Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-18


principal crops Will undoubtedly continue
TO occur in Kansas until our arrsble lands
| are fully occupied, and rotation of crops
become a liked feature in farm operations =,
rs il is in the older countries and states.
| Although the crops went into the winter
IN excellent condition. having had a yigor-
| ous growth before frost, the winter season
was of such long duration, and of such low
temperature, that grave fears are entertain
| ed as TO It's ability to withstand the adverse
| conditions. As spring advanced, however,
| accompanied AS it was with generous show
ers, II was discovered that the only serious
damage TO the crop occurred in the extreme
southeastern section OF the state, where
| about per cent. OF the area was destroyed.
The entire loss from freezing for the state
| amounted TO about 81 900 acres, or less than
percent OF the whole. Several unfavor-
able conditions have been reported from
various poatisBs of the state, such rs
"chinch bugs" in the eastern portion,
"chess'' and blight in the eastern and
central sections, superabundance OF rain
fall in the south-ceDtral portion. and wind
aud hail storms in the north-central por-
ton, but none OF these have been of suffic-
lent magnitude TO interferd materially with
the yield. The smallest average yield were
had in The counties that suffered most Sc
yerely from freezing, and if these few
counties had escaped injury from the
cause just mentioned. the average Weld for
the state would be larger this year than
ever before.
With the assessors figures for sixty-threc
counties, and a conservative estimate for
the remaining eighteen, the state average
Is s,l4o,OU an increase over the area sown
the year previous of 49,, 900, or 20 per cent
A compilation OF reports from over 400
correspondents, makes an estimated yield
from this large area OF about 20 % bushels
per acre, or product Of Il, SIS, 600 bushels. /
IL the final figures confederate this esfi-
mate, there is little doubt but that Kansas
VIII be the leading wheat state of the union
this year.
The spring wheat area, instead of de- /
creasing as was coBjectured. increased
slightly, as compared with last year. This /
Is undoubtedly due to the favorable !
weather that obtained at seeding time. The /
area is confined almost exclusively to the /
northern tier Of counties, and amounts In I
the aggregate TO 5000 acres. The esti- /
mated yield OF this cereal for the state is {
al bushels per acre. or q total product OF |
] ,255.000 bushels.
This product. combined with that Of /
winter wheat, gives an estimated wheat
production for the state this year Of IS, Il3,-
900 bushels.
The quality of the winter wheat ia re-
ported from all sections as being fully as
good as 1t was in 1882, and superior to
that OF last wear.
Nearly ~ per cent of the entire area of
Mcpherson county is In winter wheat,
which makes it, us far as this board has
the largest wheat county OF
equal territory in the United States.
CORN.
The last half OF June was exceedingly fay
orable in all portions Of the state TO the
growing corn. Fields generally are report-
ed TO be cleaner Of weeds and better culti-
waited than one year ago,
sedgwiek county, for 1883, lead all the
counties OF the state in her vast acreage of
corn, and while she has decreased her acre
age of corn few thousand acres and put
the ground into wheat ana oats, increasing
these crops her yield of corn for 1884 PROM
ises to be as great in the aggregate as last
year. he condition Of the crop IL about
twelve days late as compared with last sea.
son, but the present favorable weather is
causing il to grow vigorously. Correspond
ents generally report 1t to be OF good color.
aud us having good stand, and If moder
ately good weather prevails from now on
an average crop may DE confidently looked
Tor. In Cowley county, and in a few OF the
eastern central counties. complaint 10 made
)f continued wet weather. which il imped.
Dg its cultivation. but In the great majori- {
y OF counties the only uniayorable report
ed il backwardness
There is now every prospect that a fair
average yield will be harvested in the ex-
IRENE western counties. The rainfall up to |
his time has been ample. and the ground
s thoroughly soaked.
The acreage is probably small per cent
ess than it was last year. owing to adverse
circumstances early in the season. The .
ceiling among farmers Is hopeful for crop
u corn equal TO that raised in 1883. The
condition for the state as compared with
1888, is 30. or falling of OF 10 per cent;
'ut correspondents agree that If the wealth
n n r.. l.
condition on August will be fully equal TO / !
hat Of the year before. :
OTHER CROPS.
rye has deceased in area as compared
With last year about per cent. In many
ortions of Kansas, rye is sown principally 4
Or the pasture il affords, and this year be-
~ SO favorable to all tame grasses some of
he area heretofore devoted to rye was I
own 10 grass. The condition OF the crop t
superior TO anything heretofore known !
n the state, being 10 per cent better than is !,
vas year age, and an extraordinary yield u
: anticipated. This crop has been success u
ii each season since 1874, and is consid. s
red a sure and profitable crop in all por-
ions Of the state.
From present indications the oat crop q
ill not be so uniforml 90 cd us it was last c
ear. IL was sowed about two weeks late 4
) compared with the aver age Kansas sea-
pm, aud IN the eastern two-thirds of the
are uis encountered unIhHOfaDle cOuul.
oBs. The excessive rainfall. followed by Il
b exceedingly high temperature, has !,
iused much of ii TO ''blight" aud trust"
D some sections high winds have blown
own rank growths. so that it will be Diff
nit TO cut. In the northern portion
smut has appeared in many fields, and :.
i'll lower the yields. As compared with
1T year at this time the condition is 10 per u
mt less, and the average yield will I'M D
Dubtedly be less satisfactory than IL was n
! 1883. The area is probably Is per cent ).
rger than last year.
The condition OF sorghum is . per cent "
ss than last year, although there has been q
large idcrease in area. The lateness of :.
Ie season, and the difficulties encountered ~
cultivation, owing TO the unusual rain
u, are the reasons given for this loss In 81
,ndiIon. a,
Broom corn has suffered from the same =
uses that have affected corn aud sorghum ~
I'd is below the condition OF last year I M
n cent. M
Flax has increased in area about IA per n
mt. and is in much better condition than -
this time last year. The area il about be
q 0lO a.ras confined almost apftrolv % !