Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-05
RAIN GENERAL OVER STATE
Good Wetting Valuable to Wheat
Fields Of Nebraska.
FARMS IN NEED OF MOISTURE
General Sentiment f. that DRY
weather and Frost Did some
DamaEe-COrn Planting
f. Facilitated.

II the dry weather in Nebraska reduced
the probable wheat production 10 per cent.
the rain which has been falling since Sun
day over a considerable portion OF the
state has. It is estimated, been worth $780,
900 TO Nebraska farmers. Some grain deal
ers believe the damage to winter wheat
by dry weather would amount to ~ per
cent. which would make a 3TOOO,OOO rain. as
wheat has doubtless been saved by the
moisture.
Until early Sunday morning the reports
showed that over a considerable portion of
the state of Nebraska less than one-half
of an inch of rain had fallen in the last
ten days-a time vital to winter wheat.
In the extreme western part of the state.
along the Wyoming lines, the fall was be
tween one and two inches. but it shaded
off in a semi-circle and cast of Alliance
the rainfall was slight.
Many fields of winter wheat were plowed
up in the last few days and corn will be
planted. OF this W. c. Sunderland, grain
dealer, said:
MANY farmers get frightened and plow
up their wheat fields too soon, but the
last few weeks have been unusually dry.
We have had reports of farmers plowing
up wheat fields from the southwestern
part of the state, especially around Minden
and Holdrege In Buffalo county and
around Wood River and Kearney we have
heard of some fields which have been
turned under"
The Weeks Grain company called many
stations where they have elevators located
by telephone Sunday. They received the
welcome information from many points as
far west as Scotia and other places in
Greely county that rain was falling and
that it was not too late TO do the winter
wheat abundant good and would save some
fields which had begun to looA bad.
Saves Many wheat Fields.
The information was secured from the
Crowell Grain company that rains over the
state meant saving many fields of winter
wheat along the lines of the Chicago and
Northwestern where they have elevators
The general feeling among the grain men
is that wheat has been injured by dry
weather and warm winds while vegetation
in general suffered from the frost of Sat
urday morning and Friday night The
| frost was severe enough in some places to
| injure farm vegetation.
Railroad reports say rain was general
over the state 1t not only fell in the
eastern part of the state, but also in the
west in the sem-arid belt with snow and
rain in Wyoming. A good rain fell on The
Sheridan division Of the Burlington and
was sufficient to put the ranges in splendid
! condition.
Rain fell to the depth Of one inch at
| Columbus before o'clock Monday morn
| ing. with good rains at Ashland Lincoln.
Sutton and Hastings. There was a general
rain all over the Lincoln division of the
| Burlington with a heavy rain at Broken
! Bow and a light rain over the Alliance
division of the Burlington. Reports also
show there was a good rain all over the
| Wymore division, with three inches of
snow at Denver. There was rain every
where on the McCook division OF the Bur
| lington which put the soil in splendid con-
diticn for corn planting.
Coed Fruit Crop Yet.
Fifty per cent of the fruit has been killed
by frost in the opinion of Connty Comp
| troller Solomon, who has an extensive fruit
| farm near Benson.
II made a careful investigation of the
fruit on my farm Sunday" said Mr. Solo
mon," and believe that about half of the
buds are damaged. Even with half of it
gone the prospects for big crop are excel
lent unless we have more cold weather
The trees are so full of buds that half OF
them can be spared and still the crop be
unusually large. Cherries seem to be
damaged about one-half. but peaches are
in little better condition, as the fruit is
| developed further. Apples are also dam.
aged about one-half. The damage was
done early Saturday morning when a heavy
frost settled on the fruit"