The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-15
THREE DAYS RAIN
HALTS START OF
SPRING FLOWING
Heavy Downpours Sunday Thru
Tuesday Put End to TiIlage
Here =
Planting Season Finds Many
Seeds at Record High
Quotations

Preparation of the ground for oats
and in some cases actual seeding of
the crop was started on many farms
the latter part of last week when
break in the weather permitted
farmers to get into their field for
sustained work for the first time
this spring.
Rushing their soil preparation to
overcome delays already experienced,
tractors worked late into the night
in many localities on Friday ana
Saturday, paying dividends TO the
farmer who got his seed in the
ground in view of heavy rainfall
here from Sunday through Tuesday.
Saturday night, normally the time
for farm family shopping ventures
into town, found many farmers stay
ing at home, and the sound of
tractor motors was heard until near
ly midnight, as those fearing a break
in the weather went ahead with oats
drilling.
Start Spring Work
Preparation of ground for oats,
and a >eral start on general
spring / ing, delayed throughout
March by bad weather finally got
under way here on Thursday of last
week. Many farmers got seed in
the ground in the weekend rush, but
a large part Of the oats seeding re-
mains to be done.
Altho the season is a little late,
oats acreage has been declining here
for the past several years, partly
due to a succession of spring sea-
sons in which unfavorabIe weather
virtually makes it impossible to get
the seed in the ground at the proper
time.
Wheat prospects in the area look
promising, and with large acreage
devoted TO the crop farmers are
optimistic about the general outlook,
expecting prices to remain at cur
rent high levels through the next
harvest season.
Meanwhile the acute farm labor
shortage has been eased, and the
principal item of worry so far as
farmers are concerned rests in cur
rent high prices of seed.
Seed Prices High
Good corn is one of the leaders in
high-priced seed, and where the
market finally stabilizes, plus the
availability of good seed, may large
ly determine the extent of the dis
trict's corn acreage this summer.
Most farmers, however, are looking
forward to prospects of larger corn
acreage than usual if the seed price,
factor and availability of good seed
do not complicate present planning.
Current seed corn prices range
from SO to $12 a bushel, about
double normal; but high prices af
feet all farm seeds with the ex-
ception of alfalfa, quoted now at
$50 a bushel, about SIS under the
average price.
Alfalfa seed, however, is plentiful,
and is expected to more than answer
an unusually high level of demand
for it this spring. Many farmers
are planning alfalfa as a substitute
for other crops, especially little red
clover, seed of which is very scarce
and selling at from $3s to $40 a
bushel. The clover price is about
four times higher than normal, and
those farmers planning clover seed
ing are stretching one bushel Of
seed to cover as much as 10 acres.
although generally one bushel to
about six acres is preferred.
Surveys show big acreage devot-
ed to wheat in the Bluffton area,
but oats seeding will be lighter than
usual. Soy bean acreage also APP
pears to be headed for curtaiIment
this year, largely because of high
priced seed, and grass crops are
planned as a substitute.
Many potatoes already are in the
ground, and altho a large number
of acres will be devoted to the crop
no record acreage is expected SO far
as the crop is concerned.