Western Kansas world., 1888-04-14
KANSAS CROPS.
The Agricultural Boards Quarterly Re-.
port-Another Report.

The Agricultural Boards Quarterly Re-
port-Another Report.
The state board of agriculture furnishes
the following synopsis of the forthcoming
quarterly report of the Kansas state board
of agriculture for the quarter ending March
81, 1888:
Wheat-Area sown in the state in the fall
OF 1887, as compared with that sown the
previous wear. i0l per cent, which gives a
total area for the state of 1,315,S ,S2S acres,
which is an excess of IL ,209 acres above the
acreage of the previous year. Winter killed
or destroyed from other causes, 3 per cent.
General condition of crop as compared with
full stand and unimpaired vitality, 81 per
cent.
Rye-General condition of crop, as COM
pared with average condition, 100 per cent.
Horses-Condition generally good, but
In many counties thin of flesh in conse-
quence of the scarcity and high price OF
grain, no prevailing disease.
Notwithstanding the. fears and
anxiety Of farmers throughout the state last
fall cattle have gone through the winter in
fair shape, as q rule, and the precentage OF
loss is less than 1t has been for q number of
years. In general, cattle are thin but in
good health and have sufficient strength to
carry them through to grass. Only few
counties report losses, and these are mostly
In the extreme western portion OF the state
and are attributed to corn stalks and other
dry, indigesti5le food.
Hogs-Farmers generally, on account OF
the light corn crop, sold their hogs off close
in the fall, and those remaining are for the
most part thin In flesh. There will be but
few pigs this spring. In q few counties
hog cholera is reported, but generally in
mild form, and it is no doubt only the rem
nant of that fearful scourge which played so
mnch havoc arnoDO the hoOs Of Ksnsas the
twolprecedinR years.
Tame grssses-An varieties of tame
grasses suffered more or less from the
drouth of last season, and as reports vary
in regard to them, it is difficult to determine
which variety has withstood the drouth
eastern, and alfalfa and orchard grass for
western Kansas seem to give, on the whole,
the best satisfaction.
Fruit-Buds of all varieties, with the ex-
ception of peaches, are reported in good,
healthy condition, and promise good crop.
The season-The season is reported gen.
orally throughout the state as about two
weeks late, but the ground, without any ex-
ception, is in excellent condition for spring
crops. The subsoil of Kansas is reported as
more thoroughly soaked by the March rains
than it has been for many years.
Altogether, the situation in Kansas, at
this time, is most hopeful, and the farmers
throughout the state are in good spirits, and
not without reason, are expecting bounti-
full return from the seed that they put into
the ground this season. M. MoHLER,
Secretary.
The Kansas Fdrmer has special weather
and crop reports from eighty three counties,
showing a favorable condition of things
generally for the farmers. March was
colder than usual, with several pretty Sc
we're storms which were hard on cattle that
had been fed closely; and light losses are
reported in few localities, but not enough
to affect the general average condition of
stock, which is as high az ever before.
With very few exceptions, wheat shows
unusually well, and rye is growing vigor-
ously. In few exposed spots late sowing
of wheat is winter killed. A great deal Of
oats is sown, and many oats fields now show
green. A larger area of corn than ever be-
fore will be grown this year. A great deal
of seed has already been planted. Rains
have been frequent and in some places
heavy; the ground is we'll saturated, and tho
opinion is unanimous among the CORE
spondents that soil conditions could not be
better. The outlook is encouraging; farming
never more hopeful. In the western part Of
the state, particularly, the reports are cheer
full, the only drawback being that some Of
the new settlers lack seed, but this is e1cep-
tional. There will be an immense area of
sorghum, rice corn, millet and alfalfa grown.
The ground has not been in as good condi-
tion any spring since 1884 as it is now.
Spring work is well advanced.