Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-09
KING CORN vs.. FROST
GREAT iowa MATURITY RACE ls
NoW ON FOR STAKE OF
$s5,ooo,ooo:
The Crops, The Farmers and the
Hopes Of the People Are With King
Corn and the Weather Man Holds
the Balance of Power.


bes Moines, Aug. A. - The great
Iowa maturity race Is now on In earn
est.
On a speed course king Corn" is
pitted against Jack Frost"
The stake Ia the coveted purse Of
$8b,000000.
The finish is six weeks distance and
as the contestants have turned upon
the final stretch the odds are slight
ly against the yellow favorite, which
lags ten days to the rear.
The books have long been closed
and In the grandstand, trembling with
intense excitement as to the outcome
are the beneflciaries or losers, 2,213,-
S53 Iowa citizens.
Farmers Are Fearful.
| The Iowa corn crop of 1904 which is
now waving it's tassels from the fer
tile valley of the Nishna botany of the
winding course of the Mississippi
faces but one peril the frost.
Ten days behind in its growth makes
| its future such as to give rise to some
little apprehension on the part OF the
| farmers. In the best years when con-
ditions are favorable, crop experts say
the best of corn will mature during the
| first week of September. But at this
! period the entire crop is never out of
/ danger. 1t is predicted that this year
| the most advanced Of corn will not be
1 passed the danger line until the mid.
die of next month, and an assurance
that Jack Frost would not appear be.
fore October 1 would only relieve the
minds of those whose fortunes are
staked on the great maturity race.
1. Earring In the Fields.
Il In some Of the fields caring has
commenced and in such instances g
prolific appearance of silk gives prom
ise of abundant ears for the expert
will explain that every silk repre-
sents the conduit through which passes
the fertilization falling from the tas
sci to single kernel Of corn.
\ One peculiar feature of the crop al
present Is the fact that it is not re
tarded in its growth of stalk. 1t is as
high as it should be under normal con
J, ditions. But otherwise it is delayed
from one week to ten days.
Director ]. R. Sage of the lowe
has received reports from all section.
of the state. and George A. Wells.s
, rotary of the Iowa Grain Dealers as
ISOLATION, who has been among some
) OF the fields, agree that this is thu
stage Of corn in its struggle for th
: ripening period.
} Hope for the Harvest.
In common with other portions o
this country this state Is subject IL
the crop growing season to occasiona
i, depression Of temperature down t.
the frost line. On the average, how
ever, according to statistics GOVERN,
3 thirty years, there is an immunit.
from killing frost for a period of II
,. days.
The records of the United State
weather bureau stations in Iowa GOV
ering period of over quarter Of
e century, show that the average dat
of the last killing frost in spring i
Y April 20 and the earliest in autumn
October 8.
The last killing frost this spring wa
n on April 10. With the average allow
g ance to crops this would bring tn
{ killing frost October 6.
1t is firmly believed by experts tina
!, should the frost hold off until thi
' date the great crop of corn as well a
Q other grains of this state will hav
e passed the danger line.
9 Record of Former Years.
> In this connection it may be int
: esting to know how other years hay
v acted in regard to frosts. The follow
: ing statistics will show few year
$ when the spring frost has been nea
). near the time Of this year and whe
q the killing frost of autumn has com
Year: Spring. Autumn.