in order for anything like a good crop to be made.
 Out in Texas the farmers are planting largely of the Mexican June corn for their late crops, and 1t would be well for our Alabama, as well as farmers in other southern states, to follow their example in this matter. suppose that good seed of this Mexican June corn can be had from our leading seedmen.
 The Wheat Crop.
 I have made frequent mention of the great winter wheat crop to be seen all over the country. This crop in most sec tions where l have been Is holding its promise well for big yield. However. in some sections, notably Texas and in greater part of the Ozark country in Missouri, the conditions are not so good.
 During February and March I never saw better prospect for a big winter wheat crop than that of Texas. But the crop was damaged by too much rain, and this was followed by cool, dry weather, with strong north winds, which were very damaging to the crop. Then many crops are effected badly by rust. So that the great Texas crop, as promised, will be greatly reduced in yield and quality I am very sorry to have to report this loss to the Texas crop, for the people needed a big crop, and had for time the promise of the greatest crop in the history of the state. In the Indian Territory the condi- tions are better and improve as we come north up into Oklahoma, where they have now the finest crop of wheat I ever saw anywhere. and nothing short of haistorms or cyclones can prevent a great harvest, for the crop is now well advanced headed and some fields beginning to mature Here there have been fine rains and there is ample moisture In the soil for maturing A big crop.
 In Kansas they are having now rather too much rain for the crop. Here the wheat has made a wonderful growth and promises to be much better than last VI If 1t will only stop raining now there will be one of the greatest wheat crops har- vested in Kansas ever grown In this state In Missouri the crop hos suffered in some sections from cool, dry north winds, but last week most of the state had good rains. which will afford sufficient moist ure for finishing the maturing of the crop.
 In Illinois the conditions are almost per feet, and they have. like Oklahoma, one Of the finest crops in their history Com ing on south, through Kentucky, Ten nessee and north Alabama, we find the crop unusually promising and in middle Tennessee and north Alabama are to be seen fields turning yellow and nearing the harvest So taking everything as we now find 1t, there Is a promise for a great wheat harvest. The acreage is large-un- usually so-and the general conditions never better.
 However the wheat crop is a crop that we never know what we will get until 1t is harvested and in the shock, and even then 1t is best to get 1t thrashed and housed before we can make sure of 1t.
 Wheat, as rule, does not require so much rain In order to make a crop, and the crop would not have suffered as 1t has In some sections only for the fact that there was so much rain through the winter that when it did let up 1t left the soil so badly beaten and packed that crops soon needed rain to moisten up the soil The farmers are already looking about for help to handle the crop. and the indi- cations are that help will be scarce and hard to secure.
 To show something of the confidence that the western people have in their wheat crop, make mention of two trains of thrashing machines. consisting of thir- ty-two cars each, loaded with machines