The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-12-13
What Happened to Our Corn Crop.

The condition of our corn is even
worse than the most pessimistic an
ticipated. Beginning early last sum-
mer, Wallaces Farmer commenced
to issue warnings against overestl-
mating the corn crop. Our estimate
els to the acre below the government
estimate; but it begins to appear
now that even our estimates are
somewhat high, considering the
amount of soft corn.
In many parts of Iowa corn which
was cribbed has moulded and heated
badly, and is being hauled out, spread
women and young folks. In some
cases it is not good enough to even
bother to sort it, and is being spread
out on the fields.
The damage was not done alto
gather by the early frost. In years
did far less damage than frost this
year. The trouble began back in
May. With the exception Of May,
1907, last May was the coolest on
record. The average temperature
both last May and in May, 1907, was
sc degrees, or six degrees below the
twenty-six-year average temperature
however. was more unfavorable for
corn, because we had more rainfall
than in May, 1907, by three-fourths
of an inch. June of this year was
almost identical with June of 1907,
the average temperature being three
degrees below the tWenty-siX.year
average; In the central part of the the
temperature, we had heavy rains
and floods, which made it necessary
to replant large areas, and which
made the condition of that planted
much worse.
The months of July and August of
this year were different cumaflcally
from the same months in 1907. IN
| 1907 there was an abundance OF
there was deficiency of about an
! inch and half of rain inS July, and
one fourth of an inch in, August;
With this shortage of rainfall, we mad
some hot weather in late July ana ana
were saying that this hot, dry wealth
er was Just what was wanted to help
the corn catch up AS matter or
fact. this heat with the drouth did
harm instead OF good. The heat. was
helpful for a few days, but quickly
checked the growth of the corn and
kept it about where it was, After
weather started the corn to. SLOW
growth. The last week in August
was unusually cool, and while, if we
| take the average temperature OF the
entire month, it was but two degrees
below normal, if we omit the hrst
six days, the remainder of the month
of August, 1917, was one OF the cold
est on record. n
The growing season of 1917, from
| Nav 1st to October 18th, was decld-
edly cooler than the same period IN
1907, although not quite SO cool as
in 1915. In 1907 and 1915, we had
period of hot, dry weather had bad
! effect on the corn crop, which mis-
led people as to the probable yield.
The net result is that our 1917 corn
! crop is quite similar to the crops OF
1915 and 1907, onlv more So
Crops of this sort are always over
! estimated by the government.
/ The combined judgment of the
dealers in grains all over the coun-
try, as expressed in the prices on the
| Chicago board of trade, sooner. or
later reflects the true situation.
These prices are not truly indicative
this year, however. because foT some
months there has been an arbitrary
| limitation on the price or Doth De-
cember and May corn. =.
We make no prediction as to fu-
! ture prices of corn. Extraordlnary
| influences are at work, and prices
! will be determined not alone by the
amount of this years corn crop. AS
to the latter, we venture the state,
ment that there is not as much sound
/ corn in the country this year as there
4 was last year-Wallaces' Farmer
Don't forget the saturday after