Evening star., 1934-05-27
NEBRASKA CROP FAMINE
=. FORECAST BY DROUGHT
Small Grain Killed i'm More Than 60
Per Cent of State-Soaking Rains
May Yet Save Corn.

wheat, oats, rye and barley crops are
turning brown and white in all por-
tions of the State. 1t has affected the
pastures and cut short the grazing for
live stock, making it necessary in many
localities to place cattle on dry feed.
1t has caused water supplies to fail.
The Platte River is practically dry
from Brady Island, in the west, to
Columbus, in the eastern half of the
State. Fish are dying in the rivers.
Wells have given out in many places.
Corn at Crisis.
June 10 is the average latest date
for corn planting in the State. Much
corn already is planted. That in
ground damp enough to cause germi-
nation is being withered as it comes
through the soil Some of the soil
is so dry the seed will not germinate.
The corn crop may be fair if a soaking
rain comes and enough rain falls there
after to keep it growing. Much corn
may have to be replanted even if it
does rain soon.
Many fields of wheat have been
ploWed up. What to do with this
land is problem with those who have
signed crop-reduction contracts with
the Government. An Agricultural Ad-
ministration ruling, just out, permits
farmers to raise forage crops, to be fed
on the farm, on this wheat land. Corn
hog reduction tracts, however, cannot
be planted to corn, no matter how
serious the prospect for a short corn
crop may be.
Hay Crops Short.
Hay crops will be very short, COM
plete failure of this feed being immi-
nent in a large portion of the central
part of the State. Prairie hay has
made short growth and is beginning to
wither; some alfalfa fields have been
killed by the drought and all are pro-
ducing short yields.
But for the corn-hog money now
being distributed, the wheat checks
distributed in the Winter and early
Spring and future money promised
from the A. A. A, many Nebraska
farmers would be in serious difficulty.
Farm loans by the Government have
taken care of immediate and pressing
obligations Foreclosures have. been
stayed by Government loans and State
moratoriums Government checks have
bought necessities of life, so the Ne
braska farmer, to date, has not suf-
fered.
With a crop failure, no money COM
ing in to care for necessities after har-
vest and the prospect for short corn
crop, or no corn crop at all. the pros
pect for many is as serious as it was
in the early COS. The pressing need
at this time is for money with which
to pay taxes. The Government seems
to have provided so far for everything
but taxpaying. 1t is true, though, that
many wheat bonus checks went for
taxes in the early Spring.
The low prices offered for hogs have
made the Government processing tax
unpopular The burden of paying it
falls on the producer. There is still
much corn on the farms, but most of
it is under Government seal. Federal
loans having been made on it. 1t may
be necessary for the farmers to buy
this corn back in order to feed live
stock. Marketing of live stock is fairly
heavy now. the prospect of poor corn
crop inducing farmers to get rid OF
their holdings before an advance in the
price Of corn.
The cold fact Is that Nebraska
faces a drought, with all the misery
and want that such calamities bring.
(Copyright. 1894. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Incl