MISSOURI CROP REVIEW FOR 1906. 



The spring of 1906 opened up very unfavorably for crops. 

 The winter was very open, and on account of light freezing the 

 soil was in poor condition for plowing. On the first of April, 1905, 

 79 per cent, of the oats was sown and one-fourth of the corn land 

 plowed, while on the same date this year only 4 per cent, of the 

 oat crop was sown and not a furrow was plowed for corn. On 

 account of a lack of snow covering, fall seeding of timothy and 

 young clover was badly damaged. In some of the southern coun- 

 ties it was damaged to the extent of 35 to 65 per cent, of the en- 

 tire crop. Excessive rains during the fall of 1905, continuing 

 through the winter, caused much damage to hay, and live stock 

 wintered poorly, and in some places considerable loss occurred in 

 the early spring. By the month of May a drought had set in, in 

 many counties in the State, and in some sections continued through 

 almost the entire year. The section suffering most from this 

 cause was a strip across the State from Cameron on the west to 

 Hannibal on the east. In some localities not more than an inch 

 and a half of rain fell during the crop growing season, and it was 

 thought that with this small amount of water an average crop 

 could not be produced; yet many farmers, taking advantage of 

 their present knowledge of conserving soil moisture, produced a 

 full average crop of corn; however, the total yield for that section 

 was somewhat below the average. The drought caused great 

 damage to oats and hay, the hay crop being the lightest for many 

 years and the oat crop being lighter than any year since the 

 drought of 1901. The drought, however, did not materially affect 

 the wheat crop. In both yield and quality the wheat crop was the 

 best since the banner crop of 1902. 



As a rule, farm prices for grains and live stock have been 

 good, and the net returns of the farmers for the year have been 

 above the average. 



The following tables give detailed information concerning the 

 yield of the leading crops of the State: 



