Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1912-03-25
KEEP WORKING
FOR FEED CROPS
Brazos County Badly Hurt by Heavy
Rains--Methods Suggested to
Overcome Late and unfa-
vorabIe Seasons.
To the Editor of The Bryan Eagle:

To the Editor OF The Bryan Eagle
I notice in your issue of two or
three days ago the reports OF the
heavy rain of the night of the 2lst
instant as given by the Associated
Press, and to say the least OF 1t, |
think that this report was very mis-
leading, If not unjust, considering 1t
from the farmers viewpoint. The col
umn in which these reports were
given was headed with these words In
big black type: Crops Benefited;
Fruit Uninjured" The Associated
Press reports are the only informa-
ton that the public generally has on
such matters and it is supposed to
give as near the facts in the case as
is possible to do, and as general
thing believe it is fair and tries to
give the facts; but it seems that there
is an ungovernable disposition on the
part of newspaper men everywhere to
be too optimistic when it comes to
giving crop reports. They, of course,
are set of good-natured fellows and
want to picture the bright side of ev-
erything, but they forget that when
they give these glowing accounts of
growing crops everywhere that they
are delivering the poor farmer right
into the hands of the gamblers and
SPECTATORS.
This report that mention will have
bearing not only on the price of farm
products now, but it will follow this
years crop until it is harvested. This
report leaves the impression that in
many places the crops are in -four
ishing condition. Even in an adjoin-
ing county to ours Washington it
says that growing crops were unin-
jured,' and in another place it said
growing crops were really benefited"
Now, of course, these reports are read
to the farthest limits of the earth, and
people elsewhere than in Texas will
conclude that we have growing crops
in fine condition and that the only
thing that we needed was good rain
and we had that So Mr. Gambler and
Spectator get busy at once and figure
out that we can not help making an
overwhelming crop, so down goes the
price of everything that the farmer
will he expected to have for sale this
year.
Now, | hold that this is not right
nor is it good business on the part o.
our news reporters and correspond
ents; but am persuaded that they dc
not do it Intentionally, but they do Il
unwittingly, not having studied the
real conditions as they should.
The way that l see the situation, sc
far as Brazos county and Contra
Texas are concerned, the heavy rains
of last week have left the country il
the worst shape, so far as the present
crop prospects are concerned, that i
: has been in for a number of years
Instead of growing crops, as was re
ported for Washington county, car
| safely say that there are not hal
, dozen fields of corn up to a stand II
? the county. It is safe to say that 81
, per cent OF the entire corn crop hat
| been planted over within week priol
, to the heavy rain OF the night OF the
3 21st instant, and in ground that was
, already too wet and since these rains
: and the continued cold weather there
| is not chance for it to come up un
less it clears up and turns warm ant