The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1915-08-06
MISSOURI CROP REPORT.
Columbia, Mo-, July 81, 1915.


Early t~hreshing returns indicate that the Missouri wheat
crop for 1915 will fall several millions of bushels short OF the
1914 crop and will also be under the preliminary estimate OF
one month ago. The monthly crop report as issued today from
the Office of the Secretary Of the Missouri State Board OF Ag-
riculture is as follows:
Crop conditions throughout the state differ very materl-
ally. However, taking the state as a whole, it may be said, as
one correspondent expresses it, Farmers will have plenty to
live on and some to spare and will not have much to buy"
Southeast Missouri has been especially favored. Crop condl-
tons this year" says one report. have been as near ideal as
our farmers could wish and our prospects are the best ever
known" In the western part of the Southeast sectiOn-in the
upland regon-there is need of rain, although crops have not
suffered greatly. Floods and continued rains have caused heavy
losses in the Northwest section. One correspondent writes,
II have lived in this section since 1868 and have farmed every
year. Have had wet seasons but nothing to compare with this
season. We have always managed to save a large per cent of
our small grain, but this season was too much" Excessive rain
fall has also caused damage in Northeast Missouri counties
bordering on the Iowa line. In the Central part of the state
more favorable conditions have prevailed. There is little or
no complaint of insect pests in any part of Missouri.
the state as a whole, % per cent of the
wheat crop is reported threshed. Estimated yield for part
threshed is 1876 bushels per acre as compared with the pre-
lminary estimate of 1872 bushels made one month ago, or Ill
as the preliminary estimate for the 1914 crop. The estimated
yields are Northwest, 1877; Northwest, 1874; Central, lib;
Southwest, SO; Southeast, IL. The total yield for the state
will be further reduced, owing to the fact that much wheat
in the northern counties could not be harvested. Wheat is
generally poor in quality and some of it will be fed to the
hogs. There is considerable complaint of wheat sprouting in
the shock. The Northeast Missouri counties along the Miss
issippi river generally report satisfactory yields. The same is
true Of the counties in the extreme Southeastern section. The
yield of fortified wheat is holding up better than the aver
age. 1t is estimated that about one-third of the wheat in the
state has been or will be stacked. With the exception of a
few Southeastern counties practically no blowing has been done
for the new wheat crop.
~C0RN-Owing to continued rains and overfows in the
heavy corn counties of North Missouri, corn condition for the
state is but 1876, or slightly below one month ago when it was
rs. One wear ago il was 68 and the 10-Vear August aver
age is 80. By sections, present conditions show: Northeast
81; Northwest, 65; Central, II; Southwest, p; Southeast, 81.
In some of the Northwest counties there are fields of corn
that have never been plowed and many fields that have been
powed but once or twice. Bottom farmers have made a game
fight, planting over their fields as they could, but in many
instances they have lost. Upland fields are generally in good
condition but, taking the state as a whole, the corn crop is
uneaven. However, the prospect, with favorable weather from
this time on, is far better than a year ago.
OATS-The preliminary estimate on the oat yield for Mis-
souri, is 20 bushels per acre as compared with % bushels last
year and 239 bushels as the ten-year average. But for floods
and storms, Northern Missouri would have made the great
est oat crop in her history. AS the matter now stands, there
are hundreds of fields that are as yet uncut and in many of
these the oats are down so bad that they cannot be threshed.
In many fields the over-ripe grain is already threshed out.
One correspondent from Gentry county writes, "Oats were
ripe ten days ago. Today was the first day to get into the
fields. While we had the best Oat crop we have ever had for
years, a crop that would have averaged so or 60 bushels, but
few pieces will be saved. Farmers are preparing to pasture
with hogs or other stock" Progress of the oat harvest, by
sections, shows: Northeast, rs per cent cut; Northwest, 62;
Central SO; Southwest, SO; Southeast, 81. About Is per cent
of the oat crop has been threshed.
THE CROPS-The hay crop has been saved with diff
fcuty. New timothy meadows are reported extra good. The
yield of timothy hay, old and new fields, is estimated at 1.35
tons per acre. Timothy and clover mixed, 1l5 tons. The acre
age of parairie hay will be somewhat larger than last wear.
Pastures have made a luxuriant growth. Livestock of all kinds
is in good flesh and is generally healthy. Range is Southern
Missouri was never better. From every part of the state there
is complaint of flies being very bad on live stock. In some in
stances cattle are losing flesh and mich cows falling off in
milk. Broom corn condition is 81; flax, 70; melons, SO; to-
bacco, 80; cotton, 80; cowpeas, 83. Tobacco acreage as COM
pared with last year is 81; cotton, IS; cowpeas, 83. The fruit
prospect continues fairly good. Condition of apples for the
state, is SO. Taking the state as a whole, there will be about
half a crop of peaches. The commercial peach crop in the O.
zarks is excellent.