The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-09-12
WHEAT CROP Is
POOREST IN YEARS
Yields in the Big Bend, Pal0use
and Walla Walla Districts is
Much Less. than Expected

According to the. September crop re-
port of E. T. Marchetti, field agent for
the department Of agriculture, the
state of Washington will this year har-
vest the poorest wheat crop in its his
tory. Yields in the principal wheat
growing sections are less than was ex-
pected but the total production will be
larger than last year because of in
creased acreage.
Mr.. Marchetti's summary Of crop
conditions follows:
Corn - Showers during the past
month have been very beneficial to dry
land corn and irrigated corn is in ex-
cellent conditions, due to a favorable
growing season.
Spring Wheat - Drought and hot
weather injury thruout the state has
been even more severe than pessirlis-
tic anticipations, and yields in the Big
Bend, Palouse, Walla Wallas and ad-
jacent counties, with few exceptions,
are materially lower than expected.
The crop is the poorest in years and
probably the poorest as whole that
the state has ever harvested.
All Wheat The slightly greater
production over last year is due to an
increased acreage this year, of 1885,
600 acres, which, from present indiea-
tions, will produce 4,7sO,OO0 bushels.
If the crop produced this year had
been grown on last years acreage
there would have been a production of
2,593,00 bushels less than the unus-
ually short crop of 1917.
Oats-Late oats were greatly ben
Gifted by showers and cool growing
weather, However, the large bulk of
the crop on the LaConner Flat, small
oat producing acreas in western coun-
ties, and in the Palouse oat district,
was too far advanced to be improved.
The crop in many sections of the Pa
louise is inferior to the disappointing
crop of a year ago.
Barley-Lack of rain early in the
growing season and the hot weather,
which caused premature heading on
short straw, are responsible for the
near failure condition of barley in this
state The condition is unusually poor
in Whitman, Columbia and adjacent
counties A few fields were abandoned
after harvesting had begun on account
of light yields.
Potatoes-The production of early
potatoes has been generally disap-
pointing on account of drought, which
prevented proper filling of the hills in
non-irrigated sections. The stand Of
the irrigated crop, especially in the
Yakima valley, is thinner than usual
and the blight has been more severe
than in the average year. Showers
were very beneficial to the late crop.
Hay The first crop of irrigated al
falfa was somewhat lighter than usual
and more weedy. Due to favorable
growing weather the second and third
irrigated crops were normal and OF a
good quality. The first crop of nom
irrigated clover has been reduced by
drought in some localities, but rains
have greatly improved the condition
of the second cutting. Timothy in the
Palouse, Ferry and Stevens counties
is very light crop due to lack OF rain
fall earlier in the season.
General Some fall seeding has been
done but the soil is still too dry and
additional rains will be necessary be
fore seeding will become general thru
out the state. Showers revived pas
ture in parts of the state where it had
not been killed off entirely by spring
and summer drought. On account OF
a short srop and lack Of straw growth
for wheat hay, the feed problem is a