Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-18
Progress of the Crops.
Weekly Crop Bulletin of the Omaha Cham-
Der Of Commerce.

| improvement in progress of the crops 10
not to be called general during the past
week. Important districts show improve
ment, but in the main crops have not had
a fair chance. In the spring wheat belt.
which occupies the center OF the stage
at this time. improved temperature con-
ditions have not been accompanied by the
desired rainfall in very large portion OF
| the fact that large areas Of small grain
| in the western part Of the spring wheat
| belt are damaged beyond recovery. The
Red and Jim river valleys got good rains
during the week, which will prove of
great value for most OF their crops. But
the Jim valley is already harvesting bar
| ley and wheat so that those crops are gen.
orally too far along to be affected favor
| ably. 1t is generally conceded that the
yield Of spring wheat along the southern
border of the belt will be very moderate
crop. Add to this the certainty that two
thirds of North Dakota, the Black Hills
country, and Montana, outside the MIX
river valley and perhaps the Miles City
district, will have partial crop failure
and the outlook is anything but up to early
season promise.
The corn belt, while at the critical
stage for its main crop, is still In good
| condition. During the week the western
end of the corn belt, which is still en-
gagged In harvesting and threshing win
ter wheat and oats. enjoyed fair condi-
tions, for while temperatures were slightly
above normal there was much humidity
SO that corn did not suffer generally and
harvesting and threshing made rapid
progress.
Threshers returns show that with very
small areas excepted the yield of WIN
ter wheat is below early estimate. ThnS
Is particularly true In. the Ohio valley
where orange rust was noted early in
the season in southern Illinois and In
diana, and In Kansas and Nebraska along
the border of the two states embracing
much of the country between the Platte
and Kansas rivers. The exaggerated es-
innate OF wheat yields this year consti-
tute nothing short Of a system Of picking
the farmers pockets.
East Of the Mississippi river and par
ticularly in Illinois heat was excessive
and where the soil had been dry for
some time fears were expressed for the
in succession much of Illinois had
maximum of 100 degrees or above. The
eastern part of the state and some points
In Indiana got good rains late in the
week, however. and 1t Is probable the
general conditions will improve. The
upper Ohio valley got rain enough to re-
lieve threatened drouth but the lower
valley states are greatly in need Of rain
the past week. The eastern part Of the
belt where drouth Of increasing severity
has been noted for some weeks is now
in fair shape and improvement is noted
and corn. On the coast plain heavy rains
have fallen, Charleston, s. c., reporting
6.14 inches on Thursday.
Good conditions prevail in New Eng
land and the Middle Atlantic states all
though northern sections of Main and
New York are in the drouth belt which
embraces the eastern Canadian proven
ces. II has generally escaped observa-
tion that the intense heat wave of the
past three weeks came from the north
east and that the great lakes region ana
the st. Lawrence valley which furnish the
summer resorts for the continent have
furnished this season the centers OF high
est temperature.
The extreme northwest coast has had
cool dry weather, but much of the Cali
fornia coast and all the mountain states
had 1t extremely hot The ranges are
curing In much Of the grazing country.
and all dry farming Is at disadvantage.
Insects are very Obstructive In some dis
trtcts so that organized campaigns have
been required to control army cut worm
and grasshopper invasions. The irrisat-
ed districts have had abundant water and
crops are excellent. Precipitation in tho
southeast area OF cool wave which show
ed in the Puget Sous country on
Thursday and Is making progress east-N
ward, brought heavy rains to southern
Utah and Nevada on Friday and insured
further improvement IN the southwest
where light showers had previously made
much improvement in all crops.