The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-06
Sec'y Coburn Issues the First
Crop Report This Year.
Over Half the Winter Wheat is
Practically Worthless.
COpN TC pROMTSTNG.
CORN is PROMISING.
The Prospect for Fruit Could
Not be Better.
TfRains Continue General Crops
Will be Excellent.

The Kansas board of agriculture
issues today, through Secretary F. d.
Coburn, its first crop report of the
season, being a careful digest OF state
ments made by corps of conservative
and closely observant correspondents IN
every county of the state, as to condl-
tions on April 30 In the concrete this
shows as follows:
Winter Wheat-The acreage sown
last fall is estimated as having been
4,O64.137 acres, or about II per cent less
than that sown the preceding year
By unfavorabIe weather conditions ~
per cent of this, or 2,154,OOO
acres, have been rendered practically
worthless, and at least 47 per cent of it
will be planted in other crops, especially
corn and the orghums-largely for for
age and grain. The only counties ven
turing to report winter wheat as in
good" or "fair'' condition are Atchison,
Brown, Dickinson, Douglas, Franklin,
johnson, Linn. Marshall, Miami and
Nemaha, and even in some of these it is
evident such conditions are found
only in limited districts. All re-
ports indicate that it is the
"hard" wheats commonly designated
as Turkey" or @Russian," which best
winters, whether too cold, too wet, or too
dry Chinch bugs are reported in many
counties in the eastern third of the state,
and likely to do much damage unless
checked by much wet weather. Kansas
expects little from her wheat crop of
1895
Spring Wheat = Acreage of spring
wheat is put at 1872, 100 acres, or 20 per
cent less than one year ago, and the
present average condition is given as 70
per cent The counties reporting a con-
dition of good" or "100," are Marshall,
Phillips, Norton, Rocks, Rush, Sherman
and Thomas, with rather the best reports
from Rocks.
Corn-The area which will be devoted
to corn is put down as from 1S to 20 per
cent more than in 1894, approximatihg
an increase of one and quarter million
acres, or a total of 7,655.O60 acres The
most of this has been planted in good
season; in many localities it is well up
being cultivated and very promising e
while in other sections lack of moisture
has. retarded termination and growth
which recent rains will now greatly ex-
pedite. --..--.
Oats-The acreage sOwn in oats shows
an increase of fully II per cent, or 49,
O1S acres, over last year, or a total of l,
OOOfSNO oNAOos AO OOA0AI4Ou DIS GULL
pared with full average is SO per cent
Rye.-The area seeded to rye in 1891
was 131, 134 acres. The estimate for 1S9;
is 166,54O acres, an increase of 81 pei
cent Condition 20 per cent
Sorghums.-The interest in the sorgh-
gums for forage and grain is a rapidly
growing one in Kansas, and the increase
of acreage to be given up to them the
present year is reported at not less than
% per cent
Grasses.-Grasses generally are more
forward this season than common. anC
attording early pasturage; yet as with
other growths, lack of seasonable rain
fall has up to this time checked tht
grasses materially.
Fruit-The prospect for a large cror
of apples, peaches and cherries could no,
be better. Vines of the grapes and canes
of blackberries and raspberries have
been damaged by winter in few sec
tions, but plentiful yield of fruit is ex
pected. Considerable planting of fruit
trees has been made in many localities.
General Raina-The foregoing is all
based upon conditions existent on O,
immediately prior TO April Both, but it is
proper to say that since then rains the
most copious in many months have fallen
ana are still falling over extensive areas
In Kansas, and these if continued ot
course presage one of Kansas great cror