The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-26
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON S. WHITE.

OOiN6 - -1 -
 We have advanced almost far enough in the season to be able to give a pretty good Idea as to what we may ex- pect from our crops. Hot weather and cultivation have helped many crops won derfully since my last report, and while these conditions have prevailed over a large area of country, yet there are still sections where crops have been badly damaged by floods, washouts, overfiows and the soil so wet as not to be worked, and crops in these sections are foul and as it Is now so late, many of these crops will not be cleaned in time for them to make much yield. We find quite an acre age of such crops in all the following states Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Indian and Oklahoma upon a late reasonable fall as to the the crops are late, and much will depend upon a late reasonable fall as to the outcome of many crops. and especially so for the great crops of late corn and eot- ton. Anere Is an unusually large acreage of late planted corn all over the country, many fields now barely laRge enough to blow. This Is also true of the cotton crop. Ane crops in Texas are well ad- vanced, as a rule but on the first of the month northern Texas and the two terri tories, especially Oklahoma, had fearful rains which did considerable damage to all crops. The Red river overfiowed the country and destroyed lots of crops But the Texas crops were so we'll advanced that there is not much danger of damage from weeds and grass, as the crops are ahead of these as a rule. Cotton has im- proved wonderfully in the last month. But I will take up some of the leading crops and give as near an idea as 1t IS possible to do as to the promise of each
 Wheat.
 ne wheat crop holds good its promise for large crop; yet this crop like all others, is very irregular and varies great ly in both yield and quality. Some crops are extra fine and thresh twent'--flve to forty bushels per acre while others run from six to ten bushels. Then the qual- ity ranges about as uneven as the yield. But, upon the whole. we will have big crop of wheat. There was some damage to the crop In northern Texas and Okla homa by the late rains but not near so much as we had feared. Threshing Is now being pushed and soon, with good weather, the crop will be all saved. The harvest has advanced far up Into the north. the crop up in Colorado now being harvested. There was few complaints about wheat being threshed damp and heating in cars. but 1t is to be hoped that there was not much of this. The wheat crop, no doubt, will be the best crop of the year, and will come nearer than any other giIng a full and satisfactory yield.
 Corn.
 This crop. where well cultivated, is now making a rapid growth. but the trouble about the corn crop is that It Is so spotted, so irregular, so much small crops such a poor stand. so much of 1t so badly cultivated. and so very many late crops that in the face of all these disadvantages we can not reasonably expect anything like big crop of corn. However, as stated, with late fall and good seasons and good cultivation, this late corn may yet come out and make a fair crop. The corn crop of Texas Is now assured, for It is practically made, and they have the best crop of corn that they have had for some years. On July 10, there were large exhibits of corn at the Texas Farmers congress that wasl getting hard and dry, and the samples we're fine. Taking Texas as state, they have the best corn crop of any state in the Union. Yet there are crops of corn in Louisiana that are far ahead of any crops to be found in Texas or In any of the states, but the scope of country having this fine crop is small. Yes, the best crops of corn I have seen anywhere this year. I saw in Louisiana. There Is a good acreage of corn in Texas, and the farmers are aal feeling good over their success in securing once more a big crop of corn. This will be a great help to the country. To have plenty. and to spare Is the way for the farmers to prosper Then, again. the prospect is that corn will be high and that the great corn producing sections of our country will be short and very short. on corn thls year.
 Cotton.
 This crop, where It has had anything | like a chance, has made good progress in the last month. The crop in Texas, espe- cially in the southern part of the state, is effected by the Mexican boll worm, which Is giving much trouble. A great many of the foul crops have been cleaned up, and while the stand in many sections 1 is poor, and while there is no question but that the yield will fall far below that of last year, yet there may be more cot ton made with a favorable fall than the crop so far has promised. I noticed one thing well worth mentioning in con- nection with this crop, which is the fact that Texas farmers had plowed under their oat and wheat stubble in places and had planted cotton and secured a fine stand. and the crop promises fair yield. The stand generally on such land is good | and the crop will be easily cultivated. At the Farmers congress there was cot ton on exhibition July 10 with grown bolls. From the report Of farmers at the l congress. there is no question but that the acreage has been greatly reduced in many sections of the state of Texas.
 Oats.
 There has been very little, If any. inn provement in this crop The oat crop is | light and poor generally Only few fa- vored sections report anything like a good crop. The volunteer. or winter