Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-21
IoWA's CORN SHOWING.


Dies Moines Register and Leader
The governments October crop report
does Iowa an injustice. 1t is not so
much that the estimate for Iowa is in
correct, as the final figures will prob
ably show, but that Iowa is made to
tail the procession of corn producing
states when in fact it leads it.
The corn estimating board, basing
Its figures upon the reports of cor
respondents and agents, gives Iowa
corn a percentage on October l of but
30 out of possible 100 while Missouri
is given "a per cent, Nebraska 95 per
cent, Illinois 96 per cent and Indiana
80 per cent. The government statis-
tical board assumes a yield of 40 BUSH
els to the acre to be 100 per cent or
perfect. On this basis Iowa with IL
condition of 80 per cent, woulds yield
an average. the state over of 36 BUSH
els. The final report Will hardly dis
close this to be far out of the way
IT Is above the average of the past
fifteen years and equal to the yield of
last year. Iowa can afford to be sat
isded with an average yield of 36
bushels. but it cannot afford a COM
parison with other states on the fig
tires issued. For instance, a percentage
of "a in Missouri would mean an av-
erage yield of $3.50 bushels, of 90 in
Illinois a yield of 3S.4O bushels, and of
80 in Indiana yield of 1880 bushels.
Yet Iowa is the greatest corn produce
ing state in the world, and on a fif-
teen-year aggregate and average is
ahead of the other states in the corn
belt which are now placed superior to
1t by the Washington board
Is this just? No other state in the
corn belt is doing so much to better
farming condition, to make corn
growing more scientific and profitable.
AS the Sioux City Journal calls at
tention:
There Is excellent reason for con-
Guiding that the Iowa crop Is as good
as the crop in South Dakota, Ne
braslSa, Missouri or Illinois. None of
the states mentioned has had advant-
age in the matter Of weather, and
Iowa will not cede pre- eminence to
anv in the matter Of soil. Iowa has
given more care than any state in the
corn belt to tie selection Of seed corn
this year. Why, then, should the Iowa
crop be low, as compared with the
crop in neighboring states?"
Iowa cannot afford this unjust COM
parison. The final figures will un-
doubtedly show that more bushels OF
corn have been grown In Iowa thar
in any other state. Take Indiana fol
| instance. The most casual tourist OBJ.
server is aware that corn is not sc
near perfect condition In that state
as the Washington figures make 1t
Again, take Oklahoma, the reports di-
rect from the corn belt there give al
average yield Of 20 bushels to the
acre, the Washington estimate gives
it percentage of S3, which means g
yield of something over 80 bushels.
1t is not SO much that Iowa is
scaled too low, but that the Other
states are placed too high. Optimism
Is all very well. but the Washington
board owes 1t to the country at large
to see that its estimates are impartia
and will be ultimately borne out b,
the returns. It will hardly do to ac'
cept the report Of any one statistician
comparisons should be made with tina
same state in past years, with othel
states in the present year. Only IL
/ that way can estimates which will b,
valuable to others than market manip
ulators be secured.