The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-04-08
Missouri Crop Report.

Secretary Of the Missouri SAFE bOSiu
of Agriculture, Geo B Ellis maoe
public todsy bis statement on Missouri
crop conditions.
The sprisg has opened most favor
ably and several days earlier than toe
average. During the winter there was
gery little rainfall and the ground was
covered With snow for several weeks
and here has not been excessive rains
10 leach the soil and the gtound Is
generally in unusually fine condition
for planting Gardens have generally
been planted, a large acreage Of early
potatoes has been plsrted, grass is
starting nicely and will SON be ready
for grazing.
Plowng for corn is progressing
rapidly, about o%ne-iourth OF the entire
acreage having been plowed up to
April 1st. In a few counties the soil
mas been to wet 10 work. The coun'
lies showing the poorest conditions on
account of wet weather are IN south.
central Missouri, including Laelede,
Phelps, Dade and Lawrence counties;
aud ~ the vicinity of st. Louis, in
c uding St. Louis, Franklin and Jeffer'
sln counties. Corn planting has be-
IN and a number of the farmers have
planted corn, as far north as the CEN
trail part of the state.
Wheat.-The acreage seeded 10
wheat last fall was 1883, $50 ceres,
which is 61 pen cent below what was
harvested asst year, The greatest de-
crease IN acreage was IN the south
west section where, owing to the
drouthy conditions at seeding time a
great deal Of the crop was planted in
poor condition. The covering o. snow
through the coolest Of the winter, and
the absence Of the usual amount oil
freezing and thawing has made a big
Improvement in the wheat crop since
our last report, December /, wher
the condition for the state was only IS.
The present condition Of the crop il
81, which is two points above the five
year average and is nine points above
the average for the past eight years
Several correspondents report tn,
appearance Of the Hessian fly, ant
this insect may cause damage later o.
in the season.
Oats. AN increased acreage of oat
has been sown and Is In most eXceller
condition. The northwest section r,
, ports an Increase of IL per zen ovt
, last year while the whole state shov
n an increased acreage Of about 8 p
cent. Early own oats usually produ
we'll in this state and ~ per cent
the whole crop was sown on April l!
compared with a 6ve-year average
only rs per CEN sown at the sar
time of the year. In 1902, one of Il
most favorable crop seasons on recor
"a only 81 per cent Of the oat crop W
sown April LIST,
Fruits. Apples are reported in got
condition and promise a fair Gro
Peaches. except in a few Of the sout
eastern counties are mostly kIlle,
although a number OF correspondent
from different parts Of the state repo
a few blooms in the most favort
locations. In southeast Nilsson
correspondence report from 20 to Z
per cent Of live buds in the iollowin
countless BolliDger, Butler, CaI
o Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Irol
8 Jefferson, Madison, New Madrit
Pemiscot, Perry, Ripley, Perry, Scot
4 and Stoddard.
PIums and cherries promise from
fair to a full crop. Raspberries an
blackberries have been greatly injure
by the canes freezing ana promil
e from D half to three.iourths of
crop. Strawberries are generally
q good condition, and promise a iu
average crop.