The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1919-08-01
HARVESTING THE
1919 WHEAT CROP
PRESENCE OF SMUT
Yield 10 Generally Larger In This
Section Than Was at First
Counted on.

Yield Is Generally Larger In This
Section Than Was at First
countec on.
There is going to be more wheat In
this part Of Umatilla county than was
counted on before the harvest season
commenced This fact has been DEM
onstrated as the harvest operations
progress and opportunity is given to
, size up the situation.
n In the district Immediately surround,
I, ig, Athena much Of the wheat will
\ average better than As bushels per
{. acre, and more than one so bushel
: field has been predicted NAIl of this
! grain. is Of No aualitA with the
exception that little smNt is en-
I countered. ~
In the territory Northwest Of Athena,
bumper crop is being harvested. with
but few fields averaging under 40
bushels per acre. The general re-
port coming here is around 45 bushels
to the acre, with number Of fields
in that neighborhood going better than
As. Last season, this same district
produced well, in fact outdistanced
any other distfIet in the Umatilla
wheat growing belt.
That this was an ideal season for
White Hybred wheat is being demon
strated by the yield from all fields in
which the combines are now hum.
ming. 1t is found that this variety
withstood the rigorous cold of last
winter much better than did any other
variety of grain sown last fill. Red
= Chaff proved stumbling block to
every farmer, almost. who sowed it
This variety froze out, and many
fields were resown this spring, and
others that were not, had in them a
thin stand which permitted healthy
growth of weeds, with the consequent
result that the yield was materially
cut down.
A considerable c~>,5 of grain
this year is being harvested in bulk,
the process being to handle the grain
direct from the combine to wagons
which transport It to storage. The
method is becoming popular and per-
haps by next season will be in general
practice. A very compile. rig for
bulking grain may be seen - s~--ciun
in the Dudley fields, where Gen Dud-
ley and four boys are operating big
Oregon special machine, drawn by a
rs Holt caterpillar. A device for
hitching the wagon alongside the
combine has been perfected, SO that
when one wagon is filed, it is drop
ped by pulling lever. A few rods
in advance, where is has been left
by the driver, the empty wagon is
picked up by cable without stopping
the machine or loss of anybody's
time.
Smut in varying quantity is en-
countered this year in all parts Of
the county. Relative to this, the PEN
delton Tribune says:
Harvest, now in progress in all sec
tions Of the county, while generally
satisfactory to the grower, brings to
light the fact that, in nearly every
district, the grain is affected with
smut The disease this year has made
I its appearance in sections where 1t
has not been known before in years.
In the Cold Springs country, for in
STAGE, where farmers have been ac-
customed to discount the smut danger,
the disease this year has made its
appearance. Early sowing, together
with weather conditions during the
growing period, Is assigned as the
cause Of this unusual condition.
The Tribue further says:
Now that harvest is in progress in
every section. 1t is revealed that the
yield per acre. generally speaking, is
better than had been anticipated, es-
peclalIy in view Of the rather unfav.
orable conditions during large part
Of the growing season. In the Echo
Nolin region, where harvest is most
advanced and where possibly 40 per
cent Of the grain has been cut. the
yield per acre viii run from is to 20
bushels. In the Cold Spring section,
It win average from Is to rs, some
times better. In the Myrick section
and over The reservation generally,
the average yield is from 80 to 40
bushels. Out IN the Pilot Rock district
except on some better situated farms,
srain Il running anywhere from 10
ta 20 bushels
"At present, judging from tae way
wheat is coming IN, the crop WIN