The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-02-04
Wheat Growing Iu Kansas.
A Lesson for Capitalists How
10 Make Money.
A Letter From H. e. Henry,
The Great wheat Grower.

The Great wheat Grower.
T. C. Henry, of Dickinson coun-
ty, has 2,7O0 acres of wheat in the
ground at this time. In answer
to a letter addressed to him by
j. w. Hart, editor of the Abilene
Chronicle he says:
DEAR SIR:-Your favor, asking
from me a statement of the general
results of my wheat crop, and the
crops in the vicinity, is received.
As you are aware, l do not reside
on my farm, neither do l claim to
be a farmer in the ordinary sense
of the word. / make wheat rails
ing a speciality upon my farm.
Every operation connected there
with, from the time the prairie is
first broken until the grain is in
market, is done wholly by con-
tract, those employed furnishing
themselves in every particular.
The method of operation is as toll
lows: The prairie is broken du-
ring the month of May and June,
but may be prolonged till the mid
die OF July. By the Goth of Au-
gust the sod is once thoroughly
narrowed over, it being unneces-
sary to replow the ground. Then
the seed, at the rate of one bushel
per acre, is scattered broadcast,
and the seeding is completed by
two more borrowings, making a
total cost, SO far, including the
seed, of So 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 50 per acre, including the
stacking. Threshing costs eight
cents per bushel, and expense of
marketing depends, OF course, up
on 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, 81
more being added to the cost of
seeding, aggregates 50 per acre.
The wheat average rather above
81 Fer cushel, so thBt a clear prof.
it of $ll per acre remains, and ev-
cry thing hired done. The straw
to a farmer is worte 81 per acre
for stock feed. A second
crop can be grown as 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
precausion to clear the ground of
all the litter by burning off Its
stubble. The ground is SO fertile
that even three crops 70 wheat
may be grown in succession on
one blowing, and that the first
one. Two years ago put in 500
acres, pursuing the foregoing
method. My 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 afterwards, during the following
winter, advanced to $I.I5 per Blu.
l have just finished threshing 20,
500 bushels as the yield of ], 200
acres, an entire average of 22:1- g
bushels to the acre, which / have
sold at $l.O5 per bushel, making
a total net profit of $1S,974. MY
straw is worth fully 81, 500 more
and the land is increased IN value
at least 50 per acre from being
placed under cultivation. BY
this you will see tue results of my
own experience are decidedly sat
isfactory, and as to others around
l have never before seen things
look as hopeful as now. The
acreage of winter wheat is nearly
double that of any previous year
. and twenty-five per cent better
and the same may be said o
nearly all other crops, the result O
whech is a general spirit of salts
faction and contentment prevails
and many q home will have caus,
to bless the grasshopper year TO
having installed a lesson of econo
my and determined industry
Respectfully. c. Henry.