Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
CORN CROP AIDED
BY HOT WEATHER
Nine-Day Drought in West
= Results in Rapid Growth
of Cereal.
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, July 4.-The near record
heat wave. now breaking up over the
Middle West, took an unusual toll of
human and animal life during its nine
day stay, but 1t gave the corn belts
main crop q decided impetus.
In Chicago and its environs alone
health authorities attributed ZIG deaths
to the broiling atmosphere. Through
the whole area that sizzled for more
than a week the cost in lives was we'll
ever 700. At the same time thousands
of horses and cattle died, many of the
horses dropping in fields as they work.
ed cultivating the fast-growing corn.
State crop reporters through the af-
fected areas uniformly advise that the
immense acreage of corn pushed rapid
1y ahead during the heat. The situa-
ton is depicted in reports of private
crop experts today, who estimate corn
Yield this season of nearly 5000, 000,0 900
bushels, compared with the 2,085,000,-
600 harvested after last years drought.
However, moisture is badly needed just
now and a repetition of droughty con-
.ditions is not lost sight Of as distinct
possibility.
Heat Hurts Crop.
The Spring wheat crop has been
badly hurt by the heat and the private
estimators set the yield at we'll under
200 900 900 bushels, compared with 247,-
100000 bushels harvested last year.
This reduction is offset by the prospect
of Winter wheat crop just under
TOO 900, 900 bushels which is visioned by
the experts. This yield would be 95,-
600 900 more than year ago.
Like Spring wheat. oats have been
adversely affected. and the authorities
look for a yield of about 1850, 100000
bushels. or 100000 under last year.
A near collapse occurred in prices of
corn and oats futures on the Chicago
Board of Trade when it became evident
that the heat wave was breaking, ac-
companied in some areas by rain. Corn
is approaching the Fourth of July we'll
above the traditional knee high" meas
uring stick over most of the belt. It Is
well ahead of schedule and in unusual
condition.
Rains also have revived hope for the
Canadian wheat crop. which had been
facing disaster Too much damage al
ready had occurred, however, to permit
OF more than small yield in a large
section of the Western provinces. What
worries producers everywhere is the
Weather Bureau statement that expert
ence shows hot June to be followed
two out of three times by hot July.
Farm Board Policy.
The announcement by the Federal
Farm Board that it would restrict sales
Of its huge wheat surplus to 100000
bushels a month during the next year
had a depressing effect on markets.
Traders had hoped for an agreement to
keep all of these Government holdings
out of the channels of trade to permit
marketing of the new crop without old
crop competition. Prices of wheat have
broken back to near the seasons low
point.
What present prices mean to the
grower Is shown by the fact that the
best Winter wheat. No. hard, in Texas
Is selling at from SO to 35 cents a bushel
This return is the smallest within the
memory Of the trade It represents a
distinct loss for all but the lowest cost
producers.
tCopyright, 195l.)