Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-15
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
We are in receipt Of the report of
the secretary of the Kansas state board
OF agriculture for July Slst, from
which we take the following extracts !:
WHEAT.
During the month of July many ad-
verse reports were received at this Of
fee concerning the yield of winter
wheat. The complaint seemed general
that heavy rains accompanied by wind
storms, and Immediately followed by
clOudless skies and intense heat, had
prevented the wheat from filling prop
erly, and causing rust and blight. 1t
was reported also that the rains and
wind heat down the rank growths of
small grain, and that large per cent.
of it was badly 'lodged" and could
not be harvested by machinery.
The result'o the compilation of the
reports of over 400 correspondents
for the month Of July shows that
while the adverse conditions mention
ed above existed in the majority of
the counties, the injury to the state rs
whole has not been nearly SO severe
as has been anticipated. As compared
with the June estimates, there is loss
in the yield of thirty-three counties, a
gain in twenty-eight, while the remain
r-niheteen-report the same acre
age yield that they did one month ago.
The counties having the largest loss
are Mcpherson, from % to 10. and
Reno, from % to Is, while all the cOun-
ties west of Mcpherson increase their
former estimates. The counties bOr-
dering ON the state of Missouri and
south OF the Kansas river also exper
fenced loss in yield from the ravsges
of chinch bugs, and in Cherokee hot
southwestern wind at harvest time
caused noticeable shrinkage in the
yield, and in the same county there
was larger per cent. Of chess
in wheat fields than in any
previous wear. The varieties
most affected by rust and
blight were May in Sumner, Fultz and
May in the east central counties, and
Russian or Turkey in Mcpherson, Sa-
line and Dickinson. In the central
counties the early varities and those
sOwn early were not injured apprecia-
bly,, while the later varieties, and the
sown fields, and especially that sown
in ''stalk fields" suffered considerably.
The counties lying west OF the merid-
ian of Mcpherson county had no adj
verse conditions TO contend with, ex-
cept the lack of harvest hands and
machinery. The average yield for
this section would probably have been
from two TO three bushels larger had
there been enough farm hands and
machinery to handle the grain grown.
AS it is, however, the western portion
of the state has secured the largest
wheat crop ever before grown in that
section. and the farmers OF that re-
gion are entirely satisfied with the re-
suits of the wheat harvest.
A. J. Davis, Of Stockton, CORES
respondent of Rocks county, says:
81 have heard of but one field of wheat
that has fallen below twenty bushels
per acre. have reports from thirty
fields that exceed thirty bushels per
acre. also have report of one field
averaging fifty-one and one fourth
bushels, which will be duly certified at
the proper time" In Russell county,
one field of 800 acres averaged thirty
bushels, and extraordinary yields are
reported from all of the western coun-
ties. In the eastern portion of the
state. the counties Allen. Anderson,
Neosho, Montgomery, Elk, Chautau
qua, Wilson and WOodson have been
almost together free from the adverse
conditions ,,aot;nna1 baynro apJ hova
harvested an unusually large wheat
crop. G.. &. Snow, of Neosho Falls, a
correspondent from Woodson county,
and president of the Neosho Valley
District Agricultural Fair Association.
says: GAN varieties of winter wheat
have made the best yields ever known
in this section. Benz. McWilliam-, of
this county threshed nine and
one fourth acres of Fultz wheat
which made an average
yield of little over AZ bushels per
acre. Joseph Robinson, also of this
county, threshed 20 acres of variety
known as German that averaged 80
bushels per acre. The threshers that
| have seen say that they have thresh-
ed but one field that made as low
yield as 20 bushels. They think the
county average will be over 20 BUSH
els. have on NV farm As acres of |
Russian wheat that is estimated mt |
from 80 to IS bushels per acre"
Threshers report, i'm Montgomery
yields of from 20 TO As bushels
per acre. A. &. Spillman, ofRox bury.
speaking of the loss in yield in that |
county, says: "The continued wet
just preceding harvest had a
effect upon the late varieties,
Turkey, which is heavily
bearded, soft straw wheat, but as
progresses the damage does
not seem SO great as was feared.
note yields of Turkey all the way
from IL to 80 bushels"
Abstracts of assessors returns for
1884 have been received from all of the
organized counties, and
of these gives an area of
winter wheat sown in the Fall of 1888,
Of 2,169, 673 acres. OF this area II, 8O5
v ere not harvested, having been des-
royed from freezing and other causes.
This is the smallest loss ever noted in
he history of the state, being but
title more than two-thirds of one per-
,ent. The area harvested was 2,l5l,- {
,58 acres, from which an average Weld i
vas obtained, as now estimated. ,fl
LIS bushels per acre, or product
or the state of 1881, 1893 bushels,
which is less than the june estimate
" more than !, COO, 600 bushels. I
SPRING wHEAt.
The area of spring wheat is increas.
'ver that of last year 6,l62 acres, OF
light per cent. The average yield
,er acre il 1886, or larger than that of
Ss3 by over three bushels. As will ,
'e observed, by consulting the follow
ng table by counties. the area is con-
med almost altogether to the men, I
'ers of the northern tier OF counties. |
This crop has becu constantly declin- ,
ng in area and importance during the ,
'ast five years, and will soon cease to
'c cultivated by Kansas farmers. The !
roduct of spring wheat added to
hat of winter wheat gives q total I
Wheat product in the state of 1926
62 bushels.
The area sown in the fall of 1888 I
yas less than that sown the previous I
ear by 1868 ceres, making an area 7
or this year of 304 1898 acres. OF this
Irea $3.50 acres were winter killed
,aviug an area of 299 GOA acres to pas G
ure and harvest. Ten per cent. of
his area was devoted entirely to pas +
ure, and did not make a crop. The
sck of proper machinery and the
7ant of farm laborer, at harvest u
ime caused at least Is per cent of (
he crop 10 remain uncut. The area I
arvested was 256,l62 acres, which
lade an average yield of % bushel
er acre, or state product of $685. I
Ga bushels. Il
The crop was successful one in h
Iearly all portions Of the STATE, cspeci-
lIy in the west and northwest. where I
is both sure and profitable. In the O
ortions mentioned this crop has O
ladc good average yield each year, !,
nd is looked upon by the farmers as :
rliable and sure.
BARLEY.
The area of barley increased rs COM II