The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-08-30
BANNER YEAR FOR FARMS
Biggest Crop Of Grain in the His
tory of the Country Predicted.
Enormous Wheat YIe1d-Prices, Too, II
ia believed VIII Be I'm
usually High.

Chicago. Ill.EAmerican farms will
produce bigger and better crops and
return more millions in revenue to the
farming interests this year than ever
before in the history of the country.
Ali kinds of crops-wheat. corn. oats,
hay and smaller grain and produce
staples-haye progressed to the stage
where this prediction may be made
with scarcely. the slightest chailce that
the fiual official figures will disprore
its correctness.
Railroad officials and statisticians of
agricultural departments in the various
States of the grain producing region
give their personal and official guar
antee that the year 1905 is to be the
banner year in farm prosperity. If
there is dissenting voice anywhere it
is drowned out by the clamor of optim-
ism that comes from Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Nebraska, the far Southwest.
the Pacific coast and the wonderful
spring wheat crop of the Northwest.
Possibly one wheat crop-that OF
1901-will exceed that Of 1905. In 1901
the crop aggregated 74S,00O,0O0 bush
els. It looks now as if the corn crop
would exceed by large margin that
of 1902. when 2,524,O00 was produced.
1t is when one takes the wheat, corn.
oats and hay crop together and con-
templates what the grand total Of this
year Of grace is to be that the story
becomes an inspiring one. There never
before was such q celebration Of stun
ming figures needed to- express the tri-
butte of the nations .horn'of plenty.
Quite as much to the point, If not
even more, in casting up the ledger Of
prosperity, is the prospect that prices.
compared with the hugeness Of the
production, will be higher than they
have been since war times. An esti-
mate Of total values of farm products,
based on present market quotations,
would present an array Of figures that
would be staggering. Superlatiyes are
in order all along the line to make the
situation sufficiently impressive.
If this general survey be extravagant
practically every shrewd railroad crop
Inspector and every State statistician
will have been diScredited. There is
singular unanimity of opinion among
those calculators best qualified to
speak Of conditions and prospects. But
a close range inspection Of corn fields,
of winter wheat fields from the thresh.
err of the general conditions prevailing
in the spring wheat territory justify
the dattering comments that ure made.
Beginning with Indiana, moving over
into Illinois, then to Iowa, Nebraska
and Kansas, one finds the same bright
ray of promise everywhere in the corn.
fields.
Sturdy of stock, large of ear and
plump of grain, there seems no possible
weather contingency that could prevent
a mammoth harvest Of this grain. Ac.
cording to figures emanating from
State capitals, 10000, 900 bushels more
of corn will be raised this year than
last in the States Of Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The entire crop Of corn last year,
taking official Government figures, wac
2,467, 100000 bushels. The record crop
Of all years was 1888, 10000 bushels,
in 1902. Hence, if the other States Of
the Union do anywhere near as we'll
proportionately as the twelve men.
toned, this years corn yield will tower
high above that Of other years.
These same twelve States are eX-
pected to produce 114,OO0,000 bushels
more wheat than they did year ago.
Of the winter wheat States, Indiana.
Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska and
Missouri make fine showing in in
creases. Enough Of the crop has been
gathered and threshed i'll good order
to make these figures semi-tinal.
With black rust made practically in
nocuous in the spring wheat country
by favorable weather conditions, with
the harvest already on in large part
Of the area and with Il larger acreage
than last year from which to draw, the
figures submitted for prospects in the
Northwest are not apparently over.
drawn.
"The yield of corn promises to be
greater than that Of any previous
year." says e. W. McKenna, assistant
to A. J. Earling, President of the st.
Paul road. "It is certain to mature be.
1Ore IfOSl. SprlHS NHedl Ill Jul lelii
tory is in fine shape"
"South Dakota has the best crop Of
wheat it ever produced" said W. d.
Cantillon. General Superintendent OF
the Northwestern, after an extended
tour just completed. "Iowa has the
best corn crop and Minnesota the best
spring wheat crop in ten years"
z. P. Ripley. President Of the Santa
Fe. says: '"There never was such a
! corn crop. We figure S0,0O0,O00 bush
els of wheat for Kansas. 1t is the
first time in the history Of the West
when the corn, wheat, oats and forage
crops are all good"
Mr.. Biddle, Superintendent of the
Rock Island. and George H. Crosby
Freight Traffic Manager of the Burling
| ton, agree that they cannot recall q
| time when all crop conditions were SO
! favorable.
More Plans For Russian Assembly.
Another council to discuss the plans
for q national assembly was held a