The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-05
WE BREAD THE WORLD
And We Shall Be Able to Do Tt as
Usual.


Secretary Coburn of the state board of
agriculture, today issues his crop report
which makes a handsome showing for
Kansas. He says:
Every day since the report on crop
conditions of one month ago has been a
day of notable improvement agricultur-
ally in every Kansas county. All parts
of the state have been visited by gentle
rains (many portions from three to six
or more times) which while sufficient to
put the soil in the best possible state for
working were not at any time SO heavy
nor ng-continued as to delay work.
AS a whole the month has not been a
warm one and although the growth of
vegetation has not been of a steady,
rapid as would have resulted from con-
tinuously higher temperature. 1t has
been a period of steady blowing and
planting. under weather and soil condi-
tions as favorable as the farmers of any
region need ever hope for, and May 1894
opens upon them with unusually bright
promise of bountiful crops.
This does not imply that in numerous
counties much of the winter wheat sown
will not, because of an unfaYorable fall
and winter, give but poor return, and in
not IA few instances none in all; but it is
a fact not to be overlooked that the
ground where such wheat has fallen has
been at once available in the best posi-
BILE filth for the uses of corn or other
desired crops to which it is rapidly be-
ing planted
Winter Wheat
Rains and favoring weather have
caused development most gratifying;
fields that In many counties month ago
were regarded as worthless, now Indicate
IA partial crop from scattering stand of
healthy plants; great areas previously
promising, but supposed to have been
much if not fatally injured by the freez-
ing weather following March 20. appear
as practically unframed, and this. with
that not suspected of any such damage,
is now variously described by CORE
spondents as "good," "fine, every good, y
'better than average" ''Iooks well gen
orally" condition $50 per cent" 1.pros-
pect for big crop, extra good" "better
than for several years." Splendid" su-
perior,'' '.all right" and chest in twenty
i've years.
The counties from which the most
highly favorable reports come are Allen,
Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown,
Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey,
Crawford. Dickinson, Doniphan, Doug
las, Elk, Ellsworth, Franklin, Geary,
jackson, jefferson, Jewell. McPherson
Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn,
Lincoln, Lyon, Marion, Miami, Mitchell,
Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Oscge
Osborne, Ottawa. Pottawatomie, Riley,
Saline. Sedgwick, Wabaunsee, Washing :
ton, Wilson, Woodson and Wyandotte,
while Clark, Greeley. Hamilton, Ness,
Morton and Wichita report their former
poor prospects vastly improved.
These statements, applicable as they
are to portions of the state producing
great quantities of wheat, do not obscure
the fact that in other portions the crop
at best can amount comparatively to but
little, the plants yet alive being SO scat
tering as to constantly suggest the ques
ton as to whether the ground might not
wisely be repIanted to other crops.
Reports of correspondents quite unan-
imousIy agree that the freeze in March
did but fraction of the injury reared at
the time, and that practically all of dam
age of failure sustained has been due TO
poor termination from dryness of the
soil in the fall and the consequent later
blowing of it from the plant-roots, caus-
ing them to perish. The indications are
that the hard wheats have withstood the
adverse conditions much the best
Chinch bugs are reported in various
localities, but in scarcely single in
stance as doing any damage whatever.
No mention is made of any other in
sects.
Corn.
The uniformly favorable weather and
soil throughout the entire corn belt OF
the state during nearly or quite all of
April have afforded d season well nigh
unprecedented for the planting and ger
mination of corn. An unusually large
proportion of it is already in the ground;
in the southern counties many fields are
receiving their first cultivation and show
a most satisfactory stand In the central
and northern counties the situation is
equally encouraging, although work and
growth are somewhat less advanced
The acreage planted will undoubtedly
be very large, and augmented too by
much ground upon which winter wheat
has failed and where oats and spring
wheat have been seriously harmed by
March cold Rannrfa Indicate that in