Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-31
DROUGHT WORST ON RECORD.

country which is suffering from the
worst drought in many years.
DROUGHT WORST ON RECORD.
Still No Relief In Sight for Farmers
Throughout Nation.
BY the Associated Press.
The soaring drought which for weeks
and months has baked large areas be-
tween the Rocky Mountains and the
Appalachians was listed yesterday as
the worst the country has experienced
since Statewide weather records began.
j. B. Kincer, meteorologist Of the De-
parCment OF Agriculture. described it as
unparalleled In the records, which reach
back 40 or so years.
Farmers who have watched their
crops wither under almost unprecedent-
ed temperature records accompanying
moisture deficiencies, particularly corn.
pastures and Fall truck crops, received
no encouragement. The forecast division
OF the weather Bureau said no relief
was in sight.
Every additional day without rain"
Rincer said, notwithstanding cooler
weather, necessarily will further reduce
crop prospects"
Winter wheat harvest, however. Is
nearing completion without appreciable
damage. Considerable deterioratic TO
the late Spring wheat was reported, but
harvesting OF the early crop Is well adj
vanced
Cotton has suffered in some sections.
Seven Months in Some States.
The drought has existed in some
States since last December, in others
since March and in still others the dry
weather began in the growing months
OF June and July,
In addition to the scanty rainfall in
July, increasing drought conditions al
ready prevalent over large areas. three
extremely hot waves followed to
intensity them.
During July, temperatures of 100 de-
grees or higher were reported on four
to six days in the middle Atlantic area
and from 8 to as many as Is days from
the northern portions of Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana and Northeastern
Texas, northward over the Ohio and
Mississippi Valleys and Plains States
to Eastern South Dakota.
While cooler weather now prevailing
throughout most of the dry area viii
check the rapid deterioration Of un-
matured crops, generous and general
rain is necessary for widespread I'm
provement.
Corn has been particularly hard hit
in some sections. The abnormally high
temperatures and lack of moisture has
prevented the polarization essential to
production.
the crop in Missouri was reported
ruined to such an extent that 1t cannot
be used even for silage. Serious and
irreparable injury" was reported to the
crop in most of Ohio; decided de-
terioration" in Indiana; losses already
serious" in Illinois, with further de-
terioration; Iowa, hot and dry: much
upland corn in Oklahoma burned be-
yond recovery; such of the Nebraska
heavy.
July Rainfall Deficiency.
Kincer said Kentucky has received
only so per cent Of normal rainfall from
March to June, with July rainfall IA
inches against the next previous lowest
Of IL inches in 1901.
In Ohio every month since March has
been marked by deficient rainfall, with
totals for March to June "a per cent of
normal. July preliminary reports to-
tailed Ia inches, breaking all July rec
ords, with the next nearest is inches
In 1894.
West Virginia had the dryest Winter
since 1901 and the dryest Spring of
record. From December to June only
So per cent of normal rainfall fell. Pre-
cipitation continued deficient through
put July.
In Maryland. the rainfall was below
normal every month from December to
June with only 10 per cent of normal
It was the dryest seven
months periods Of record in that State.
July continued extremely dry.
In Indiana, rainfall was SO per cent
IT normal from March to June, 10 per
,ent less than the next lowest record.
July continued very dry with prelirni- I
nary records showing l.1S inches-dryest
ince 1901 when the July record was 1.3.
Preliminary reports Of rainfall from
illinois TX its July average at not
quite one inch, the lowest in half a
century. The average for March
through July was the lowest in a SIM
lar period.
The State average for Missouri for
July was less than an inch. the next
owest IN more than 90 years. re
une and July deficiency in rainfall was
Exceeded only once in that period. in
July gave Oklahoma, on basis of pre-
lmlnary reports, six-tenths inch of
amfall The previous low July record
vas eight-tenths inch In 1915. While
ne southwestern part of Iowa was ex1
remedy hot and dry, the northeastern
ection had some good rains. An aver =
RfNaNN