Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1919 — BUMPER WHEAT CROP SIGHTED [ARTICLE]

BUMPER WHEAT CROP SIGHTED

By Government Report in Reciting Conditions Over Country. Washington, May 3. —Prediction «of the department oif agriculture for a wheat crop this year even larger than the record-breaking crop of 1914, was repeated by the United States Chamber of Commerce, in a report based on statistics obtained from all sections of the country. The report stated that an acreage never before equaled had been planted, and a yield of 900,000,000 bushels was forecast. "‘The condition of the winter ■wheat is so high as to be without precedent or parallel,” the report said. "It is, in fact, a monotone of perfection. The plant came through the winter and the trying month of March unscathed and unhurt. In many sections of the West and southwest it was neces-

sary to pasture it to livestock to keep down Its rank growth. “Reports of damage are most remarkable by their entire absence. Mere rumors of Hessian fly and some stray predatory Insects, but that Is all. Unless some climatic catastrophe or some Egyptlan-like and unexpected plague or Insects intervene,’ the yield will probably be 900,000,000 bushels, or about 33% more than the great harvest of 1914.” The report stated that one Interesting sidelight of the situation was that about 25% of the yield would be south of the Mason and Dixon line. Southern states which never before grew winter wheat, this year have large acreages planted, it was said. Reports showed that the seeding of spring wheat had been delayed from 10 days to two weeks by excessive rain, and a decrease of acreage as compared with last year, was expected.