Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-05-09
IS NOT so SERIOUS
Secretary Wilson Says Crop DAM
ego Has Been Greatly Rxag.
gcrated for q Purpose.
SPRING SEEDING BACKWARD
Cold Unreasonable Weather Has
Caused DeIay--oreen Bugs Only
Looal---corn VIII Suffer Most
From Delayed Planting.

Chicago, May Tho reports d
damage b the crops which have beer
20 numerous Of late, owing to the un
seasonable weather and the ravageI
Of bugs have been greatly exaggerated
according to James Wilson, secretary
Of agriculture who was in Chicago
Monday night,
Spring seeding is . little back
ward" said Mr.. Wilsn, ION account
Of the cold weather, but there Is plenty
Of time between now and the last Of
September to grow crop Of all kinds
Of grain. In Minnesota and the DalCo-
tas where we get most of our spring
wheat. seeding has been delayed about
two weeks, but with q few days Of
warm sunshine planting will be in
full progress. While the weather has
been unseasonably cold In some dis
tricts. II has not been severe enough
to retard blowing and my advices are
that the ground In these states has
been nearly all made ready to receive
the seed. We will have warm weather
in few days now and don't see what
is to prevent q normal crop Of spring
wheat in these states"
As regards the Canadian northwest
the claims being made that this years
harvest will be seriously diminished
may have some foundation. Accord
ing to what consider authentic ad-
vices from that section the weather
has been so cold that blowing has
been almost impossible. In past
years, the Canadian farmer has gen.
orally left his blowing for the spring
and this year he finds himself in a
bad predicament. In a normal year
seeding would be about half finished
In Manitoba and adjoining provinces,
but I am told that the farmers there
haven't got the ground ready for re-
ceiving the seed even II the weather
was favorable for this work. How
ever, such a condition in the Canadian
northwest won't make q great deal
Of difference when this years crop
10 harvested. The Canadian farmer
grows but small proportion Of the
total crop Of wheat and I am Of the
opinion that the deficiency there, II
there be any, will hardly be noticed
when harvesting throughout the world
has been completed.
I'm the southwest there have been
numerous calls for the past three
weeks Of damage being wrought by
yreen bugs. These reports Of damage
o the winter wheat have been grossly |
exaggerated. am In position where |
get as good information as anybody |
'egarding the growing crop. While
have had many reports about the
yreen bug, the damage wrought by |
hese insects has been local In every
and there has not been any
yeneral attack by this pest as some
,eople are endeavoring to make It
Ippear. From my kowledge Of the
where so much Of our win
er wheat is grown, the advices at
land lead me to believe that that dis
riot will have its usual crop this year.
This applies to oats and corn as well
md wheat The crop as whole may
10 delayed somewhat in ripening but
lot enough to cause any apprehension.
Sorn will suffer most, as blowing for
his crop has been delayed consider
bly, but see no cause for apprehen-
ion.
There Is considerable grain grown
,etween Washington and Chicago and
rom my personal observation of this
art Of the United States ! can state
Without any reservation that l never
d my life saw brighter prospects
han those Of the present. Taken as
vhole / see no cause for complaint
nd think It will be found by thresh-
ng time that all this cry Of crop dam
ge has been made for q purpose"