Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-05-14
KANSAS CROPS.

a Satisfactory Report From Secretary
Mohler For the Month of April.
TOPEKA, Kan, May s.-Secretary
Mohler issued his crop report for April
last evening, as follows:
Correspondents of this board number
ing about 800 and representing los Of
the 100 counties of the state, indicate
very clearly by their reports to this of
fee that the agricultural condition IN .
throughout all parts of the state Rain
fall generally throughout the state was
abundant-in some places excessive
during the first half of April, retard-
ing greatly all kinds of farm opera
tons, especially the sowing of oats and
the preparation of corn ground for
planting, etc. The weather being warm
during large portion of the month,
the growth of wheat and all kinds Of
grasses was unusually strong and
vigorous and fruit of every kind
reached the first day Of May without
the least damage from frost.
The condition of winter wheat in the
eastern half of the state is above the
average at this date. In some counties
correspondents report the presence of
chinch bug and Hessian fly. Bugs are
reported numerous in Butler, Chau-
tauqua and Labette counties, also in
Sumner county. The eggs and Larvae
of the Hessian fly are found
in the early sown wheat and are
doing some damage, the extent of
which is not great as yet. Further
developments alone can determine the
ultimate damage to the crop from this
source. In the western half of the
state there is but little complaint Of
Hessian fly, the reason being that
wheat for the most part in that section
was sown late last fall in consequence
of dry weather in the early part of the
season. In some central and many
western counties, however, a consider
able percentage of area was planted to
wheat without blowing or cultivation
of any kind whatever (be-
ing wheat stubble) and wheat
sown in this way is, as rule, In bad
condition. The heavy SHOWS In March
and subsequent rains furnished too
much water for the capacity of the soil
in it's hardened and compact condition
to absorb at sufficiently rapid rate.
This extreme moisture or surplus water
forced to remain on the surface with
the hot suns which followed in the
opinion of many of our correspondents
is the real cause of the damaged condi-
ton of wheat in many sections of the
state which has been attributed to
other causes
The area sown to spring wheat this
year, as reported by orr correspondents
is per cent. less than that of a year
ago, making the total area of the pres
ent year, 1S7, 500 acres, which added to
the area in winter wheat-2, 1874, 1877
acres, as estimated month ago-makes
the aggregate wheat area (winter and
spring. for the state 8, 056, 994 acres
The area sown to oats this spring, our
correspondents report, is Is per cent.
less than that of a year ago-a decrease
of 159, $50 acres and making the oat
area for the state this year, LOOT, s12
acres.
In some of the southern counties from
80 to 80 per cent. of the corn was
planted by May l and its cultivation
commenced, while in some of the north
ern counties only per cent is reported
having been planted at that date.
The following is the summary of crop
conditions for the state as furnished by
our correspondents: Winter wheat, COM
pared with full average, 80 per cent |;
spring wheat, compared with full aver
age, 90 per cent; rye, compared with
full average, 81 per cent; tame grasses,
compared with full average, 103 per
cent fruit, compared with full average
los per cent