Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1889 — FARMERS ENCOURAGED. [ARTICLE]

FARMERS ENCOURAGED.

The outlook for a bountiful HARVEST UNUSUALLY BRIGHT. Winter Wheat Looks Beautiful in Many Sections—The Ground I< Dry and Rain la Seeded—Oats and Other Early Grains Are Being Seeded. [Chicago special.] 'March, which, particularly in this latitude, la always one of the most trying, disagreeable, and disheartening months, not only to the producer but to every one connected directly or indirectly In the moving of the crops, has this year, and particularly during the last two weeks, given ua phenomenal conditions. From a large corps of correspondents scattered throughout the country, the condition of crops, seeding, etc., up to March 25th, may be summarized as follows : As yet there has practically no seeding been done of spring wheat. All the western part of Minnesota and Dakota are ready to go to work at once. On some of the higher knolls wheat has already been seeded. The reports from these two States show the around in good condition for seeding as soon aa ft warms up. But the reports are also unanimous upon one point and that is that th® ground still continues dry after you get down an inch or so, and that there is great danger of th® crop being injured unless rains follow soon after seeding. There was no rain to wet the ground any in Dakota last fall, amd little snow fell during th® winter. South Dakota reports that if there were any bushes there the birds would lx> singing, bub the moisture is as scarce us the birds. Farmer® have been harrowing their ground; the ground is dry, but the opinion seems to be that the mildl winters have always been followed by good crops in Dakota, and farmers will seed every acre possible. Mild weat her has been the order of the day in Southern Minnesota lately. All correspondents report that seeding will be quite general within a few days, but that rains are necessary immediately after seeding, as the ground is so dry that the wheat will not sprout without it. Nebraska reports that thev have had littl® rain throughout the State this spring. The farmers are seeding spring wheat, but the average is growing less and less every year, oats and com taking its place. The movement of com in Nebraska at present is small and will continual so until spring seeding is over. After that everything points to an increased movement in corn. In lowa dry weather prevails, and in sum® portions of the State the wells now are as low as at the driest time last summer. Farmers ar® sowing a little spring wheat but not to any great extent. The ground is dry enough for the seeding of oats, but farmers are cautious with regard to seeding just now for fear of bad weather ill the near future. There seems to be an unusually large amountof corn buck in farmers' hands in lowa, and at' present prices it is not likely to come forward. This report on spring seeding, would not be complete without looking over Northern and Central Illinois, devoted now so largely to the< growing of outs. No one who is not practically familiar with the development of agriculture In Central Illinois has any conception of the in-! crease in the acreage of oats, the acreage now being almost as great as that of com. The tile lands in this urea are actually dry and dusty; but farmers are talking seriously of reducing the acreage of oats this spring, owing toi the exorbitant price which they are obliged to pay for twhie to bind the crop with, and they are forming boycotts against twine trusts ail over the State. They seem to be thoroughly aroused upon the subject. The seeding season may be summed up praotically as follows: From fifteen to twenty days earlier than usual, little done yet; ground dry, but eannoty yet be culled u drouth. Seeding will open up along the line within a few days, when ruins seem absolutely essential to the success of th® spring seeding. The general conditions of the winter wheat crop up to this date are backward. Tile distribution of the ruinfull of the country seems to have no method in its madness, for in Michigan. Northern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio the ground is dry, and down in the southwestern portion of the wintery wheat belt there is plenty of moisture and the crop growing fast ami doing well. Reports from Southern Kansas all indicut® plenty of rain; in fact, too much for spring work. The wheat is making rapid growth. Quite a number of points in Southern Kansas say there is little wheat in farmers' hands andnone in elevators, and that they uro importing, now almost all the wheat they are using ana expect to do so until the next erdp comes on the market.

Beports from Central Kansan nay that there is sufficient moisture in the ground to carry the wheat plants through the spring. Beports from. Northern Kansas say there is no surplus of wheat in that part of the country; farmers have never sold as closely as they have this season. Beports from Northern Missouri are all of a favorable character; much more so than they were a year ago at this time. The milling outlook shows quite an improvement and a better demand for flour. The wheat moves slowly, and stocks in millers' hands uro running low and mills are paying St. Louis prices for wheat. Eastern Missouri reports no complaint of the growing crop, -it has commenced to grow ; farmers' deliveries have’ been free in the early part of the month, but the stocks are now fast melting away. Southern Missouri reports favorable crop conditions and demand for flour better; not enough wheat has come in from farmers' hands duriug the last thirty days to keep the mills running, and they are sending away from home to get it by car lots. In Southern Illinois the great; wheat field of the State is all no win good growing condition. There is less wheat in the farmers’ hands than for many years at this date and particularly less good wheat. Farmers all though Southern Illinois are sowing oats; country roads have been unusually good during the winter and consequently the movement of wheat up to the present time has been larger than usual. Northern Indiana reports the wheat looking well and all it needs now is plenty of rain for the remainder of the month. Southern Indiana reports warm and springlike weather, and with hardly a single report of winter killing or farmers plowing up their crop. The demand for flour is light, and none of the mills are running over half the time. Southern Ohio reports tine growing weather for wheat and that all the wheat now in the farmers hands will be needed for home consumption. Good wheat is scarce. The mills have little stock on hand and are buying from hand to mouth. Southern Michigan reports warm and dry weather for the season of the year. There is no movement of wheat from farmers' hands, and, in fact, there is little to move. Tho country elevators are carrying small stocks. Beports from the central and northern parts of Michigan all say they want good, warm rains to start the wheat to growing. Stock in farmers' hands is small, probably not more than one-half the usual amount at this date in 1888. Owing to the fact that prices were good last fall farmers sold freely, and stocks held by mills and elevators are also extremely light. Beceipts have been scarcely anything. Many of the large country mills report that the supply is not large enough to last the mills thirty days’ steady running, and that some of the mills are importing from Toledo now the wheat they are grinding. Tennessee and Kentucky both report that the growing wheat crop was never better. The plants are starting off strong and healthy. Farmers’ supplies have nearly all gone to market. The condition of the wheat crop in California is changed for the better to some extent by the recent rains. Although to the observer the grain in Central California looks well, yet the rivers and creeks are as dry as last September, and the grain lives on tnis surface moisture. If in the near future only average spring rains fall (and the peculiarity of the San Joaquin Valley is that after March little rain occurs, except in phenomenal seasons), the harvest will not exceed the comparative yield of the twopreceding years. Beports from Washington Territory are of a favorable character, so lar as the growing crop of wheat is concerned. There is quite a large amount oi wheat in the country to be moved off vet. The milling situation is good, millers paying equal to 85 cents for J/heat in Tacoma.