Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1896 — A BOUNTEOUS HARVEST. [ARTICLE]

A BOUNTEOUS HARVEST.

It la Predicted by Those Who Stu4y the Crop Outlook. It U an accepted fact that whatever Conditions affect the agricultural interests pf-a cottntry will have u direct hearing on all Us other industries. In other words, whatever tends to aid pr injure farming pursuits will beneficently or disastrously affect e^cry"ijther important interest. It is a matterVor congratulation, therefore, that exceptionally favorable reports are received regarding the outlook for a splendid crop in the corn belt region. Copious rains hnd fallen during the spring and put the ground in splendid condition for seeding and growing. The fears of another drouth have long since been laid to rest and the agriculturist looks hopefully forward to a rich reward for his toil. .Not only does the fanner exjiect a good crop this year,'but the conditions tints far have been so much more favorable than in several years past. that;he expects a crop which will fully make up for a few short ones. Xor is the expectation without reason. There is not a single condition lacking, either of soil or weather, which should bring to the farmer. The soil has received more moisture in the shape of rain and snow than in many years and the weather lias been nil that could be desired for growing. Therefore, if all these signs count for anything, they indic.utc a *eur of prosperity throughout the grett"

West. Even before the first week in May almost half the corn was planted,' with considerable of it showing nicely above ground and doing well. In many localities it was even then several inches high. As the rainfall has been fairly frequent in its visitations during tfie portion of the season which has passed and fully up to normal, it is but fair to assume that this normal condition will continue, and that the hopes of the farmers will be fully realized. Reports from widely different localities the great corn producing States point to the fact that moisture has saturated the soil to a much greater depth than in many previous years. This is particularly true with regard to Nebraska, where the favorable outlook of the pfesent time has not, in man.? parts of the State, been excelled, ev,en in the opinion of old inhabitants. In fact, the prospect is so encouraging that farmers all over the State are letting go their corn and grain, to which they had been holding tenaeioiisly since, last harvest, in the dread that the drouth period was not at an end. They are now shipping it eastward in big quantities or feeding it to their stock and fattening pigs for the market. During the past week there has been 1 on exhibition in a - window of the city ticket office of the Burlington road at Chicago a sample of rye plucked” in Furnfts"County, Nebraska,, toward the end of April. It stood 33 to 34 inches high and' was, even at that early date, nicely headed. Alfalfa about the same time was knee high, and small grains were looking exceptionally advanced for that time of the year. The Chicago newspapers, realizing the close tie that binds it to the West, have dilated at frequent dates on the favorable prospect for a bounteous harvest;