Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-25
CROPS THREATENED
|. BY LONG DROUGHT
Arid Spell Has Brought Out
Possibility Of Shorter
Grain Yield.

A crisis faces the corn and wheat
crops Of the country.
Scattered rains, most Of which did
not get out Of the shower class, have
failed to break the dry weather that
has gripped the Eastern United states
since Spring, and observers 81 the
Weather Bureau today expressed the
opinion that the drought may rank
as the most widespread since connpre-
hensive records were begun 50 years
ago.
The drought has covered most Of the
United States east Of the Rocky Noun
tains, they said, centering In Ohio,
West Virginia, Southwestern Virginia,
Kentucky, Southern Indiana, Southern
Illinois and Southeastern Missouri,
where from March to July Is their
records show only 80 to IS per cent Of
the. normal rainfall.
Crops I'm Critical Condition.
The corn and Spring wheat crops
are at critical stage, according to In
formation made available at the Bureau
, of Agricultural Economics Of the De-
partment of Agriculture, with definite
injury as yet undetermined and with
guesses ranging widely IS to the ulti-
mate effect of the dry spell.
The factor that may turn out to be
the saving one for corn and Spring
wheat is that these crops got good
starts and through their stored-up
vitality may be able to outlast the lack
of moisture.
The next two weeks will be decisive,
specialists of the bureau said, and a
lack Of rain during that period may be
| expected to result in definitely short
! crops. AS to whether short crops will
! have the normal effect In raising prices,
| the specialists pointed to the failure Of
normal influences to function this year;
and even with a short crop, they said,
prices may lag at the present low level,
| in sympathy with the quotations on
| general commodities.
Cotton is not yet in the critical stu
alton of corn and Spring wheat The
Governments estimate IS to cotton and
the effect of the weather will be made
public in the regular cotton report Of
| the Department Of Agriculture on >>Au-
! gust 8, and three days later will come
| the general crop report, covering live
stock as well as plant production.
| Live stock is suffering IN some Sec
tons, not only because pastures have
J been burned up" in most States east
of the Rockies, exceptions being the
! NOTJIlSdStCIh dLlu bAlC NtOubtACuSSCAAt
States, but because in many areas small
| streams have gone dry or nearly dry.
Where pasturage is insufficient farmers
are using stored feed, and where there
| is no water in the stream or ponds the
''old oaken bucket" Is working over
time in drawing water from wells or
cisterns.
Water Supply Inadequate.
AS result of the lack Of grass and
water the milk supply has shown o
definite falling on in q number of Sec
| tions. A report received by the Bureau
of Agricultural Economics tells Of one
| fifth less milk being drawn from the
cows that supply Chicago,
| Live stock is being rushed TO market
and prices have suffered IN consequence.
/ The weather has checked demand Is
well as increased the supply.
The general opinion in Government
circles is that small relief can be antici-
| pated from irrigation. In the arid areas,
which depend On irrigation, water sup
| ply Is hardly adequate to protect the
ditched fields. In other section water
could not be carried to the crops even
! If 1t were available
] (COpyriRht. 1901