472 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



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wlient did iipt make as rank a ^rowtli as is recpiired for the severe 

 winter we had. Much of the ground not being covered and fields 

 exposed to the north suffered severely; but about the middle of 

 April the season of line growing weather opened and in fact con- 

 tinued so until almost harvest, which gave the plants that remained 

 a good start and it was surprising how the wheat fields recuperated, 

 but, as a rule, was too thin on the ground to make a large yield; but 

 Ave in our vicinity have had a fair crop of the best developed berry 

 we have had for some years. Our highest yield was 30 bushels per 

 acre, and the best average yield was 24. 



Some counties of the State, were less fortunate than we, Ches- 

 ter county being reported to have a light crop of inferior quality. 

 The average crop report of the State is a fraction less than 13 

 bushels per acre. The ten-year average brings it a fraction over 

 13 bushels per acre. If reports be true the farmers of the State 

 do not have much to complain of. Considering that we do not have 

 a great wheat growing state on the average and the price advancing 

 about 30 cents per bushel, we should not complain. 



Rye is a much neglected crop in this State; in fact more so than 

 it should be, from the fact that it can be grown successful on soil 

 where wheat is doubtful and is usually a good yielder when not 

 sown early. Threshers report late sown rye well-filled. I think the 

 growing of rye should be encouraged by the farmers of Pennsylva- 

 nia from the fact that the grain is such a valuable feed and it grows 

 more straw to convert into manure; or if you can afford to sell it, 

 you can realize $20.00 per ton in the cities when properly delivered. 



The oat crop has been a large one in Pennsylvania. We appear to 

 have had an ideal season, it being cool and moist with cool weather 

 at the ripening period. Threshers report very good average. The 

 highest average I have anj^ knowledge of is 82 bushels per acre, with 

 60 bushels reported on rather poor soil. Oats appears to be very 

 much of a weather crop. If weather conditions favor them they 

 are usually a good yielder and when weather conditions are un- 

 favorable, it does not appear that condition or preparation of soil 

 will be of much benefit. Our crops for the last few 3'^ears has been 

 from 16 to 30 bushels per acre, which is very discouraging. But it 

 suits many of us so well in our rotation from corn to wheat that 

 we take our chances on a crop. 



Corn. The season for corn has been a very favorable one as far 

 as moisture was concerned, the planting season being favorable, 

 but the seed was the most treacherous for many years, due to the 

 very early freeze in the fall of 1003, before the corn was dry enough in 

 the cob, the germ being injured by excessive moisture in the cob 

 at the time of the early freeze about November 5. Seed that had 

 not been cured b.y means of artificial heat, was treacherous, some 

 having vitality sufficient to start the roots but not sufficient to 

 start the plant. Others failed to start either. In fact all seed was 

 so treacherous that am'thing like a fair stand was the exception and 

 not the rule. 



The frost of September 22 and 23, injured the corn to a certain 

 extent especially the late or replanted corn, which was frozen be- 

 fore maturity. The corn fields after frosts presented a pitiful sight 

 and caused quite an amount of chaffy corn. Farmers should always 



