The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-11-11

AGalouESuaAI RsPoef.
4 The agricultural report Of the Kansas
State Board OF Agriculture for the quarter
ending September 30, 1850, ID ON our table.
1t contains statistics relative to population,
wealth. acreage Of crops, quarterly report,
~ to condition Of fmms. animals, crops, or
chards, meteorological data, together with
papers on breeding, management. feeding
and grazing cattle in Kansas and information
on the treatment Of milk cows and the man
ufacture Of butter and cheese. The cattle
interests is most thoroughly and comprehen-
sively treated. It comprises Ia pages Of the
book making special Of stock raising. The
plan persued In treating this subject has been
to secure from the breeders Of the State and
those possessing experience, papers contain
ing the methods persued by them with results.
We gain from its interesting pages some
figures and facts about Sedgwick county.
Number Of acres Of taxable land In the coun-
ty co., 359; acres Of taxable land under cul-
tivation, 254, 1876; taxable not under cultiya-
ton, 300, 9,3; number Of cultivated acres Of
land per capita. a little more than 10; valua-
ton, "a, ls5, 1856; wealth per capita, s13S30;
municipal debtp capita, ei9.15; number OF
acres in winter wheat September 30. 1880,
o., a0l, being an increase over that Of last
year Of $4,000 acres; there was in spring
| wheat only few acres over O0), decrease
Of nearly one third spring wheat not profta-
BILE 80 decided. In rye. 325 acres. an increase
over last year Of almost one-hslf, and in bar
ley the decrease from last year was more than
one-half In oats there was q decrease Of.
more than 400 acres. Buckwheat, acres re-
| ported was only about IL. Potatoes this
year has been great success in this valley.
The increase Of acres over asst year 200, with
a yield double per acre than any former year
taking the whole one reason being the favor
able season for late potatoes and another rea-
| son is farmers are learning what varieties are
best adapted to this soil and climate aud how
to cultivate them. Sweet potatoes yield in
great abundance, scarcely needing any At
tcntion other than setting the plants ut the
proper time. The number Of acres planted
this year was about 1000, an increase over
that of last year, of more than one-third.
The sorghum industry owing to the limited
| facilities for its manufacture, has not been
followed to any great extent There was,
however. nearly 500 acres Of this product
grown, a small increase over that Of -. We
predict for next year double the acreage of
this. II is an industry that will in a short
time be carried on extensively in this valley.
The soil and climate is peculiarly adapted to
the growth of cane. and facilities for its
manufacture into syrup and sugar are being
procured. Harvey Rice, living in Union
township, has mill and boilers and all the |
necessary facilities for the manufacture of
syrup and sugar. This year he manufactured
an excellent article Of the former, and next |
year he will enter into sugar making on
large scale, ard in this connection We would |
council our farmers who contemplate the cul- |
tivation of sorghum another season to be
careful in the selection Of their seed. Mr.. |
Rice is thoroughly posted in this matter and
no doubt has the right kind.
Castor beans has been lost sight OF alto
gethcr by our farmers 1t grows to an enor-
nous size but the expenses incurred in har-
yesting and preparing for the market is 80
:,
Flax. hemp and cotton is not grown and
only about five acres of tobacco was grown
this year and yet there is no doubt but ii can
be grown success ully and made to pay
large revenue by parties who understand its
cultivation thoroughly. Samples Of Sedg-
wick county tobacco have been tested and
tried by a Cincinnati tobacco house which
pronounced it equal almost to Connecticut
leaf
Broom corn is one Of the productions Of
the county that is growing slowly but grad
ually into Importance. The increase in acres
this year was almost 100 per cent. over last
year. II always brings good price and is
easily grown.
Millct and hungarian IL on the increase.
We grew this year about $500 acres. an in
crease over las: year of more than I 900 acres.
Rice corn was only introduced this year.
Some ten acres OF it was cultivated which
yielded largely. For stock tced it does not
give the satisfaction that was anticipated for
it. owing possibly to the fact that feeders
have nof learned the proper way Of feeding
it or preparing for stock. Blue grass, that
follower Of civilization. makes slow progress
in our new and untamed soil. The increase,
however. this year over that of last year. is
over 400 per cent. Our clover meadows are
few aud snail, while our clover pastures are
still smaller. The uXuriant and wild growth
Of native grasses take their places. The
same may be said of the timothy meadows
aud pastures tor our prairie meadows set
apart for hay in Sedgwick county approxi-
mate some 1900 acres, and pastures fenced {
for stock of prairie grass reach mp to some
10, 100 acres. while outside of this and the ,
lands We have great many thou
sand acres of what is called wild lands which
grows annually several million tons of most
excellent hay which is burned.
In fruits we are c!a>sed among the second
class, the orchards are young and few
Of thcnr compared with northeastern coun-
lies in the State which have been settled
twenty-five years or more yet in another five
years We have but little doubt but Sedgwick
will be at the top of the list in the firs,-cass.
Damage on winter wheat on account ofsdry
weather is estimated at 10 per cent. The va
rietes, Early May, Walker and Fultz, stand
ing the dry weather the hest in some eases.
md in some the other. owing. it is presumed
10 the time of sowing. the state Of the ground
and how sown.
The average yield Of oats was placed ut ]
y bushels per Acre which WAS damaged at !
east 40 per cent. by drouth.
Early rose potatoes peach blow and west I
,rn red. mulched. yielded 80 bushels to the !
,cre. IL
Cattle breeding has been making rapid {
strides in the last two or three Years. Short !
horns and Herefords are becoming quite :
plenty. The increase has been. in three ,
Years. about $50 per cent.
The increase of sheep for the year 1880. !
,rer the previous has been not less than 500 : ,
Der cent. by breeding and driving into the /
county. The same be said Of hogs by breed
ny.
In acreage of wheat only two counties
cad Us. viz: Dickinson and NcPhershn and
hey only by very few acres. and averaging 1