454 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



AGRICULTURE AND LIVE STOCK STATISTICS. 



CROP REVIEW, 1905. 



Taken as a whole, the year 1905 was a very satisfactory year for the 

 farmers of Missouri. The season started out admirably, but later exces- 

 sive rains and destructive wind storms caused heavy damage to the crops 

 and considerably reduced the flattering prospects of the earlier part of 

 the season. Farm prices have been generally remunerative, and most of 

 the farmers have been able to add a little during the year to their sur- 

 plus bank account. 



Cor)i. — Weather conditions during April, May and June were almost 

 ideal for corn except in a few of the north central counties, and a reason- 

 ably good stand of corn was secured. The poor stand in most instances 

 was caused by poor seed, and this emphasizes the great importance of 

 planting seed of good germinating quality and strong vitality. It will 

 be remembered that the season of 1904 was not good for maturing and 

 drying out the seed corn. The general average condition for the State 

 up to the middle of July promised a yield of about equal to the banner 

 crop year of 1902, but excessive rains and wind storms during July and 

 August reduced the prospects and damaged the crop to such an extent 

 that the yield this year is the third largest in the history of the State, 

 being exceeded by the crops of 1895 and 1902. 



While a great deal of the corn is of good quality, a considerable 

 portion of the crop was badly damaged by being blown down and the 

 wet weather, causing it to rot. There was also considerable damage to 

 corn that was put in the shock. 



The acreage for 1905 is estimated at 7,076,050, compared with an 

 acreage of 6,646,790 for 1904, or an increased acreage over 1904 of 

 nearly 6 per cent. 



Wheat. — The acreage sown to wheat in the fall of 1904 for the har- 

 vest of 1905, was 2,383,280. Approximately, 2 per cent of this acreage 

 was plowed up and not harvested, leaving the estimated acreage harvested 

 in 1905, 2,339,410. The yield for the entire State was about an average, 

 and the quality generally good. However, in a number of the extreme 

 southwestern counties the yield was very poor and the quality poor. The 

 cause of the poor yield was on account of the heavy rains during the 

 blooming season, which prevented perfect pollination. 



