Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-11
Progress of the Crops
Weekly Crop Bulletin Of the Omaha
Chamber of Commerce.

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II would Be hard to overestimate tn.
past week was ushered in. Farmers oi
the middle west have a habit Of expect
ing abundant rains about the close OF
May. and IL the weather has been dry
May SO that the stand OF late planted
corn is poor and stooling Of oats retard-
ed. 1t Is quite generally heard, Wait till
Decoration day. We always get a Decor
years experience should give an expect
ancy OF rain on July 4. Seldom has rain
been more welcome than on July 4 Of this
year, particularly in the upper Missouri
precipitation was ample for present needs.
An interesting feature Of the change from
extremely hot weather in the western
spring wheat territory was considerable
tana and killing frosts in parts Of Wyom-
ing and Utah on July 8. Practically all
OF Nebraska, western Kansas and eastern
Colorado, eastern South Dakota and Min
fine Fourth Of July rain. The states
south OF this rain belt Jared equally well
since sunshine was the thing desired. De-
layed harvesting and threshing made good
homa. Considerable damage to grain in
shock has happened in that district, but
1t is more than made up by the best
prospect for corn and grain sorghum the
southwest has ever had. The early corn
Is matured in Texas and, because Of the
earlness of the season, the crop Is prac-
tically through the critical stage well up
into Kansas.
East Of the Mississippi river showers,
mostly light, have served only to give re-
and corn 10 generally in good condition.
But the wheat yield Is not meeting ex-
pectations. The hay crop Is below aver
age and oats straw is short though there
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ficiency in the yield of grain. The GER
tainty that the crop Of hay and winter
forage for live stock in almost all sec
tions east OF the Mississippi river will be
tion problem In view Of the present trans
portation rates. which make the move.
ment Of bulky and cheap freights like
hay essentially impossible And any cur
tailment of milk production in the east.
from any cause. is a serious element in
the food problem.
The southern states have abundant
rains along all coasts. But the interior
has had only local showers. giving relief
in spots. The temperatures have re-
manned considerably above normal, so
that except in the districts favored by rain
the drouth conditions have been intensi.
fled. Tobacco and corn have suffered
most. Cotton, which is small and general
ly much damage from insects. appears to
be setting a good crop OF bolls.
New England and the north Atlantic
states got abundant rains, so that the
drouth in that section Is fairly broken:
The potato crop. which Is important
throughout that district and was suffer-
ing. now has a fair prospect though the
early varieties were too far along to re-
cover by the better growing conditions
Pastures are reported as improving.
The July estimate Of the prospective
spring wheat crop. which reduces earlier
estimates by 1s,ooo. 900 bushels. was made
before the rains of July and I. These
rains. which were not heavy in = con-
siderable part Of North Dakota and were
excessive in the Jim and Red river val
Ieys, should influence the yield much
more than the estimates noted. Estimates
Of spring wheat crops before August
of any year seem to be sort OF vague
guessing quite outside the duties OF we'll
directed government.
The Pacific coast states have enjoyed
summer resort conditions and official crop
reports are not without enthusiasm. Cal
ifornia, however. which sells climate
consider part Of the time. has some
difficulty in suppressing reports OF crop
fires, disagreeabie ,''northers" ana other
factors which indicate that her grain crops
are not up to standard. The fruit crops
Of the coast states are satisfactory, with
the lemon and orange prospects ABOVE
average In California.