Omaha daily bee., 1907-05-07
WILSON ON CROP CONDITIONS
Secretary Says Damage to Wheat by Green
bugs is Greatly Exaggerated,
SPRING SEEDING IN NORTHWEST LATE
Delay VIII Not Prevent Nominal
Crop in These states Lit
tie Cause for Conn
plaint.
sPRING SEEDING IN NORTHWEsT LATE

ooio weather ana the TaFa8eS OF DuBS nave
been greatly exaggerated. according to
James Wilson, secretary Of agriculture, who
is in Chicago tonight.
Spring seeding is a little backward"
said Mr.. Wilson, "on account OF the cold
weather, but there is plenty Of time be-
tween now and the last Of September to
grow a crop Of all kinds Of grain. In Min
nesota and the Dakotas, where we get most
Of our spring wheat seeding has been
delayed about two weeks but with few
days Of warm sunshine planting will be
in full swing. While the weather has been
| unseasonably cold in some districts, 1t has
not been severe enough to retard plowing
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 a few days now and 1 don't
see what is to prevent a 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. According to what consider
authentic advices from that section the
weather has been so cold that plowing has
been almost impossible. In past years the
Canadian farmer has generally left his
plowing for the spring, and this year he
finds himself in a bad predicament. In
normal year seeding would be about half
finished in Manitoba and adjoining prov
inces but am told that today the farmers
there have not got the ground ready for
receiving the seed, even II the weather
was favorable for this work. However,
such a condition in the Canadian northwest
will not make a great deal Of difference
when this years crop is harvested. The
Canadian farmer grows but a small pro-
poHtion of the total crop OF wheat and
l am of the opinion that the deficiency
there, If there be any, will hardly be
noticed when harvesting throughout the
world has been completed.
Damage by BuGs Exaggerated.
"In the southwest there have been num-
erous calls for the past three weeks of
! damage being wrought by green bugs.
These reports of damage to the winter
wheat have been grossly exaggerated 1
am in a position where / get as good in
formation as anybody regarding the grow
ing crops. While have had many reports
about the green bug, the damage wrought
by these insects has been local In every
instance and there has not been any gen
eral attack by this pest as some people
are endeavorins TO make It appear. From
my knowledge OF the southwest, where so
much of our winter wheat is grown, the
advices at hand lead me to believe that
that district will have its usual crop this
year. This applies to oats and corn us
| we'll as wheat. The crop as a whole may
! be delayed somewhat, in .ripening, but not
enough to cause any apprehension.
I Corn will suffer most, as plowing for this
crop has been delayed considerably but
III see no cause for apprehension There
is considerable grain grown between Wash
ington and Chicago and from my personal
observation I can state that I never in
my life saw better prospects than those Of
the present in that part of the country.
Taken as a whole see no cause for com
piaint and I think It will be found by
threshing time that all this cry Of crop
damage has been made for a purpose.
views of Kansas City Experts.
KANSAS CITY, May ct. J. Broadnax
Of the Kansas City Board Of Trade said
today:
There seems to be difference of opin-
ion among the dealers as TO damage 70
| crops in this part of the southwest as a
result Of the recent cold rains and freezing
weather. The opinion predominates that
the grain has not suffered as much as re-
ported. 1t will be a week before anything
definite is known"
Roger woodman of the Price Current
said today:
There is not much IN the stories of re-
ported crop damage in the southwest"
G. V. Black Of the Midland Elevator COM
pany, who returned today from a trip
through the Kansas fields, said 81 do
not believe there has been any great dam
age to the wheat crop in Kansas. Reports
from our agents in northern Kansas show
IL E,a a.
in the last week 1t has not deprecated
any and ! think that with few days OF
warm weather now the crop will show
great Improvement We have received no
reports Of damage by bugs in the northern
half Of the state.
"In southern Kansas rainb in the last
week have very materially improved the
condition of the crops, and the prediction is
general that Kansas will produce as large
a crop as last year. Only one report that
In the northern part OF the state indicates
any damage by frosts."
Spring Wheat backward.
ST. PAUL May 6.-While crop conditions
in the northwest are backward. so far as
seeding is concerned. on account Of the late
cold weather, the condition Is by no means
hopeless. according to reports received iu
the crop reporting department of the
Northern Pacific railroad. These latest ad-
vices indicate that seeding Is two or three
weeks later than year ago and It is esti-
mated that 20 to 30 per cent Of the seeding
has been completed. Comparing the prog
ress made by the farmers this year with
that OF last year is no indication that this
is an unusually backward season, as the
seeding a year ago was finished at the un-
usually early period OF May l. So far
this year the ground has frozen nearly
every night. making blowing very difficult,
but there Is still plenty OF time 10 get
the wheat seeding done II no more ex-
treme cold weather interferes; Wheat seed
ing may continue TO May Is with the as
surance OF the usual crop. Whatever land
Is left after that will have 70 be devoted
to fax and other grains The abundance
OF snow on the ground and the late mois-
ture is looked upon as a benefit rather
than hindranoe.
A special to the Associated Press from
Ninot, N. d. says: Owing 20 the pre-
vaiIing cold weather little seeding has been
done IN northwestern Dakota but no
alarm has been felt by farmers. Con-
siderable snow is reported on the ground
near Kenmare Bowels and the territory
north. Farmers say May 20 is early enough
Z