Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-05-20
Drouth and Late Seeding De
clared Responsible for
Loss in State

Idaho lost 10 percent of the 337,-
600 acres of winter wheat sown last
fall. There is left 5000 acres for
harvest, with growing condition
of 90 percent of normal forecasting
of 7,24S,OOO bushels, according to Ju-
lius H. jacobson of the Idaho crop
reporting service at Boise. This heavy
loss of acreage is due to drouth and
late seeding last fall, preventing
necessary development before winter
set in. A year ago only percent was
winter killed; in 1918. percent, and
in the bad winter of 19l6-l9l7, 10
percent of the seeded area was win
ter killed. The present condition is 10
percent below last year and percent
below the 1O-year May l condition.
The prospective crop of 4 ,24S,OOO
bushels is a little more than mil
lion bushels i'll excess of the 1919
crop, the final estimate of which was
6 l05 900 bushels.
RESEEDLNG IN NORTH
In northern counties there was con
more acreage than usual
reseeded, the average for the nine
counties being 10 percent, as against
3 percent last year, while the condi-
ton up there May / was only 81 per
cent of normal, compared with lOl
percent a year ago, and the acreage
TO ne harvested about 90 percent of
the usual acreage.
Fremont, Madison, Teton, Bonnie
vile, Butte and Clark counties all
report increased acreage for harvest
over last year. There has been consid-
cradle rain and snow in these counties
and while the conditions was only 81
per cent of normal May !, a good crop
is indicated with the coming of warm
weather In the foregoing counties IL
of the seeded acreage was lost
through winter killing. In the Rex
burg region it is estimated there are
some hundred thousand acres of win
ter wheat, or about twenty times more
than last year, with n condition of 81
percent normal.
MORE IN SOUTHEAST
In the southeastern district, inelud-
ing Bannock, Bear Lake, Caribou,
Oneida and Power counties,
the winter wheat acreage for harvest
is 8 percent larger than last year,
with crop condition of SO percent,
the highest of any district in the state.
Power, Oneida and Franklin report
increased acreage, with conditions OF
"a. 81 and 100 percent of normal
with 100, 80 and lis per-
cent, respectively, year ago.
The U. S. winter wheat crop was
forecast at 4S4,647 900 bushels, one
third less than the 1919 crop, due prin-
cipally to greatly reduced acreage
and a low condition of 79.l per
cent, compared with 1908 percent
a year ago. Hessian fly is making
serious inroads on the crop in the mid
die west.
1t is expected that ISL 800 acres of
hay land will be left for harvest this
wear. This includes 656,50O acres tame
and $4,000 acres wild hay. The May
condition of 81 percent of a full
crop forecasts a production of 2,O62,-
600 tons. compared with 1,75O,OO0 tons
last wear and 100000 tons in 1918.
There were many reports of winter
killing of clover and alfalfa, es-
pecially of the former, in northern
counties. However, in view Of the
and high price of hay the
last season, farmers intend to cut
considerable grain for hay, such as
oats and some barley.
LITTLE HAY OR GRAIN
Only percent or $4,000 tons, or
the 1919 hay crop remained on farms
May l, as compared with 4 percent
and $4,000 tons reported year ago.
The present holdover is scattered all
over the state and is not enough to
carry farmers through to the next
crop. Reports from southeastern
counties indicate some reduction IN
wheat acreage, due to lack of feed.
The late season is reflected in the
small amount of blowing completed
May 1. Only 70 percent was finished
compared with SO percent last year,
So percent in 1918 and II percent,
the 10-year average.
Spring seeding has been handicapped
to a still greater degree as only %
percent Of the whole work has been