Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-09
CROPS NEAR
AVERAGE, SAYS.
FIELD AGENT
Report Says Hay and Rye
are Noticeably Poorer
Than Other Crops.
Corn Conditions are Slight.
ly Below Average for the
State. *

report issued today by the U. s. bu-
reau of crop estimates, the outlook
for North Dakota crops on August 1
was near average or. better except for
rye and hay, which are n~oticeably
poorer. s .
Reviewing state conditions Field
Agent A. J.. Surratt says that the June
drought continued up to July 20, with
exception of a few spotted rains most
" in the eastern part Of the state.
Moderate temperatures alone prevent
ed a a failure In the western half
Of the state, especially the northwest
ern counties July rainfall while o
NAL or nearly so except in some north
central and east central counties vas
either largely or wholly r%ecordedl aft
err July 20. These favorable heavy
rains were too late to materially help
the bulk of the rye crop, but the re-
covery Of all spring sown crops es-
pecially late crops has exceeded all
earlier expectations. In a general way
crop conditions taper from normal or
near normal in eastern counties to
about half crop in northwestern, and
q slightly better prospect in south
western counties. There is spotted
Erasshopper damage in limited sec
lions mostly west Of the Missouri riv-
Or. Numerous farmers are Industrious
ly combating the pest with consider
able success. This damage is often
quite severe locally but it probably
will not seriously effect the state pro-
duction. Local hail storms were I'M
usually q in narrow strips Of
Wells, Stutsman and LaMoure coun-
ties, and to a small extent in adjacent
territory. Conditions at the time this
report wa taken were directly OPP
posite that of a month ago, in that
on June 80 all crops were showing a
daily decline, while on July 81 all
crops with exception of winter rye
were showing a substantial daily i'm
ideal filing as well as growing wealth
er will warrant considering this re-
port conservative by the time it reach
es the readers hands.
Heads Are Rather Short.
The above conditions are especially
true of wheat. oats and barley, which
show an excellent fill. Heads are rath-
er short in western and not above av-
erage length in eastern sections, but
remarkably we'll filled with large
plump kernels, Stands are quite uni
formlY good in eastern. but both good
and poor in> western half Of the state
with straw inclinedFto be. bunthy and
short. Late acreage representing
aUOuI ~ POI CoHI VI IONI WIlcdls dilu
SO per cent Of oats and barley acreage
shows a more even and favorable
stand due to late July rains. This part
of. the crop gives very favorable prom
Use. and has. especially improved the
farm feed outlook in the western halt
of the state. Early wheat, oats and
barley fields were ripening at the
close of the month and harvest is ex
pected to be general about August ~
Rye Yields Below Average.
Excepting a few scattered counties
!, rye Yields are below average and vary
sharply for the different counties &C.
cording to moisture conditions. iYelds
inclined to be much more favorable in
eastern than western half Of state. Ir
addition to poor p%ollination due tc
June drouth, at least half Of the state
acreage representing as a rule the
earlier fields was ~unfavorably affected
by the July drouth during the filling
stage. State quality is inclined to be
below average due to part Of the\ rye
crop especially in western sections
showing more or less shrunken ker.
nels. Rye harvest was general at the