The Farmington times., 1916-08-11
MISSOURI CROP REPORT
Columbia. Mo-. Aug. 5. 191

Columbia, Mo-, Aug. 5, 1916.
While scattering showers have
brought temporary relief in a few
counties, practically the entire State
is in urgent need of rain, according to
the monthly crop report of the Mis-
souri State Board of Agriculture. This
report, based upon August l condi-
tions and issued today, is as follows:
The month of July in Missouri was
marked by much intense heat and very
limited railfall. At Columbia the pre-
cipitation was but 067 inches as COM
pared with 3.65 inches as normal for
July. In many counties the rainfall
would have been sufficient for the inn
mediate needs of growing crops, eX-
cept for the high temperature. How
ever, the heat of July and excessive
rains earlier in the season combined
to produce most unsatisfactory con-
| ditions.
Corn-While corn has not suffered
as much from hot winds as did the
crop of 1911, the condition, due to the
unfavorable distribution of moisture
and to the impossibility of proper cul-
tivation, is now points lower than
for that year. Taking the State as a
whole, correspondents place corn at
57.2 On August /, 1911, it was 61.2.
On August l, 1901, the low record of
q was recorded. The 10 year Aug
ust / condition is TIT. During the
month just ended corn suffered loss
of. 22.2 points. Present condition Of
corn, by crop division sections, is;
Northeast, 62; Northwest, So; Cen
trail Sc; Southwest 43; Southeast, Sc.
| Owing to the wider distribution Of the
1916 planting season as compared
with that of 1911 and to the greater
spread" in the growth and maturity
of corn, it is not improbable that with
ample rainfall during August, the
present crop may equal that of five
years ago, but with continued dry,
hot weather, it will fall far short. The
1911 crop averaged 25.3 bushels per
acre, total yield of 191 $4,000 BUSH
els.
Wheat-With So per cent of the
1916 wheat crop threshed, indications
are that the final yield will not exceed
8.5 bushels per acre, as compared with
the earlier estimate of go bushels
Many fields are failures and yields of
from 3 to bushels are not common
When all threshing returns are in, in
dications are that the Board Of Ag-
riculture's preliminary forecast OF
100000 for the State will stand. A
large per cent of the crop has been
stacked. Average selling price Of new
wheat on August l was $1.10. Prac-
tically no blowing has been done for
wheat. Correspondents report ground
so dry and hard that but 1.5 per cent
has been plowed. This is the lowest
August l blowing recorded in this of
flee and indicates a very limited acre
age of wheat to be seeded this fall.
Oats-Correspondents report AS per
cent of the Missouri oat crop threshed
The yield is placed at 24.7 bushels.
1t was at first thought that the crop
would average 80 bushels, but the
threshing returns have not been up to
expectations. The State yield is now
figured at about 25,000,000 bushels.
Missouri has this year, pro-
duced one of the best hay crops in her
history-and the hay crop of 1915 was
valued at almost $40,000,000, or more
than wheat and oats combined. The
1916 hay crop has been saved in fine
shape, and with an abundance of feed
in stacks, ricks and mows, any short
age in corn cribs will not be so seri-
Gus. Yield of timothy hay is estimated
at 1.3 tons, mixed timothy and clover,
Ia tons, with an acreage of ITO as
compared with last year. Prairie hay
indicates yield of little more than
one ton per acre. Considerable tim
othy has been harvested for seed, and
the clover seed crop promises well.
Alfalfa is proving its worth as a
drouth-resistant crop.
Pastures and StOck-Pastures, es-
pecially where overstocked earlier in
the season, have failed rapidly. On
the other hand, where pastures have
been properly cared for and not graz
ed to excess, grass is still supplying
much good feed. Condition for the
State is 63.2, being highest in the
Northwest and lowest in the Southwest
section. From sections where drouth
has been most severe come reports of
cows failing in milk production. In
these sections, too, brood sows, half
fat hogs and cattle are being market
ed, but there is no scarcity and farm
generally are holding on to their
stock, which is below normal in num-
bers.
Other Crops-The Missouri apple
crop has dropped to 43.4, while the
peach crop is only about Is per cent.
Condition of broomcorn is 81; melons,
So; tobacco, 50; cotton, S5; cowpeas,
no. .Ie.If.