Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-07
MR., WILSON ON CROPS
Secretary of Agriculture Dis
cusses the Situation.
NO CAUSE For ALARM
He Thinks Cry of Damage Has Been
Raised for Purpose.
SPRING SEEDING IS BACKWARD
In the Canadian Northwest the Re-
ports May Have Some Founda-
ton, He Thinks.
SPRING SEEDING IS BACKWARD

CHICAGO, May 7.-Reports of damage
to the crops, which have been numer-
GUS of late. owing to the unreasonable
weather and the ravages Of bugs, have
been greatly exaggerated, and for pur-
pose, according to James Wilson, Secretary
of Agriculture.
Spring seeding is little backward on
account of the cold weather. he said last
night, "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 Dakotas. where we raise most of
our spring wheat, seeding has been de-
layed about two weeks; but, with few
days of warm sunshine planting will be in
full progress.
while the weather has been unseason-
ably cold in some grain regions, still it has
not been severe enough to retard plough
ing, and my advices are that the ground in
those states has been nearly all made
ready to receive the seed. We will have
warm weather in a few days, and don't
see what is to prevent normal crop of
spring wheat in the United States.
The Canadian Northwest.
LAS regards the Canadian northwest,
the reports that this years harvest may be
seriously diminished may have some founda-
ton. According to what I regard as au-
thentic advices from that region, the
weather has been cold that ploughing
has been almost impossible. The Canadian
farmer has usually left his ploughing for
the spring. and this year he finds himself
in bad predicament. In a normal year
seeding would be about half finished In
Manitoba and adjoining provinces, but 1
am told that today the farmers in that
country haven't got the ground ready for
the seed, even if the weather was favorable
for planting.
However, such a condition in the Can
adam northwest will not make great deal
of difference when this years crop is har-
vested The Canadian farmer grows but
small portion of the total crop of wheat,
and am of the opinion that the deficiency,
If there should be any in that part of the
country this year. will hardly be noticed
when the harvesting throughout the world
has been completed.
Damage by Green Bugs.
'In the southwest there have been numer-
GUS rumors for the last three weeks of seri-
Gus damage wrought by green bugs. These
reports of damage to the winter wheat have
been grossly exaggerated. am in a posi-
ton where I get as good Information as
anybody regarding the growing crop
While l have had many reports about the
green bug, still the damage wrought by
these insects has been local in every in
stance. and there has not been any general
attack by this pest as some people are en-
deavoring to make it appear.
From my knowledge of the southwest,
where SO much of our winter wheat is
grown, the advices have at hand lead me
to believe that the southwest will have Its
usual crops this year. This applies to oats
and corn as we'll as to wheat The crop as
whole may be delayed somewhat in
ripening, but not enough to cause any ap-
prehension. Corn will suffer the most as
ploughing for this crop has peen delayed
considerably, but see no cause for alarm.
lc 1~ct1 l. r.
tween Washington and Chicago, and from
my personal observation of this part of the
United States can state without any res
ervation that l never in my life saw
brighter prospects than are prevailing at
the present time.
Taken as whole. see no cause for
complaint, and l think it will be found,
when thrashing time comes, that all this
purpose"
Difference Of Opinion.
KANSAS CITY. May TT. ]. 'Broadnax,
president of the. Kansas City board of
trade said today:
There seems to be difference of opinion
among the dealers IN regard to damage to
crops in this part of the southwest as a re-
suit of the recent cold rains and freezing
weather. The opinion predominates that
the grain has not suffered much re-
ported. It win be a week before anything
definite is known
Roger Woodman of the Price Current said
today: There is not much in the stories of
reported crop damage in the southwest
g. w. Flack of the Midland Elevator
company, who returned today from trip
through the Kansas fields, said:
L do not believe there has been any
great damage to the wheat crop in Kansas.
Reports from our agents in northern Kan
sas show that while wheat has not made
progress In the last week it has not de-
preciated any, and l think that with a few
days of warm weather now the crop will
show great improvement. We have receiv-
ed no reports of damage by bugs in the
northern half of the state.
In southern Kansas rains in the last
week have very materially improved the
condition of the crop, and the prediction is
general that Kansas will produce as large
a crop as last year. Only one report that
In the nnrth bern mar of Indicates