The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-02-12
About Wheat Growing in Kansas.

Mr.. T. c. Henry, whose large crops of
wheat last year has been frequently
mentioned in these columns, writes to
the Abilene Chronicle as follows:
l do not reside on nay farm, neither do
I claim to be farmer in the ordinary
sense of the word. l make wheat raising
a speciality dpon my farm. Every oper-
alton connected therewiths from the
time the prairie is first broken until the
grain is in market, is done wholly by
contract, those employed furnishing
themselves in every particular. The
method of operation is as follows. The
prairie is broken during the months of
May and June, but may be prolonged
till the middle of July. By the Goth of
August the sod is once thoroughly har-
rowed over, it being wholly unnecessary
to replow the ground. Then the seed at
the rate of one bushel to the acre Is scat
tered broadcast, and the seeding is COM
pleted by two more borrowings, making
a total cost, so far, including the seed,
of five dollars per acre. By the Goth of
the following June the grain is ready for
harvesting, which can be hired done
with headers at the cost of two dollars
per acre, including the stacking. Thresh-
ing costs eight cents per bushel, and the
expense of marketing depends, of course,
upon the distance hauled. If the grain
yields twenty bushels per acre. which is
a low average, and the distance from
town not more than three miles, the
total cost, four dollars more being added
to the cost of seeding aggregates nine
dollars per acre. The wheat averages
rather above one dollar per bushel, so
that clear profit of eleven dollars per
acre remains and everything hired done.
The straw to farmer is worth two dol.
lars per acre for stock feed. A second
crop can be grown at an outlay of not
more than fifty cents per acre, aside
from seed, the mere cost of drilling the
grain upon the ground without the
necessity of replowing, having taken the
precaution to clear the land of all the
litter by burning off its stubble. The
ground is 50 fertile that even three
crops of wheat may be grown in success
sion OH one blowing, and that the first
one. Two years ago l put in 500 acres
pursuing the. foregoing method. Ny
yield was nineteen bushels to the acre,
and it sold at ninety cents per bushel,
wheat in 1875 having borne lower price
than was ever known here before; it
during the following winter,
to Sl.15 per bushel. 1 have
just finished threshing 26, 500 bushels as
the yield Of 1900 acres an entire aver
age of 224 bushels to the acre. which l
have sold at S1.05s per bushel, making
total net profit of S1s,974. My straw is
worth fully 81 800 more, and the land is
increased in value at least five dollars
per acre from being placed under culti-
walton. By this you will see the results
of my own experience are decidedly sat-
isfactory and as to the others around
have never before seen things look as
hopeful as now. The acreage of winter
wheat is nearly double that of any pre-
rious year, and twenty-five per cent. |
better, and the same may be said of
nearly all other crops the result of all
which is that general spirit of satisfac-
ion and contentment prevails, and
many home will have cause to bless
he grasshopper year for having instilled
lesson of economy and determined
industry.