Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-04-26
CROP STATISTICS.

The following statistics are compiled
rom the Quarterly Report of the Kansas
State Board of Agriculture:
WHEAT-Although each organized county
IN the state has each year considerable area
sown IN winter wheat, yet experience has
taught which counties are best adapted to its
culture, and the bulk of the area has been con-
nned, Tor the last six years. TO a certain sec
uon OF the State, and the breadth sown in the
rail- OF 1882 has followed in the wake of pre-
cedlng years. This belt lies a little east of the
center OF the State, having Lincoln and Otta-
wa Counties on the north. 1t averages about
one hundred miles in width and runs little
east OF south TO the Indian Territory. Each
SEASON TWO or three counties outside of this
limit rank with the counties lying within the
SeIC as 10 area SoWn. This year these cOun-
l1SS are Cnerokee, Crawford and Johnson
all situated on the eastern border. The
thirteen counties lying within this belt, to-
gether with the three counties outside hav-
ing a sufnclent area to rank with the belt
countleS, nave about sixty per cent of the
Wneat area AS compared with the acreage
OF last year, there has been in these counties
decrease of about two per cent and with the
exception of two counties Cherokee and
GawdOru1 the prospect for large yield is
very encourag1ng-c Claimed by many CORES
pondents to be fully equal to that of last year.
There has been but one cause assigned for
uocT6dse IN acreage, and that is the dry
weather during the fall. There is no doubt
that Il very large area was contemplated by
the farmers of the State, the gratifying re-
suits of the harvest of 1882 being the in
centive. The cause assigned for the poor
condlLon OF the crop in Cherokee and Craw-
too late in the fall, and it did not have Sufi-
c1ent strength to resist the severe weather of
the winter. AS for the remaining portions of
the state, an increase in area was made in the
south and southwest, while the center, north
and northeast decreased largely. The average
decrease for the whole State is not quite four
per cent. The poorest condition is reported
IN the southeast and extreme west. The one
cause, late seeding, is given in all cases for
failure and poor condition. The remaining
portions of the State report the crop in prom
ising condition, although it is backward in
a
ent outlook it would appear that the wheat
crop is about fifteen per cent below the condi-
ton of last year at this time.
In estimating the product for this year, and
comparing with that of 1882 it Should be
borne in mind that the yield of last year was
at least twenty per cent in excess of the
amount indicated by the condition April l.
Therefore, in estimating the crop for 1888, it
would seem that, while q full average crop can
be counted upon with reasonable certainty,
the chances are against having over sixty per
cent of the crop Of 1882.
Assuming the product of spring wheat (Of
which little can be known at this date to
equal last years crop, and deducting forty per
cent from the yield of winter wheat for the
reasons above stated, the product of 1888
should be PLACID at p 157, 4SI bushels as against
IS. 1874, $40 bushels in 1882.
RYE-In Central and Southern Kansas rye is
sOWn almost altogether for pasture, while in
Northern Kansas it is grown for both pasture
and grain. The State area increased, as COM
pared with last year, about fifteen per cent,
the increase being evenly divided over the
State. The constantly increasing demand for
good pasturage has stimulated the growing of
this cereal. The reports as to its condition
are very encouraging. 1t being a much
harder plant than wheat, the dry fall and the
severe winter did not iniure it materially. 1t
has not so large q growth as it had at this time
last year, but all correspondents combine in
saying the prospect for a full crop is very
promising.
The following table gives by counties the
estimated area of winter wheat and rye sown
in the fall of 1882: