120 



Minnesota bas too little winter fj:raiii to reucler necessary a special 

 report. 



Iowa lias scarcely a tenth of lier wheat area occupied by the winter 

 va^iet3^ Little complaint is made of winter-killing or low condition, 

 and an average prospect appears to be indicated. 



Missouri. — In many of the counties reported wheat is looking well. 

 Some complaint of freezing is made. In Lewis three-fourths is killed; 

 in Vernon it is badly frozen out, except where sown early on prairie sod; 

 in Taney, injured by freezing in February and March; there is some in- 

 jury in Howard, buc there is a sufficient stand; in Benton the earth was 

 X)arched and cracked at sowing, and much of the grain failed to germi- 

 nate, and it is looking badly.' With advancing spring the appearance 

 of fields has greatly improved. There was not so much wheat sown last 

 fall as usual in Lincoln County. ''On the first of January it looked 

 moderately well; but alternate freezing and thawing have greatly in- 

 jured it in prairie sections of the county. It also looks badly on timber 

 land, but under favorable circumstances it may yield a good crop." In 

 some prairie fields the wind blew the soil away and exposed the roots. 

 The Hessian lly did some damage in places. Our Cape Girardeau 

 County correspondent says: "Our winter wheat and rye is coming out 

 nicely. A few weeks ago you could scarcely see any wheat in the fields 

 at a hundred yards' distance, but now they look green and very well 

 covered. The present condition is nearly as good as at the same date 

 last year, and nuich better than the 3-ear previous." In Moniteau County, 

 Missouri, winter wheat has looked badly, and farmers were much dis- 

 couraged about it until within the 20th of March. The winter was long 

 and dry, with little snow, but warm showers are now bringing it out. 

 In St. Genevieve County, Missouri, wheat put in with drill is about a« 

 good as usual, but that sowed broadcast is hardl}' so good. 



Kansas. — Xo State sends more cheering returns than Kansas. Scarcely 

 a complaint appears from any countj'. Mmmi has "every reason to 

 expect a bountiful harvest." In Johnson wheat and rye are fine because 

 ])ut in early and almost universally drilled. A great breadth is reported 

 from Linn, "and the growth is very fine." "Not an acre of wheat or 

 rye has been winter-killed" in Sabine, though the i^lants are not so well 

 grown as last year on account of the dry weather. "Both wheat and 

 rye stand strong and have a vigorous look" in Jefferson, "though there 

 has been no rain for four months, and very little snow." From Franklin 

 it is reported that "there are more good fields of wheat than last year; 

 farms sowed earlier, and the drill is more generally used." In Butler it 

 is said that wheat is suffering from dry weather, no rain having fallen 

 since September last. It is noted in Shawnee that drilled wheat looks 

 much better than sowed. Similar statements are made by other corre- 

 spondents. 



]!^ebraslca. — AVinter wheat is little soavu in Nebraska. It appears, 

 wherever found, to be in good condition. In Xemaha the abundance of 

 grasshoppers prevented sowing. 



California. — The prospect is fine for another good crop in this great 

 Avheat-growing State. A comparatively di-y winter was feared, but a 

 sufficient rain-fall for a good crop has been enjoyed. In San Joaquin 

 "late rains have saved the crop." In Sacramento it is "much better 

 than last year." In Yuba it "was never better." In Eldorado wheat is 

 fifty per cent, better than usual; barley coming to a head. One-third 

 better than last year in Plumas. In Mendocino it promises to be the 

 best crop ever had; while in Monterey and San Luis Obispo the appear- 

 ance of wheat is backward and poor. 



