The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-01-06

I
The farmers of st. Francois county
seeded 1880 acres of winter wheat in
1920, compared to 12,050 for the 1922
crop. The wheat condition at the
present time is so per cent Of normal,
and the condition of rye 88 per cent.
| During the fall months up to Deem
Der 1, 1921, our farmers did As per
cent of the usual acreage of fall plow-
ing in this county and had gathered
83 per cent Of the 1921 corn crop.
Missouri wheat seeding began late,
on account of unceasing rains in Sep
/ tember, and very little was sown be-
fore October 1st, but continued up to
November and even later in some Of
| the southern counties. Favorable
weather resulted in more planting
than was expected October 1st.
The Farm Census of 1921 in Mis-
souri,, as made by the county and town
ship assessors, whose reports were in
for l47,401 farms on November 1st,
listing actual crop acreage in detail,
shows plainly that Missouri farmers
are still growing wheat heavily and
have not entirely returned TO the
cropping system used before the world
war, when the yearly acreage of
wheat was around z, 900, 900. Most 0f
the seed bed was well prepared, and
wheat was generally sown under bet-
ter conditions than usual.
Farmers treated only 20 per cent
of the acreage of the 1922 crop with
fertilizer and but per cent Of the
seed for smut. Dry weather prevented
full termination at first, but rains
in the latter half of November and
the warm weather brought up prac-
tically all the crop. Only few coun-
ties report wheat not yet above
ground at the first of December. n
The wheat acreage has been re-
duced from last year, but more in the
northern counties than in the south
ern, which have longer seeding sea-
son. Special Investigations on $1,000
farms, including every community, in
dicate reduction of per cent to z
per cent in the northern third; re-
duction of per cent to per cent in
the middle; southwest section, de-
crease of per cent; central, same
acreage as last year; southeast, 2 per
cent below.
A large part Of the early sown
wheat is infested with hessian fly, and
chinch bugs are. reported in sufficient
numbers to supply full crop for the
early spring fight. Counties south of
Kansas City, on the west side to the
south line, have the poorest prospects.
Most wheat is healthy and vigorous,
with good stands, but is less than nor
NAL in growth.
Missouri wheat went into winter
quarters in fair condition. Hard
freezes without snow covering, would
damage the young and tender plants
severely in the early part of tn win
ter. Average state condition is 81
per cent against 80 per cent in 1920,
and 80 per cent ten-year average.
Rye seeding is the same as last
year, 25,000 acres, condition 30 per
cent against 81 last year. Missouri
farmers have gone back to pre-war
acreage in rye, although some coun-
ties, where they did not get in the ex-
pected wheat acreage, have sown rye
in its place.
Corn gathering is rs per cent com
pleted, and IS per cent of the crop is
of marketable quality, as it was badly
affected by winds and heavy rain
storms of September, together with
ecord-breaking damage from ear
worms, chinch-bugs, etc.
Husking prices without board av-
erage A cents per bushel or So. 10 day
rate, and with board 3 Ia per BUSH
el or sits day rate. Very little corn
has been contracted except in the
northwest section, ranging from 80
to 40 cents per bushel. Corn gather
ing would have been finished, but for
muddy fields in November. s
Fall blowing is two thirds COM
pleted, with more than usual in the
northwest counties. too wet in the
north central, and too dry in the
southwest, but work continued well in
to December. tAi'llqfi
The farm labor situation is easier
supply fully equal to the demand
most farmers doing all their own
work. The 1921 rate for hands hired
~ the month was $50 with board
against $42 last year, and without
BOARD $40 against $50 last year, On
he average men are hired eight
months during the year. Day labor
sor harvest work, with board, was
;2.40 against $3.75 last year; without
board, s2.70 against $4.52, with 22