The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-01-26
i'm FARMERS HANDS
ONE-THIRD OF LAST YEARS
GRAIN CROP is STILL LEFT
IN COUNTRY.
lt Is Estimated That About ~ Fer
Cent Is Being Held for a
Higher Price.

| State Grain Inspector j. w. ARA
smith has lust made an extended trip
through the grain producing sections
of the state on the east side, during
the amount of wheat from the crop of
| last season remaining in the hands OF
the farmers and the amount of wheat
vet to be moved. He stated to Il Taco
ma Ledger reporter, Saturday, that, in
| his opinion, there is yet about one
| third of the crop still in l state. and
| about 20 per cent. of the entire crop
! is held by the farmers. who are evil
IDENTITY holding on III anticipation of OBJ
| tanning Il price that only a conflict be-
tween the little brown men of the east
and the Russian bear can make possi
bile.
| The figures [ give are the result of
! a careful canvass of the situation in
| the counties Of Whitman, Spokane,
| Lincoln, Adams, Douglas. Franklin and
Yakima, visited by me personally, and
| reports received from the counties of
Walla Walla. Columbia. Garfield and
| Asotin." said Mr.. Arrasmith.
Just what proportion of the crop re-
/ manning in the state will reach tide
| water Mr.. ArrHSmith is not prepared to
estimate. That the interior mills will
| absorb Il large portion of the remain
Il. .Et he, is "a hl Tod
| by all who are familiar with the wheat
| situa ton. The millers have Deen
using more of last seasons crop than
! they did the season before, which ne
cessarily means that there will be
smaller volume of the remainder to
come to the coast than if other condi-
tons prevailed.
"Climatic conditions this winter
have been ideal for grain said Mr..
Arrasmi and as u result. fallsOWn
wheat throughout the country is in
splendid shape. The winter has been
exceedingly mild, and grain in the
ground has not been injured by ad
Verse weather at all. 1t is not too late
however. to experience some bad
weather. Northwest winds. or the
thermometer playing tag in the base
ment of the bulb. would do great dam
age at this period. but | do not anti
cipate anything serious now that the
season is so far advanced
1t is a gratifying fact that. though
we cannot claim as big Il rainfall dur
ing December and January as is usual.
there has been as much moisture in the
ground. which has been absorbed by
the soil. The ground has not been
frozen hard at any time The soils
have received the full benefit of the
moisture, hot rain and snow, most
fortunate circumstance for the far
merS.
'Indications point to a much larger
acreage of wheat this season than ever
before" added Mr.. ARA smith. 'EV-
erything points that way. There will
| be quite as much summer fallOW as
| we had last year, and there is a mark
| ed increase in new land throughout
| the state that will be soWn next season.
| In addition to this. a large acreage of
ground planted last spring that pro-
| duced Il crop will be planted again this
spring. the mild weather having made
! it possible to use it for spring sowing.
The high prices obtained for grain last
season stimulated interest among far
mers and every available acre of
grain producing land will be utilized
| this year"
| The year 1903 was fairly good one
| for the farmers, in the opinion of the
state grain inspector. In every cOun-
ty visited by me | observed surface
evidence of thrift. New barns. new
houses ana new fences have been
erected everywhere. and old buildings
have been repaired and improved
| said he. Il heard no complaints; eV-
erybody appeared to be we'll satisfied
| hooking forward to this years work.
! PERSONALLY. l feel that 1904 is going
| to be a repetition on Il larger scale OF
| 1908. We have just passed through
the severeSt part of what we call the
| winter season in Washington, and it
has been an open winter in every re-
spect | consider it one of the most
open winters in the history of the state.
We have had an abundance of snow
! not a little rain. and very little frost
The ground is in good condition for
sowing at the present time, and | do
! not see what can come between us
and prosperity this year, save ad-
/ verse conditions.
| WORK CAN GO ON.