The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-10
News of the Kansas State De-
partmentS.
Department of For estry and
Irrigation Report
GOES TO THE PRINTER
Commissioner Wheeler Dis
cuSSes Hot Winds
And How They May BE Con-
verified Into a BleSSin g.

The first bulletin to be issued by the
department of forestry and irrigation,
the department created by the last leg
islature was sent to the state printer
today Mr.. E D. Wheeler, commits
sioner of the department, came in from
Ogallah yesterday afternoon bringing
his report with him and hopes to have
it issued and in the hands of the farm
ers Of Kansas before the opening up of
spring work.
Mr. Wheeler is in charge of the for
estry station at Dodge City, and the
agricultural, horticultural and 1rriga-
ton station at Ogallah, and the bulle-
tin includes a report of the experiments
made since July /. of last year. At the
start. Mr.. Wheeler comments on the
fact that in the appropriation for irri-
cation the legislature went from one
extreme to the other, three years ago
appropriating $50 GO and last year APP
propriating but $500. He says an APP
preparation of 81. 600 would be a rea-
sOnable amount. and believes the next
legislature will do the sensible thing.
But although Mr.. Wheeler thoroughly
believes in the benefits to be derived
from irrigation, he is of the opinion that
the proper cultivation OF the soil Will
do as much towards securing successful
crops as anything else the farmers can
do. After asking the question How
can We grow crops successfully without
Irrigation" Mr. Wheeler goes on to an
swer it in this way:
we will answer, by conserving the
moisture To properly store and re
tain the moisture in the ground until
such time as the growing plants re-
quire it, is the problem Of the day. 1t
is quite evident then, that the thing to
do is to store as much of the water as
we can, and retain it as long as we can.
Reasonably deep blowing opens up the
soil to receive more water ard to re-
ceive it more rapidly, and the more
thoroughly the ground is pulverized be
fore blowing and by the the plOW. the
more water it will absorb and retain.
"Subsoiling, unless the subsoil is very
porous, viii always pay if it can be
performed while the ground is dry and
is followed soon after by a heavy rain
Under the head Hot winds rendered
harmless Mr.. Wheeler has a short but
interesting chapter, in which he states
that experiments have taught him that
the hot winds can be made an advant-
age instead of an injury He says:
The hotter the sun the faster will
the plants grow; providing the roots are
well developed and can secure the nee
essary moisture to meet the increased
demands. The wind with the heat. in
creases, the demands and the necessi-
ties for proper conditions. For many
years the writer has made practice of
planting a few rows of corn in the
south and southwest side of his garden,
partly as an experiment and partly to
protect the garden from the hot winds
if they should blow When the corn
was properly titled and irrigated the
hot winds did not injure it, but made
it yield more abundantIy. If it was
neglected, it suffered accordingly"
From experiments in agriculture Mr..
Wheeler makes the following recon-
mendations for amount of seed required
per acre
Not over one-third busheI of wheat:
half bushel of barley. three quarters
bushel of oats. and other grains in pro-
portion. These amounts are recon-
mended,' he says, where rows are 20
inches apart. Run rows east and west
if you wish to reduce the risk of its
blowing out Two and One-half inches
is desirable depth for seeding
From his experiments at Ogallah Mr.
Wheeler sets down the following varfe-
ties of corn as the best, and in their or
der of ripening:
King of the Earliest, Eclipse. Iowa
Gold Mine. Early MastOdOn, Pride of the
North, Riley's FavOrite, Golden Beau
ty, Hickory King, White Kansas King,
Champion, White Pearl.
Sweet corn: Early Minnesota. Extra
Early Adams, Perry's Hybrid, Black
Mexican, StOwelPs Evergreen.
In discussing the question of irriga-
ton in general Mr.. Wheeler SAYS that
on a small scale he believes it can be
made a great success in the semi-arid
regions of western Kansas, but he does
not believe that irrigation in a big
scale Will prove successful. He saws
that with the proper attention paid to
the cultivation of the soil, the western
portion of Kansas can be made as pro
ductive of grains as any other portion
of the state.