Smyrna times., 1917-07-25
KENT WHEAT HARVESTERS
CONCERNED OVER RAINS
ALMOST DAILY SHOWERS MAY
DAMAGE THE WHEAT CROP
MANY Shocks are Reported Moulding
and the Wheat Sprouting-Thresh-
ing is Practically at StandstiII

Many Shocks are Reported Moulding
and the Wheat Sprouting-Thresh-
ing is Practically at StandstilI
A continuation of the rainy weather |
in this section of the State is likely |
to damage the wheat crop to a consid- |
erable extent, according to the re-
ports received from farmers in Kent |
and Sussex Counties. Rain has fallen |
almost every day for the past two
weeks, and the shocks of wheat
scarcely have time to dry before they
are soaked again. This has caused the
middle of some Of the shocks to mould
and the wheat to sprout, fact that
MANY of the farmers are viewing with
great alarm. Professor Wesley Webb,
Secretary of the State Board of Agri-
culture, when interviewed the other
day declared that it is impossible to
tell the exact extent of the damage.
He stated that wheat is already
sprouting a little at the top of the
shocks, and the farmers are beginning
to feel considerably worried about it.
He predicted. however, that if the
weather clears off and a good, dry
west wind arises, it would not take
long to dry out the shocks and save
the grain.
Digging White Potatoes in Abundance
Some of the farmers of Kent County
are now digging their early white
potatoes, although the majority of
them will probably let them remain
in the ground until fully matured,
believing that they can make more
from a larger yield of fully mstured
potatoes at lower price, than they
can from the small potatoes at this
time. Other farmers have been
planting their late potatoes during the
past week or two, and all the former
pea fields are now planted either in
potatoes or corn. A number of the
farmers of this county are now pick
ing tomatoes, but the tomato season
will not be on sufficiently for the can
neries to begin operations until about
the first week of August.
: War Gardens" Succeeding SpIendidlY
The result of the "bean famine"
in Kent this spring, when the supply
of beans for seeding purposes was
quickly exhausted in the local stores.
is now being felt by an abundance of
string beans, while the coming crop
of lima beans and bush beans looks
very promising. The ''war gardens
in Kent County are now producing
fresh vegetables. in large quantities,
and very few families in the CON-
munity have to purchase vegetables
of any kinds from the grocery store:
or hucksters. AS a result of the de-
crease in the demand for such produce
in this section, many truckers have
been sending their produce to the city
markets, fact that should serve t.
reduce the cost of living for the cit!
dwellers. Apple growers in Ken
County are now shipping early apple
and are receiving very good prices fo
the fruit. Only week ago, F. M
SOper and Son, the we'll knJwn frui
growers of Magnolia, sold 149,bssket
of Early Transparents to Charles L
Terry, Of Wyoming, for 81 basket
which Mr.. Soper, tie "Delawar
Apple King" declares to be the high
est price he has ever asked for ap
Piles of that variety.
Farm Conditions Worst Ever in SUISSE
Farmers in the lower part of Sus
sex and in adjacent Maryland countie
say conditions are the worst eve
known. Nearly all the oats, whes
and rye that was cut through week
ago, is rotting in the fields becaus
the continuous rains have prevente
it drying out sufficiently to b
threshed. Whole fields of corn, swet
potatoes and other truck are inul
dated and going to ruin. Many roaC
are impossible, being more like pond
Many of the farmers who had bankt
on big crops will be ruined