The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-10-18
MISSOURI CROPS, OCTOBER
1918

| MISSOUhl ShUfS, OClObEh
1918
jefferson City, Mo-, Oct. 14-That
Missouri farmers have added nine hum
dred thousand acres to their winter
wheat sowing, and the states corn has
| increased to 149,221 ,440 bushels, and
the final threshing returns show 50,-
100000 bushels of winter wheat and
spring wheat and AZ, 100000 bushels of
oats, is the victory crop situation for
October as announced jointly by,
Field Agent E. A. Logan and Secre-
tary Jewell Mayes of the U. S. Blu
reau of Crop Estimates and State
Board of Agriculture.
Missouri corn now indicates 49,
POI. 440 bushels against 252,000,000
last year and 276,336,000 for full
crop. Rain helped scattered fields of
late corn in all sections. Greatest i'm
provement was made in north third
of the State, especially first tier coun-
| ties. Scotland has the best corn in
ten years. The State crop is 80 per
cent matured with late corn ripening
slowly, but only three damaged by
frost and quality much better than
last year. Heavy rains of September
rotted fodder and stalk fields will be
poor in the Middle West sections.
Corn cutting, made difficult by much
down corn, is finished. While husk-
ing can begin after October 18th in
the northwest, late corn will hardly
mature fully before frost. Average
yield in prospect is q bushels.
In St. Francois county the 1917
corn yield was 65,300 bushels; the
preliminary estimate for 1918 is
| 267 900 bushels of corn. The county
yield of oats in 1917 was 126,280
bushels, and the 1918 yield is 1O7,S7O
| bushels.
Wheat seeding is proceeding rapid
ly. The greatest acreage ever sown
in Missouri is three-fourths complet-
ed in the north third and west sec
ton, half in central, third in east,
southwest and south central, and but
one-fifth in southeast. Continued
rains delayed seeding in southern half.
Labor shortage is felt more and more,
but is not stopping farmers who feel
sure the crop will again be harvested
safely. Men are seeding even on Sun
days, doing other farm work at night,
to insure a record breaking acreage.
The seed beed has been put into best
condition in history of the State, with
sufficient moisture except in few
north central counties. Fertilizers
were used when they could be Sc
cured. Nightly increased percent
age of seed wheat was treated for
smut. termination good and plants
make splendid growth. With favor
able weather the present 100000
acres increase will be advanced to a
million. In a few counties grasshop-
pers and fear of hessian fly delayed
seeding.
Spring wheat surprises in favor
able results, with I'll, $50 bushels of
80 per cent quality, mostly in north
ern counties aand satisfactory yield,
yet injured by drouth. Oats, 1920
900 bushels against 100000 last
year, quality SO per cent, average
yield 80 bushels against 40 last year
and 26 average year, yields cut by
drouth and smut damaged 10 per cent.
Barley, rs bushels per acre, $4,000
bushels, SO per cent quality. Buck
wheat, 1880 bushels, SO per cent
| condition against 70 per cent last
year.
Potatoes, So bushels per acre
against so last year and 81 average.
5,992 900 bushels against 9,483,0OO
year, many counties now buying from
outside. Sweet potatoes, 698,66o
bushels, II per cent against 85 last
year which produced $4,000.
Tobacco, rs per cent against 80 last
year. F'laxseed, Z bushels per acre
and $4,000 in the State, against &5
and 81 900 last year. Clover seed, 81
per cent against rs last year. Alfalfa
seed 1.9 bushels against 2.5 last year,
crop moved largely for hay. Soy
/ beans, 10 per cent. Millet hay, 81
per cent, against 83 last year, seed
heads short but well filled and SO per
cent against rs last year.
Sorghum forage shows great i'm
provement after rains, yet still short
in heavy producing counties, 73 per
cent against SO last year. Cowpeas,
65 per cent against 81 last year. Pas
lures now look like early spring, 10
per cent against II last year, grazing
fair. Live stock is improving, and wa
ter supply is sufficient.
Sorghum cane, when needed worst
in history of State and Nation, is dis
appointing in quantity, yet fine in
quality, II per cent against SO last
year, 1,803,600 gallons of "long
sweetening" against 100000 last
year.
! With 3, 775,0O0 acres of growing
wheat, which with normal yield at
next summers harvest, will produce
So, 100000 bushels of liberty wheat.
The Missouri farmer is vigorously
joining the big offensive and keeping
step with our allied armies in the
march to Berlin.