Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-28
COLD AND WET WEATHER RE-
TARpINo PLANTING OF
SMALL GRAINS.
MUCH LAND YET TO
BE FLOWED FOR CORN
Small Grain Seed Already in Ground
Not Gerrninatine-Too Cold for
Pastures and Msadows-Farrers
ResortinS to Hay Crops Because OF
Iateness Of Season.
,ecial TO Times-Republican

Waterloo. April 2s.-North centra
Iowa crops are two TO three weeks
behind those of normal years. &C
cording to the crop bulletin issued b!
the Illinois Central railroad. Only q
comparatively small per cent Of seed
ms and planting has been done
where ordinarily the most Of II
should be completed.
Cold, wet weather of the past few
weeks has greatly hindered farm
work, and what seed has been plant
ed has lain dormant, making no prog
ress toward termination.
The present weather. however, is
not so much a cause for worry, as
other factors making for a less rose
ate outlook for the usual bumper
output Of farm products in this coun-
ty. Farmers can feel assured that
the present cold spell will be followed
by warm and even hot weather so
soon as the storm period is past, and
all produce will spring up like magic
from the rich loan of Iowa.
Cutting Down Farm Work.
Shortage of help for work on farms
OF the state is much more serious in
it's aspect, and there is every pros
pect of lessened acreage being plant
ed and lesser food stuffs produced
this year.
Farmers, finding they cannot Sc
cure sufficient help, are turning to
reducing the amount of work to be
done on their furms. This is atcoIn-
plished by seeding down many acres
to grass and forage crops. where for
merly potatoes, wheat and even CO, a.
were planted.
The manager of a large seed house
says that on one day the past week,
four farmers were in the establish
ment, who said they were seeding
down a part of their farms on &C
count OF the scarcity and high cost
of farm laborers. Together, they
have taken out Of production over 300
acres.
This seed house has had a large
demand for seeds for late fall forage
and cane crops, indicating a move
ment to cut the work of tho farm
and decrease the springtime efforts.
Sweetoorn Favorable.
Prospect for sweetcorn produc-
ton is more favorable, at this time
than some of the other crops. S.
c. Bell, manager of the Waterloo
Canning Company, reports that
contracts for sweetcorn acreage are
being entered into readily by farm
ers who have previously grown this
crop. About $500 acres will be
planted in Black Hawk, which is the
same as year ago. The season is
a little late, but no anxiety Is felt
for a good crop, as the corn by stip-
ulation is planted progressively, in
order to bring the harvesting at in.
tervals.
Railway Bulletins Cheerful.
The Illinois Central Railway Com.
pany has begun the issuing of week.
ly crop bulletins, giving conditions
and prospects of crops in the coun.
ties thru which the lines run. These
bulletins are compiled from reports
received from all station agents, who
are required to interview all the
farmers possible in their locality.
Bulletin for the district from Du.
buque west, gives the following sum.
mary for the past week:
Farm work in this vicinity 10 be-
ing somewhat retarded, due to the
inclement and cold weather condi-
tons There has, however, been con.
siderable small grain planted. Oats
planting is about one-half completed
and is about three weeks behind last
year and about one week later than
the average.
considerable wheat and barley
has been planted and it is anticipat-
ed that the planting of all small
grain will be completed within a. few
days.
THE soil is reported in good con-
dition and if the weather should
warm up to normal, all crops should
make a rapid growth.
Account Of the cool weather pas
lures and meadows are not MAKING
very good progress and feed for stock
is scarce among farmers
I'VE have had considerable rain.
fall during the past few days, which
has somewhat tended to retard COM
pletion of planting on account of we,
conditions Of the soil Present inS!-
cations are that the acreage as. com
pared with last year will be as fol-
lowe:
Per cent
corn ........... 100