Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-14
REPORT OF TUE STATE BOARD
or AORlCuI TtIRe


REPORT OF TUE STATE noAen
or AoRicULrURE.
At the called meeting o. the State Board
Of Agriculture in June last, It was ordered
that the Secretary enlarge the monthly n.
port FOR September, BY the addition Of item,
OF general information concerning Kans.s.
and that the bulk of the edition BE- placed
at the disposal Of the Commissioner for
kansas to the Worlds Cotton and Indus
trial exposition to be held in New Orleans.
The report has just been Issued, having
been purposely delayed beyond the usual
time for Issuing the September monthly, in
order to bring the information concerning
crops. lands, etc. up to the latest date pos
sible.
The report is in pamphlet form. and con-
tains seventy-four pages Of closely printed
matter relating to various subjects of inter-
est to those seeking information concerning
the resources Of KAnsas.
The first thirteen pages are devoted 10 a
typographical description Of the State it,
surface features. drainage systsm regional
CHARACTERISTICS, valleys, soil and mineral re-
sources, such ~ coal, lead, and zinc, salt,
gypsum, chalk, potter clay, Ore clay, hy-
draulic limestone, building stone, bitumen.
gas wells and artesian wells. A compara-
tive statement Of the population Of the
State since 1860, 10 next given together with
table OF counties, showing the number Of
inhabitants on March I. 1884, the square
miles in each county and the density Of pop
ulation to the square mile Of both the total
number and rural population. Following
this table showing the population on
March !, 1884, Of the cities Of Kansas, hav.
ing over 1000 inhabitants, placed according
10 their size.
The total population Of the state % shown
by the first table is l,l35,6l4; the total pop
ulation to the square mile h 1897. and Of
rural population 1918.
There are 70 cities in the state that return
population of over 1000, while three cities
known to have over 1000 did not return
their population separately from the town.
ships in which they lie
The next 81 pages are given to the subject
of agriculture Each one Of the field crops
grown in the state are treated separately,
and the progress or decline Of each for q
period Of eleven yean given. In he princi-
pal crops Of wheat, rye and oats. extraordi-
nary yields in 1884 are noted. The largest
yield of wheat reported. is that Of S. Cornell
of Ellsworth county, postofice Bunker Hill,
Russell county, who thIeshed COZ bushels
per acre, from field of is acres. Frank
Basalia, of Wilson, Ellsworth county, and
August Heinsen of Denmark, Lincoln coun-
ty. each threshed so bushels per acre.
The numbers of the several kinds Of live
stock are given, and the per cent. Of in
crease of each since 1874; the value of ami |
mails slaughtered and sold for slaughter, and |
the pounds of cheese and bntter manufac-
tured in 1884 arc also given in this connec-
ton.
Tables by counties showing acres and
products of the various field crops, num-
bers ofthe different kinds Of live stock, sta
tisties Of horticulture and miscellane-
Gus subjects, close the subject of agri-
culture
Following agriculture is an article on the
public school system Of Kansas, prepared
by II c. Speer, the State superintendent
Of Public Instruction. In this article is
given statistics relating 10 the common
schools, and brief mention of the three
educational institutions under the care Of
he state.
Information relating to manufactures,
churches and valuation, showing the vari-
'us manufacturing interests Of the state, the
assessed valuation Of each county for 1874,
md the several religious denominations, and
he institutions Of learning that they con-
rol, follows the article on schools.
The subject Of vacant public lands is next
reated, and is divided into four subdivision,
Il government; common school, state insti-
utlons Of learning and liiroad lands. A
ynopsis Of United States laws and rulings 2
4 the general land Office - to the disposal &
4 government lands is followed BY the num- {.
er OF acres remaining vacant BY counties,
, the various land districts The location n
I land Offices and the names Of registen and c
eceiver is also given. The state laws in
slation to the requirement Of school lands |,
re condensed in order to answer the many b
lquiries on the subject, the synopsis being C
'llowsd by table by counties showing the IL
umber Of acres Of this class Of lands still st
nsold, and the average price per acre ct s
hich they would probably be appraised at
rs time. The statement regarding lands
'longing to the state educational institu-
pms shows that nearly all OF these lands n
I've been disposed of, the Agricultural Col >,
&c still having few acres in three counties. :,
The number Of acres yet unsold, belong .,
& to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and -
. Kansas division Of the Union Pacific :,
ilroads is next given by counties. together :,
th the terms on which they can be pur- "
ased. -
The meteorological record for September, :.
implied by the metsorole gist Of the board, =;
,ses the volume. ~
The secretary will be unable to distribute -
e usual number Of these books within the -.
'te, the bulk, - said before, being at the -
'posal Of the commissioner for Kansas to
New Orleans Exposition. r.