Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-11
WIDE CONTRASTS
! SHOWN BY CROPS
Wheat Will Be Second Larg-
est Grown; Corn and Fruit
Are in Good Shape

Washington, Sept lin a state
ment on crops and general conditions
as of August 16. the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States says in
part:
The striking and salient features
OF the agricultural situation are the
startling contrasts in different sec
tions. and even in the same state.
due to extraordinary vicissitudes of
Weather.
Second Largest Crop
The early promise of a record break
ing wheat crop faded first under the
destroying influence of all the 81 va
rieties of ills that wheat is heir to-
rust, too much rain in one section,
too much dry weather in another,
blight and grasshoppers. Moreover,
there is much straw, but the grain is
light and much of it is of poor quail
ity. Nevertheless, it will be the sec
ond lIrgest crop grown. about $685.
millions bush els-more than sufficient
for our own needs and for all export
purposes.
Corn will have a good yeld-about
1850 million bushels-and the outlook
has improved much of late because
of needed rains in the surplus corn
growing states. 1t suffered much in
the early season from continued rain
fall, which prevented the necessary
cultivation. In some parts of the
South, many corn fields were aban-
doned entirely to the weeds that cot
ton might be saved, as there was not
sufficient labor to take care of both.
In some parts of the South, Middle
West ani South, the prospective yield
of corn was cut down by severe
drouth with accompanying fierce heat
4@II Nhn nr1N IN
with a few exceptions, the production
will be larger in nearly all the states
than in 1918.
There is much fruit this year. and
an abundance of garden truck de-
spite much severe local damage here
and there by frost in the late spring,
orouth in the late summer, and the
tropical storm which came up the
Atlantic Coast about the middle of
August.
Live Stock Increases
Live stock is geenrally increasing
throughout the country. This is es-
pecially true of hogs and of sheep on
small farms. Most sections report
growing attention to the dairy and
poultry industries.
A very serious phase OF the situa-
tion is the steadily increasing price
by the high price of farm produts.
Manufacturers are everywhere ex-
ceedingly busy and full of orders, al
though few lines are up to their pro-
ouctiVe posi- bilities. Efficient labor
is scarce.
Lumber is in large demand and
difficult to obtain. Zinc and lead
mining are rather slow because of
low prices and the possibilities of a
very large production should prices
advance materially. Copper mining
is still in the dumps. Silver mining
is generally doing well because of the
high price of silver. Phosphate min
ing in Florida is poor because of
strikes. Coal mining is good only in
a few localities, and in general the
mines are not running half time. Both
labor and cars are short and the de-
mand for coal is poor.
The Outlook
AS always, there is diversity of
opinion as to the immediate future
and it's likelihoods. Differences in
sentiment are local rather than sec
tional and are Influenced often by
environment ana surrounding condi-
tions. There is much concern over
constant labor disturbances, and an
apprehension that if they continue as
now they are likely to spill the
beans" There is a general realization
that new and untried industrial re-
lations are in the making, and there
is much concern and interest as to
where they trend and how they will
end. High prices and the high cost
of living absorb much thought and
create endless discussions.