Year: 1874




The season is certainly late and pasturage was
poorcr I'm the middle of April than it has been for
several wears. This condition prevailed from the
East to the extreme West. The first crop to be con-
sdered is that of corn. In the corn region OF the
West il was feared during February that the ground
would become so compacted by wet and IN many
cases by the hoofs of cattle in stubbehelds that IL
would be unsuitable for blowing and for being put
in the proper order for corn but subsequent heavy
frosts, united with the absence OF moisture, pull
verized the Jumps so much and placed the soil in
such fine condition that powing for corn in many
sections began nearly month ago.


To raise such corn crops as have made the United
States famous. have produced so much wealth, and
have 80 often ayered financial disaster. 1t is I'M
portant, in fact indispensable, that the planting
shall all be finished by the 25th of May, and the
bulk be in the ground from the 18th to the 2Oth for
the reason that if planted as late the LIST of June
there is neither time for the corn to grow and ma
ture nor for the proper work to be DONE 1t is true
that individual farmers with land in high state OF
cultivation with abundant help at command. and
with full knowledge of all the requirements, may
possibly raise good crop within lO days. but such
farmers know too much 10 undertake to do tbs ul-
less forced to do so by unfavorable weather, while
an adverse condition exists on the LIST of june it is
more than likely to be continued even into July, as
was the last year.


BY all the accounts received from the great corn
region of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. more than
half the corn planted by the 10Th inst; the
weather was warm and extremely pleasant, ana
grateful showers had fallen which sufficient to
start vegetation, but not enough to retard farming
operations Grass had started up almost at once CIV
ing dairy COWS full feed: and rapid increase in
milk and in the quality of the butter were notice.
able Oats were put in rather dry, but they are
now coming forward full of promise There are con-
Aicting accounts in regard to Winter wheat. which
might be suspicious butt the weather OF the later
Winter months was not such as throws wheat OUT
of the ground, it may be presumed that Its Dack-
wardnoss or the appearance of poor stands are que
mostly to the dry weather. and if so, the wheat Will
quickly recover under the influence OF warmer
sun and of frequent showers


The breadth planted with various grains, ana es-
pecialy with cOn is represented on all hands to De
large: possibly, or rather probably, it has never
been excelled great amount of sod land has been
broken and brought into cultivation during the last
few years giving larger area that may be planted
than we ever had before and favorable weather being
given all that is required to increase its production
il good price. 1t is generally estimated that the
net cost of producing bushel of corn Is about u
cents year ago the crop of the previous year sold
for little moro than what it cost to raise II, ana
when taxes interest, and other heavy weights were
added corn-growing was decidedly losing busi
ness But with the bad year of 1873 prices advanced
and ut is probably true that they who had no more
than half crops realized more money therefor than
they did for the previous full crops and now at the
time of this years planting, corn was sold IN the
Chicago market in the neighborhood of 60 cents
which, less transportation, furnished most hand
some margin and it has been therefore great in-
for brOa
poets then, for large crop of corn are certainly
good and it need not be matter of surprise II 1t
shall be the largest crop ever raised in the world


1t may here be stated that there is much more
old corn in the country and i'll the hands of farmers
than was generally supposed. 1t was probably held
both for speculative purposes and as contingency
until the prospects for the coming crop could be
forecast. Recently large lots were thrown upon the
market and prices receded tri1e, but they subse-
quently rallied for it is truth nevertheless that
over a wide extent of the farming region of our
country there is absolute scarcity of the coarser
grains This is notably so in New-England and In
tho Middle States, where drouth prevailed.


1t is not worth while for anybody to become
alarmed at the prospect of large corn crop, since
il will be large only relatively, for heavy surplus
will be required to supply deficiencies and to fatten
all kinds of stock. which have been more or less
pinched and thus place the country in the same
position il occupied two years ago. The increase of
population is another element to be taken into ac-
count and also the increase of the manufacturing
population, for which large corn crop will indi-
rectly. but surely find employment When ten men
previously idle are set to work, they call for as
many mOre at least, TO go to work for them. The
farmers certainly are far from doubling that they
will realize good price for their corn because they
think they have nearly completed system OF re-
dnced transportation if they find such not to be
the case they will rejoice in the occasion OF reopen
ing the conflict.


Aside from the disastrous overflow of the lower
Mississippi we have unfavorable accounts from
the cotton fields. Last year there was constant rain
il was difficult to get stand, more difficult to clean
out the grass, and the pows ran in mud. This year.
so far it appears that they having fair average
season. Whether the cotton planters are really
less cotton and corn agreeably to their
new motto is uncertain though is to be hoped that
each planter will gradually acquire the habit OF rails
ing his own supplies There is so much satisfaction
in eating corn dodgers grown from corn of ones own
raising as well as bacon biscuit, eggs and poultry
that nothing but spirit of speculation, now proved
TO have been ill-advised, could have induced the
planter to depend upon the North for supplies


No widespread disaster to fruit-buds has been re-
ported though in some localities peaches are killed.
The hard Winter of 1928 proved uncommonly
fatal to many orchards over wide sections and the
opening of Spring only proves more surely that the
trees are past recovery. Replantings have been
somewhat extensive, but fruit growers will become
more encouraged as the memory Of their losses
wears away.


TIP rIVJI PICHTS RIJJ IN THE SOTTH