The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-09-20
KANSAS STATE NEWS.
Kansas Crops.

! Kansas Crops.
The report of the State Board of Agricui
tm > for August showed that of the eighty.
one organized counties in the State, but
ten report poor corn prospect this year.
| These ten counties are all situated in the
| extreme western portion of the State, and
have but a slight acreage compared with
the remainder of our cultivated territory
the area planted in the section covered by
these ten counties not being more than one.
twentieth of the whole. OF these ten coun.
ties, Ellis and Sheridan report total fail.
ure, while the remainder have produced a
small yield. In the territory mentioned
the cause of failure is attributed in most
instances to lack of sufficient rainfall, and
the prevalence of hot southwestern winds.
Much of the crop has been cut for fodder.
In all other portions of the State a most
bountiful crop has been raised. In the
northeastern section, where much damage
was done early in the season by continued
wet weather and unusual floods, and
large amount of replanting done,
the production has exceeded all
expectations, the replanted area producing
much heavier crop than could have
reasonably been hoped for. The estimated
yield of the State, as determined from the
reports of $50 correspondents, is A.4
bushels per acre, or a production of 206,-
$50, I39 bushels-an increase over the large
crop of 1882 of about 50,000,000 bushels.
This immense yield will place Kansas very
nearly at the head of the corn growing
States for 1883. The crop has been unusual
ly free from injurious conditions, the most
serious drawback being the cold and wet
spring. Injurious insects have not made
their appearance this year in numbers to
cause alarm, and the hot winds from the
southwest only occurred in the western
portion of the State, and then but for very
short time. The mo.th of August has been
unusually trying period for corn in Kan
sas, but this year there was sufficient rain.
fall in most portions, and the result is the
largest corn crop in the history of the State.
The damage done to the oat crop during
harvest and since, caused by the heavy
rains is not nearly so extensive as was at
one time anticipated, the loss not being quite
eight per cent of the whole crop. From
information received from correspondents
and other sources during the past month,
innate of the yield of the oat crop, as given
in the monthly report for July, was placed
too low. The condition of both tame and
prairie grasses is better than it was lastyear
at this time, by 20 per cent. The total area in
grass under fence for 1888 is 3,27S, 132 acres,
an increase during the year of nearly 100
per cent. The sorghum crop promises
well and the yield will be fully ten per
cent greater than last year. Every coun-
ty in the State, except two, makes good
report upon Irish potatoes. The crop eX-
ceeds that of 1882 by fifty per cent, and
better than any previous year by twenty
five per cent. Sweet potatoes also
promise an abundant crop. There are
a few isolated cases of disease re-
ported among live stock, but nothing in
epidemic form. The general opinion is
that live stock has not been i'll better con-
dition for years. The high price obtained
this year for pork has increased the num-
bers of swine largely. The increase from
March l, 1882, to March 1, 1888, is
over thirteen per cent, or 165,2S6 head.
In sheep the increase over last is eighteen
per cent or 1861 head, and the increase
in milch cows over nine per cent, or 3S, 1Sj
in numbers. There were made in the year
ending March l, 1882, 23,941,016 pounds of
butter, an increase over the previou, year
of $3.50, $50 pounds. The increase in the
number of horses over 1882 is "a ,14S, or over
six per cent. For the first time i'll the his
tory of the State the numbers of other cat
tie have reached million. The increase
over 1882 is 162 ,036, or over sixteen per cent.
This increase is largely due to the western
where the grazing of cattle and
sheep is fast supplanting all other indus