36 



for five weeks and grooving crops are suffering. Some fields of oats and spring wheat 

 will be an almost total failure. Eye, winter wheat, and barley are ready for harvest, 

 and the yield will be fair ; chinch bugs are commencing to be very bad in some parts 

 of the county. The prospect of a good corn crop heretofore has been good, but now 

 it is discouraging on account of the drought. — Omaha Daily Bee, Saturday, July 10, 

 1836. 



Hebron, Thayer County, Nebraska, July 10.— Corn is in need of rain. The dry 

 weather has continued for a period of two weeks or more. Small grain in general is 

 suffering for want of rain. A rain any time within a week will help the corn in its 

 growth and destroy the chinch bug, now playing havoe in many fields. Most of the 

 small grain failed to fill out by reason of the dry weather, and its production won't 

 reach that of last year's by one-half. Our farmer friends are somewhat discouraged 

 over the present outlook for prospects of a good corn crop. 



York, York County, Nebraska, July 10. — Chinch bugs are working on wheat and 

 other small grain. Corn looks fair, but some of it is turning to a yellowish shade. 

 Squash and melon vines are wilting and bugs working on them. No rain for nearly 

 three weeks. If we have rain in a few days there will not be a great shortage on an 

 average crop. Farmers feel blue, knowing that the crop will not be an average one. 



York, York County, Nebraska, July 10. — The condition of the corn crop in York 

 County is good, notwithstanding the dry weather of the past two weeks. Oats will be 

 an immense crop. Spring wheat is an entire failure. The crop was very short and 

 what remained is being rapidly destroyed by the chinch bugs. The dry weather has 

 had a damaging effect on wheat and corn. Winter wheat and other crops are good. 

 The York County crop will average about 60 per cent. 



Edgar, Clay County, July 10. — Small grain has suffered badly from the drought in 

 this j>art of Nebraska. There has been no rain in this section for two weeks, during 

 which time the weather has been intensely hot and dry. Barley and rye are har- 

 vested, but there is not more than two-thirds of a crop. There was yielded about two- 

 thirds of a crop. Spring wheat and oats are very short, and are being destroyed by 

 chinch bugs rapidly. Unless rain comes soon, but little grain will be harvested on 

 account of chinch bugs. Farmers are very much discouraged, though they still enter 

 tain hopes of a medium corn crop. 



Fairchild, Clay County, Nebraska, July 10. — Wheat will make about one-half 

 a crop, barley about three-fourths, and oats a good average yield. Dry weather in 

 the early part of the season injured small grain most. We had good rains in the lat- 

 ter part of May. Since that time it has been dry, no rain at all since June 28. Corn 

 is looking well in spite of dry weather. If we get rain in a few days there will be a 

 good prospect of nearly a full crop. Lately chinch bugs have made their appearance 

 in large numbers and are doing considerable damage. Farmers, as a rule, are feeling 

 in good spirits over the crop prospects. — Omaha Daily Bee, July 12, 1886. 



Fort Dodge, Iowa, July 16. — [Special telegram to The Bee~\ — A much needed rain 

 fell in this locality yesterday. * * * The crops are slightly damaged by the drought. 

 Chinch bugs have made their appearance in portions of the county and are getting 

 their work in on grain and corn. 



Hebron, July 16. — [Special to The Bee~] — Your correspondent has made a thorough 

 investigation of crops in Thayer County and Southern Fillmore, arriving at this place 

 to-day. The chinch bugs have entirely destroyed many fields of spring wheat and 

 oats. Some fields have been burned on the ground, with the hope of killing the bugs 

 to keep them out of adjoining fields of small grain and corn. At the best, small grain 

 will not make over one-third of a crop throughout this section. Corn has looked well 

 until within the past ten days, but the hot, dry weather of the last two weeks has 

 put a different hue on the aspect and on farmers' countenances. The earliest plant- 

 ings and most forward corn suffers the most, but on all sides can be seen, sprinkled 

 through the fields, stalks of corn that are white as snow. With copious rains within 

 a few days a fair crop of corn may be had, but a delay of wet weather for ten days 



