The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-08
GRAIN CROP DAMAGE
NOT SO VERY HEAVY
Northwest Will Produce Fair
Crop of Wheat This Year
GOOD WEATHER NEEDED
If There Is Some Rain and Cooler
Temperature This Month Wheat
VIII Recover Some of the
Recent Damage
GOOD WEATHER NEEDED

st. Paul. July 7.-(Special. )-Official re-
norts from the grain producing sections OF
the northwest do not indicate that the en-
tire wheat crop has suffered the damage
previously reported. In isolated districts
some of which are of considerable size
the crop has already suffered such Dam
age aseto reduce the probable yield TO ~
per cent of last years crop. Over the
northwest generally there Is admitted
damage, but the careful inspection trips
of two railway general managers and a
score of wheat experts during the past IL
days indicates that to predict half crop
is to credit all the damage reports which
have come in. The experts are inclined to
believe that while farmers in some Sec
lions have suffered total loss, the total
wheat production of the northwest this
year will show a fair crop, while many
large sections will show fair 10 good
crop. A large crop Is not expected be-
cause of the heat of the last three weeks.
Reports have come in from few dis
tricts showing that wheat less than
foot in height is heading out.
a cooler July, in the opinion of experts
who have Just come in from the wheat
districts, will make immense progress to-
ward reducing the damage. Continued hot
weather will on the other hand largely
increase the loss. Rain has fallen In many
sections and over the entire northwest
there has been a noticeable Improvement
st. Paul jobbing houses report that
the business of the past six months has
been the best in their history, which Is
regarded as a sufficient indication that
the damage reports have overestmated
actual conditions. Cancellations of orders
are not above normal for this season of
the year, although there have been
number of cases in which country mer-
chants have requested temporary suspen-
sion of their orders to ascertain the prob
able damage and effect on their local bus
iness The tone of the wholesale busi-
ness in all lines. a great part of which is
with the wheat producing regions, is
healthy and optimistic. with no serious
signs SO far that a slump is to be aptici-
uated.
Local business conditions in st. Paul are
typical of the leading Minnesota cities,
nearly all of which would be dealt a
staggering blow by the failure of the
grain crops. Business is good in ali
lines. Retail sales are picking up. Bank
clearings are $51 100000 in advance of the
corresponding six months last year, and
June real estate transfers showed an
increase of 100000, while transfers for
the six months of the year just closed
were 81, 10000 heavier than year ago.
Local merchandise business in the
smaller towns is in healthy condition
and merchants are not apprehensive.
The northwestern hay crop is admitted
ly short, but the loss is compensated by
the healthy condition of several other i'm
portant crops.
Seals in Fresh Water
Seals will be added to the $42s, 00o 600 OF
Minnesota's annual products in the opin-
ion of George M. Bowers of Washing
ton, United States commissioner of fish.
cries, who declares that the experiments
of his department have proven that seals
can be bred and reared in fresh water,
and that they do not require frigid zone
for successful propagation.
Dispatches bearing this information
were received with surprise in st. Paul,
and occasioned some merriment among
the light-minded, who poked fun at the
government expert by declaring that the
time will come when Minnesota farmer
can go down to the pond and pick a
Christmas sealskin coat for his wife, but
the government department is serious
and believes that the industry which has
paid the government in hunting licenses
s., 100000 more than the cost of Alaska.
can be handled in the cold lakes of Min
nesota, and especially along the rock
shores of Lake Superior. The govern
ment bureau has had seal pups in captiv-
ity in Washington for six months, exper-
imenting with them. and is convinced that
even in the warmer climate of that dis