The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-16
Over the Country.


 It has been quite awhile since l have had the chance to give our readers some thing along the lines of observation, or to tell them of conditions as l see them travelling through the country. My last letter of this character was written at the close of the state fair in Iowa, about September 1. This is written from our St Louis office, October 3. Since my September letter have travelled over great deal of our best agricultural coun- try. perhaps not less than 5000 miles in all. l have made numbers of talks be- fore farmers meetings; have visited as far west as Colorado and east to the great lakes. Of course l found much of interest in this work and territory. Have made two featuring trips to Texas since my last.
 have been noting carefully the con ditions of crops. as well as noting care fully claims made for each crop. The crop of corn has improved wonderfully since the first of August and many crops that we thought then would not yield any thing have so improved under the favor able September conditions that they have matured surprising yields In August I made a trip across the great state of Missouri, the northern part of which was so badly overfiowed. and where nearly all the crop had to be re- planted. At that time 1 thought 1t inn possible for this late corn to mature. Last Sunday, September 27 I made the same trip over the same country, when 1 was surprised to find that much of this late corn had passed frost danger and that many crops promise as much as fifty bushels of good corn per acre. The cond- tions have also improved wonderfully in Kansas and Nebraska. but not so well marked as in Missouri. In both Kansas and Nebraska there was greater loss from both floods and frost.
 In Texas, Indian and Oklahoma Ter ritories the crop is made fully. and Texas only of these three can boast of good crop. In Iowa conditions are even worse. Some improvement has been made of course. but the crop generally Is too late to escape frost. In Illinois the conditions are better and the great central part of the state has its usual fine crop of corn The bulk of the corn crop in Mississippi. Alabama. Tennessee and Kentucky Is made and is better generally than usual, though in all these states the late crops have suffered from drouth The condi- tions in Indiana are similar to those in Illinois. The best corn section has a fairly good crop, but there Is much poor corn. and the crops in the great Ohio rlNer bottoms are below an average. But, says some one. What about the cotton cropg" We'll to this 1 will say: '1 told you so." Many laughed at me when began to state as early as June that we would not have over S.O00000 bales this season have no reason as yet to change this estimate The crop Is short in all sections proving so wherever picking has been In progress. If we could have two more months of summer there would he some me crops of cotton yet produced In Indian Territory and Oklahoma But cannot now take time to tell of con ditions as I found them in eight of our best cotton states in the last ten days. But saw enough to convince me that had no reason to change my estimate of sooo'ooo bales Of course I should be glad 1T when all the returns are In that