The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-04-27
WHEAT OUTLOOK IS
BAD; FRUIT PERFECT
Prof. Johnson Urges Farmers to
be Careful About Flowing
Up Wheat.
By L. r. Johnson)

10y l.. n. JOnnS0nt
Wheat and Corn.-The Government
crop report estimates the coming crop
to be fifty million bushels less than
that of 1916. This means that wheat
will continue to remain at very high
price during the next twelve months.
1t means also that other farm crops
will sell high, for wheat is the great
food cereal, and when in short supply,
the demand for other forms of food is
increased. Had there been a good
crop this year, every wheat farmer
might have paid off his debts or bought
an automobile. At present prices a
half crop or less will sell for as much
as we used to get for full one; there
fore a man should be cautious about
blowing up his wheat, because it looks
bad. If wheat is thin on the ground
it will stool up more.
Money in Corn.-If the wheat is a
failure there is still the chance OF
raising big corn crop which is sure
to be worth lot of money. Every
precaution should be taken to insure
this crop. There should be good seed
good soil and good culture. These three
are the high trinity in corn raising
but, of course, nature must do her
part in furnishing a favorable season.
There should be no hurry to get the
seed in the ground. No time is more
proftably spent than what We use in
putting the soil in fine condition. Har-
row and drag and disk till the clods
are all gone.
Fruit Prospects.-The writer has
never seen better prospect for all
kinds of fruit than there is this spring.
All the small fruits, such as straw
berries, booseberries and grapes are
showing 100 per cent condition and
the tree fruits are none behind. Peach
eS are reported killed in many districts
by the bard winter but in the district
from Cape Girardeau north the trees
are full of young fruit. Pears, plums
cherries, and, chief of all, apples, are
all in full bearing with the young
fruit already set" or safely out of
the blossom stage. For several years
there has been a partial failure of the
apple crop in Missouri and over most
Of the Mississippi Valley States with
consequent high prices. A bumper
crop this year would furnish a vast
quantity of food almost as staple
as that of meat and flour. Apples in
full supply would go far towards miti-
eating the high cost of living. No
doubt the cost of. sugar will act to
some extent in cheapening fruit by re-
ducing the demand.
Spraying.-The time to spray the
peaches is right now, that is, while the
little peach is shedding the flower or
Just afterwards. For this, we use ar
senate of lead to kill the curculio which
lays its egg in the peach and makes it
wormy; and also self-boiled lime and
sulphur to act against the rot. The
most important spray for the apples
is also near at hand, to be applied just
as the blossom leaves fall. For this
spray use one gallon commercial lime.
sulphur and two pounds of lead arse
nate to forty gallons of water. This
is directed chiefly against the codling
wosth worm which enters the apple
when very small. Do not, on any &C
count, omit this spray; and it is well
10 repeat it in ten or twelve days.