Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1897 — PROSPECTS OF GROWING CROPS. [ARTICLE]

PROSPECTS OF GROWING CROPS.

Corn and Cotton Unfavorably Affected by the Weather Conditions. The weather bureau, in its report of crop conditions for the week says: “In the central valleys and Southern States the week has not been favorable, owing to general absence of rain and prevalence of high temperatures. Hot, drying winds have proved injurious in the States of the Lower Missouri and Central Mississippi valleys and rains, unusually heavy for the season, in Oregon and Washington interfered with harvesting and thrashing in those States, but caused no serious injury to grain. “Corn has> been very unfavorably affected by the weather conditions of the past week in the principal corn producing States. High temperature and absence of much needed rain have checked growth of the late crop and caused premature ripening, while the prevalence of hot winds have caused injury, particularly in the States of the Izower Missouri Valley. In lowa and Missouri much corn is past help and will be cut for fodder. The conditions, however, have been more favorable to corn in the lake region, Upper Ohio Valley and New England, and in the Middle Atlantic States the crop is generally doing well. “The general condition of cotton Is less favorable than in the previous week, and over portions of the middle and eastern sections of the cotton belt there has been marked deterioration. Absence of rain has caused it to open rapidly and to some extent prematurely. In portions of South and Southwest Texas showers improved late cotton and the ‘top’ crop, but over the northern portion of the State and over the central and eastern portions of the cotton belt the conditions have been unfavorable, except for picking, which has progressed rapidly. “The bulk of the tobacco crop has been cut and housed, generally in good condition, except in Kentucky and Tennessee, where the crop promises to be very short, particularly in the first named State.”