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Show CROP DAMAGE IN ISOLATED SPOTS ST. PAUL, Minn.. July 2L Official reports from the grain producing sections sec-tions of the northwest do not Indicate that the entire wheat crop was suffered suf-fered the damage previously report-, ed. In Isolated dlstiicts, some of which are of considerable size, the crop has already suffered such damage dam-age ns to reduce the probable, yield to in per cent of last years crop. Over the northwest generally there Is admitted damage, but the careful in spectiou trips of I wo railway general managers and a score of wheat experts ex-perts during the past ten days Indicate Indi-cate that to predict half a crop is to credit all the damage reports which have come in The experts are inclined in-clined to believe that while farmers in some sections have suffered a total to-tal loss, the total wheat productloa of the northwoHt this year will show a fair crop, while many large sections sec-tions will show a fair to good crop. A large crop is not expected because of tbo heat of the last three weeks. Reports have come In from a few districts dis-tricts showing that wheat less than a foot In height is heading out. Weather conditions have Improved and a cooler July In the opinion of experts who have Juit come In from the wheat districts will make Immense Im-mense progress towards reducing the damage. Continued hot weather will on the other hand largely Increase tho loss. Rain has fallen In many sections and over the entire northwest north-west there has bren a noticeable Improvement. Im-provement. St. Paul jobbing houses report that the business of the past six months haR been the best In their history, I which is regarded as a sufficient Indication In-dication that the damage reports have overestimated actual conditions. Cancellations of orders are not above normal for this season of the vear. although there have been a number of cases in which country merchants have requested temporary-suspension temporary-suspension of their orders to ascertain ascer-tain the probable damage and effect on their local business. The tone of the wholesale business in all lines, a great part of which Is with the wheat -producing regions, is healthy and optimistic, with no serious signs so far that a slump is to be anticipated. antici-pated. Local business conditions in St. Paul are typical of the leading Minnesota Min-nesota cities, neatly all of which would ho delt a staggering hlow hy the failure of the grain crop. Busi-to Busi-to tn nil lines. Retail sales are picking up. Bank clearings are ( $51,090,000 in advance of the corresponding corres-ponding six months last year and June real estate transfers showed an increase of $1,250,000. while transfers trans-fers for the six months of the year Just closed were $2,000,000 heavier than a year ago. Local merchandise business in tho smaller towns Is in a healthy condition condi-tion and merchants arc not apprehensive. appre-hensive. . The northwestern nay crop is aa-mlttedlv aa-mlttedlv short, but the loss Is compensated com-pensated by the healthy condition of several other important crops. |