The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-05-11
CROPS IN KANSAS.
Secretary Coburn's Monthly Report an En-
coursging One.

Secretary Coburn's Monthly Report An En-
coursging One.
TOPEKA. Kan, May I-Secretary
Coburn, of the state board of agricult-
ure, has issues his April crop report
which makes a handsome showing.
He says:
Every day since the report on crop condi-
tions'of one month ago has been a day of nota-
bic improvement agriculturally in every Kan
sas county. All parts of the state have been
visited by gentle rains (many portions from
three to six or more times) which while suf.
fcient to put the soil in the best possible state
| for working. were not at any time so heavy or
| long continued as to delay work As
| whole the month has not been a warm one, and
| as the growth OF vegetation has been OF
steady, healthy character, it will not be nearly
50 rapid would have resulted from a contin-
| uously higher temperature 1t has been
period of steady p owing and planting under
weather and soil conditions as favorable as the
| farmers of any region need ever hope for, and
| May, 1894 opens up on them with unusual bright
| promise Of bountiful crops. This does not imply
| that in numerous counties much OF the winter
| wheat sown will, because of the unfavorsole
tall and winter. give but poor return and in
| not a few instances none at all but IL Is a fact
| not to be overlooked that the ground where
such wheat has failed. has been at once avail
able in the best possible filth for the uses Of
| corn or other desired crops to which 1t Is
rapidly being planted
Winter wheat-Rain and favoring weather
have caused development most graft
flying; fields that in many counties month
ago were regarded as worthless, now in
dictate partial crop From scattering stand
Of healthy plants great areas previously prom
lsing. but supposed to have been much IL not
fatally injured by the freezing weather
following March 20, appear as practi-
cally unframed, and this with that
not suspected Of any such damage Is
now variously described by correspondents as
! good, fine. very good, better than average,
looks well generally, condition $50 per cent,
prospect for a big crop extra good. better than
for several years. splendid, superior, all right
and best in twenty-five years The coun-
ties from which the most highly favor
| able reports come are Allen, Ande--
son, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown Chase
Chautauqua Cherokee, Cofey, Crawford,
Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, ELS
worth, Franklin Geary, Jackson, Jefferson,
Jewell Mcpherson, johnson, Labette Leaven-
worth Linn, Lincoln. Lyon, Marion, Miami.
Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha Usage.
Osborne, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Riley,
Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Waubaunsee.
Was hington, Wilson. Woodson and Wyan-
dotte, while Clark Greeley, Hamilton, Ness,
Norton and Wichita report their former poor
prospec. vastly improved
| IheSe dppllCdDlC dS tAlCJ oiS W
portions of the state producing great quaint
ties 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 scattering as to constantly suggest
! the question as to whether the ground might
not wisely be replanted to other crops.
Reports OF CORES pondents quite unanimously
agree that the freeze in March did but a frac
ton of the injury feared at the time and that
practically all of damage or 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, causing
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 instance as doing any
damage whatever No mention is made OF any
other insects
| Spring wheat-The area sown to spring wheat
as reported by CORES ondents is less than that
/ OF last year by about one-fourth. Dry weather
at the time OF seeding prevented early germi.
nation the cold period late in March retarded
growth and reduced it's vitality. Counties hav.
ing the largest acreage report the prospect not
more than fair.
| Corn-The uniformly favorable weather and
| soil conditions throughout the entire corn belt
/ of the state are running nearly or quite all OF
I April and have afforded a season well nigh I'M
| lOT pidutiu= anu
! OF corn. The acreage planted will undoubtedly
| be very large.
Rye-The conditions pertaining to winter
| wheat have been and are closely applicable to
! rye. In some localities the prospect is good
| while in others but moderate.
| Oats-The &C cage Of last year was ,7js, l27:
! reports point to a decrease from this OF about
| 10 per cent, and condition which Is % per
/ cent of a good average. Not little OF the
: ground sown to oats will yet be planted with
corn or other crops.
/ Grasses-Pasturage in all portions Of the
! state is rapidly coming forward and already
sustains the live stock Tame varieties Of
| grasses are much the most advanced.
Fruit-Late varieties Of apples as a whole
! are perhaps as promising Of good crop as In
the most favorable Of previous seasons, the in
Jury supposed to have been wrought by cold In
March proving but slight, except as to the early
sorts The same description applies to late
and early cherries Peaches, as noted month
ago, were destroyed by cold