Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-09-13
KANSAS CORN.
Report of the Secretary of the State Board
of 4 s=ieulture-Review of the Condition
of the Corn Cron-A Good Showinp

Report of the Secretary of the State Board
| of As observation-disclosures of the Condition
of the Corn CrOp-A Good Showing.
TOPEKA, Kan, Sept. 7.-Secretarv NJ.
Mohler of the State Board of Agriculture
last evening issued the following impor-
t6nt report on the condition OF the Kansas
corn crop:
For the August report we have asked
our correspondents for information only
in relation to corn. The questions sub
mitted We're: First, what proportion of
area planted will be harvested; second
what is the estimated product per acre of
corn on the acres harvested; third, does
! listed corn show anv better results than that
put in with plantar-if SO, what per cent:
Nearly go correspondents representing
about every county in the State have re-
spOnded to the above questions and have
developed the following facts in regard to
this important crop:
! First, that of the total area planted TO
corn in our State "a per cent is considered
worth harvesting; that the eastern portion
of the State as far west IN the north tier of
counties as Republic County and east of
| line bearing eastward to ChautauQua
County. On the south line of the State
the corn area will nearly all be harvested,
and with the exception of a few counties
will be a full average crop-in some coun-
! ties much above the average. Wyandotte
/ is the highest-reporting an average yield
| of 53H bushels per acre, and nearly all the
| counties north of the Kansas river
within the prescribed limit report from
40 10 30 bushels per acre. Many counties
south of the Kansas river also report a
| high average down to the second tier of
| counties from the south line of the State.
These counties, with the exception of
Chautauqua and Elk, report considerable
| lower average.
A belt of territory from Jewell and
| Smith Counties vn the north stretching
southwark and bearing eastward to the
south line of the State, with Ellsworth
| County as a center. seems to be the worst
burned district in the State. Ellsworth
/ County reports only q per cent. of the area
! planted to corn worth harvesting, and
the average Yield OF the small acreage
only nine bushels per acre. Many of
the counties adjoining Ellsworth are in
condition not much better. Farther south
and farther north there are belts of terri
| tory extending usually east and where the
corn will make fairly good yield, while
the intervening districts are about total
failure. West of this great central belt in
which the corn is generally ruined there
are III nearly all the counties belts of ter
ritOry in which there is some good corn,
with large intervening belts in which
! there is no corn. Even Hamilton
! County, a county bordering on the Colo
RADIO line in the southwest, has some
| good corn, sample OF which was brought
| to this Office few days ago. The
Io1f oc ha in
tier and the south half of the second tier
! have fairly good corn, while the intervon-
| ing belt over thirty miles in width has but
little. These large districts of territory
on which the corn is practically failure
brings the average yield and the aggre
gate corn product of the State considera-
bly, lower than it was generally supposed
it would be.
The average yield per acre, on the acre
age worth harvesting, is estimated at
twenty EIGHT bushels. The total area
planted to corn in the spring, as shown by
| assessor returns, is 6,9I0,00T acres. Sew
enty-four per cent. of this, or 5,157, 80
acres, is reported as worth harvesting.
The estimated average yield per acre on
this gives a total corn product for the
State of IA, All, $40 bushels, which is almost
double the product of last year and l., Al
90 bushels more than the product of 1883,
but is less by 46,452, $40 bushels than the
product of 1884, which was the largest in
the history of the State.
While the eastern portion of the State is
in excellent condition agriculturally the
failure of the corn crop in the central and
western counties of the State bears heav-
lily on the farmers. Many, however, have
had an excellent crop of wheat and fair
crop of oats, and all will have an abun-
dance of feed for stock in corn fodder,
miIlet, sorghum and hay, so that the sit
uation is an improvement on that of last
year.
Our correspondents give the lister very
strong Endorsement, few counties report
no difference, and a very few correspond
ents pronounce against it; but the aggre-
gate sentiment of our correspondents say
that this year 90 per cent. more corn was
grown to the acre where corn was listed
than when put in with the planter.
Missouri Crops.