Evening star., 1934-08-05
10000 RECEIVE
DROUGHT RELIEF
New TabuIation Reveals
1850 Counties in %
States Designated.

~ ths Aseccistse Press.
4. KANSAS CITY, August 4.--Ap-
proximateIy zoe 900 pessons--a num-
Der equal TO the combined population
~ the States OF Idaho, Delaware and
Hevaca--are on reiisf rolls In the
drought oiighted Western half Of the
United States. II was shown by a
tabulation tonight from ofhcial rec
orda.
A . result Of the distress caused
by the soaring heat and prolonged
dry apeI. the Government has deaig-
mated, for relief purposes. more than
1880 counties IN % States az emer-
eeney or secondary drought counties
The loss 20 growing crops and
live stock In the affected area has not
been estimated oficsaiiy, but unofn-
eial estimates placed the total In the
hundreds Of millions of dollars.
A further loss. through severe
shortage Of Winter feed for live
stock. has been predicted by agri-
cultural and relief officials unless
substantial rain falls soon. Weather
forecasts gave no sign Of q break IN
the drought.
Barren pastures. shortage Of water
and scarcity Of fodder have caused
forced sale OF Thousands Of head OF
cattle 10 the Government 10 be
canned for distribution 20 the needy.
A week ago Government purchases
had totaled i,T37,5s6 head In 10
States.
I9e.eoe More Condemned.
Another 100 900 head had been
condemned a. unit for consumption,
and killed on the ranges.
Federal relief and Farm Admins
tration officiais geared the cattle pur-
chasing machinery TO q possible load
OF 10000. 900 head.
The Bureau of Agricultural Eco
nomics, In Washington, described the
situation confronting the sheep in
dustry as well 90 that OF other live
stock ~ "the most serious ever
known" Farm administration re-
lief ofnciais pushed plans TO purchase
100000 sheep.
Milk prices were increased in some
parts Of the drought area-in some
cases as much a. so per cent IN the
price OF delivered milk. Burned pas
ture land. shortage OF forage and wa
ter, forced dairymen to decrease the
size OF their herds, and to purchase
feed.
The Farm Administration milk
section, In Washington, adopted n
policy generally favorable to price
increases TO prevent a possible decima-
tion of the dairy herds.
Scattered rains during the last week
lowered temperatures, but did not
bcnefit crops except In few sections.
Private August estimates placed the
reduction Of ass, ,000, 900 bushels from
the Official estimate q month earlier.
The estimated corn production In
dicated the smallest crop In 80 years.
The ie27-31 average was asia. ZOO, 900
bushels.
Drought t-stunted corn In some Sec
tons was not even usable as fodder.
With other feed crope also scarce,
Federal and State authorities urged
farmers to conserve every bit of live
stock feed possible against a threatened
severe shortage this Winter,
Feed strawstacks, don't burn them"
Gov. Ali M. Landon Of Kansas ad-
Vised farmers.
Crisis Faces Industry.
r. A. siicox, Federal forester, told
q meeting Of cattlemen at Flagstaff,
AriE., that the cattle industry in the
West Is facing q crisis because OF
barren ranges. He pictured new
American desert" as result OF close
many animals for the available range"
The present condition Of crops,
forage and live stock in the most
seriously affected drought States were
reported as follows:
Missouri-United States Weather
Bureau Crop Bulletin reported so to
DO per cent Of corn over the State is
without ears. About 40 per cent Of
the corn is not even making fodder.
Much corn fed to live stock or cut for
silage. Very little alfalfa is yielding
q third cutting. Nearly all gardens,
pastures and forage are dried up.
Potatoes mostly poor and rotting in
the ground. Apples badly damaged,
sunburned, small and many dropping.
Forest trees dying in some places.
Water shortage very serious on many
farms and in some villages.
Kansas-Crop authorities estimated
rs TO 90 per cent OF corn over the
State beyond recovery. semi-oficial
estimate two weeks ago placed the
corn crop mt 25,0o0, 900 bushels COM
pared TO the five-year average of
137,o00.ooo bushels and the past two
weeks have shown q continued de-
terioration In the crop. Pastures
dried up, many failing to support
live stock. Alfalfa produced only
light cuttings, Stock water supplies
dwindled, forcing many farmers to
haul water. Water supplies of sew
eral small towns failed. Garden
crops dried up.
Roughage Largely Lost.
North Dakota-Seventy-fi per cent
OF the roughage In the State DESTROYED
by the drought. Several hundred thou
sand tons Of feed viii be shipped into
the State by Federal relief TO meet
Winter needs. c. NJ. Barks, assistant
State feed director for F. Z. r. A.
said many corn fields which, q week
ago, would have given abundant
roughage, are now so badly stunted
they are being cut TO conserve what
little green stuff is left. Drifting top
soil caused more than $500, 900 dam
age to State highways by choking
drainage bitches. Some 200. 900 per-
sons, virtually one-third OF the States
population, are on Federal relief rolls.
Iova-crops IN the southern three
tiers Of counties virtually wiped out
by what is described as the worst
drought IN 1owa's history. Northern
half Of the State still in relatively
good condition, Small chance for
much fodder over the State. Con-
siderable live stock reported dying and
being shot because of lack of feed.
Hay, soy beans and other forage crops
in southern half OF state practically
without water supply Small towns
forced TO ration water supplies.
NebraSka--Corn and other crops
deteriorated another 10 to Is per
cent during the past week. Crou