The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-17
3OO,OOO,OOO.
The Kansas Corn Crop Estimate
Perhaps Too Low.
FaVOrfng Weather SWells the
Number of Bushels.
BANNER COUNTY.
The Yield In Jewell VIII Be
100000 Bushels.
An Average Of 500 Bushels For
Every Inhabitant.

st. Louis, Aug. 1.-THE Globe-Demo-
crat publishes the following letter from
Junction City:
While the rest Of the country is
marveling over the 300 O00, 900 bushels
corn crop the statisticians Of Kansas
are busy figuring how much more than
300 600. 900 bushels the product will be.
Instead Of -discounting for adverse cir
cumstances, they are trying to measure
what increment must be added as sur
prisingly favorable conditions continue
A crop that is better than perfect
that is to say, pluperfect-is what now
fills the minds of Kansans with pleas
ing anticipation. The last government
estimate of August 10, based upon hun
dreds Of local reports carefully COM
piled at Topeka, placed the corn crop
of the state at 1O6 per cent. 1t seems
incredible. Taking the crops Of a Sc
ries of years and finding what is the
best that Kansas, with acreage and
climate favoring, can be expected to
do, these crop statisicianS established
what they considered a 100 per cent
crop. But the present season breaks
their record, and they are confronted
with a crop which is 6 per cent better
than the best.
There is scarcely a county which
does not reach 100 per cent. Quite a
number go over 1O6 per cent. The ban
ner is held by Jewell, on the northern
tier, about midway between the Mis-
souri, river and the Colorado line. Last
year it lost to a southern Kansas coun-
ty. Now it comes back to front place
with a whOOp. Jewell has from 10000
600 to 10, 900, 900 bushels of corn matur-
ing in her fields. The estimates OF the
best informed range about 14OOO,OOO
bushels. Assessors in Kansas return
the population by townships: JeWeu
county, on these returns of last fall,
has 1924 people. Her corn crop Will
average over 500 bushels for every man,
woman and child.
The setting is worthy. East and
west and south of Jewell the walls of
corn run to the limits of the state,
maintaining a degree Of excellence
which makes this crop greater by
1OO, 600 600 bushels than all predecessors.
In 1889, just a decade ago the crop
averaged higher than ever before, and
higher than it has since until now.
The year of 1889 made the record. 1t
yields to 1899.
Kansans are fond of figuring. Self
indulgence in that direction led to
cap1ter" not many years ago. But the
statistical work on the corn crops rests
upon substantial and visible founda-
ton, not upon theories. The unprece-
dented corn crop is a double result 1t
is a combination of increased corn
acreage and of the best average yield
since Red Legs and Border RufianS
contended for supremacy, two genera
lions back.
Township assessors feed the Kansas
thirst for figures. Last March they re-
ported that the land to be planted to
corn would be Z ,0S9, 299 acres. But when
the farmers came to examine their
wheat fields they found them so badly
damaged that thousands turned under
the worst of the wheat and put in corn.
June showed that the corn acreage was
s 1924, $50
The average yield of corn in fair
years is from twenty-five to thirty five
&c 1aI n a or al faf
six bushels for the whole state is con-
sidered all that farmers have a right
to expect from their fields. That means
a 100 per cent crop. This year the GER
tainty is an average of forty bushels.
with something over if the conditions
should continue as favorable as they
have been. In making up the latest
information from correspondents in eV-
cry county, the state officials see that
they indicate the amazing average of
forty-fOur bushels to the acre. That.
with the increased acreage, would give
a crop Of 1852 600, 900 bushels. So it ap-
pears that that 100000, 900 is the min
imum estimate. and that the actual re-
turns may go many millions more.
''Heaped up, pressed down and run
ming over" describes the measure of
prosperity which the 300, O00, 900 bushels
of corn means to Kansas. One of the
Oldest farmers and cattle feeders of
Kansas. living at Randall, in the fam
GUS corn county Of Jewell said today:
I have been in the state thirty years,
L Z
be in the condition they are now. Here
tOfOre when have contracted for corn
or for cattle or for hogs the farmer
has wanted his money as early as pos
sible. He has not been able or willing
to wait until the crop was delivered or
the stock sold. This year. as I make
contracts, I give checks. I notice that
in most instances the farmer waits nm
til he is going to town for something
else. Then he takes the check to the
bank and leaves it to be credited to his
account"
At COncordia two nights ago nearly
100 corn buyers and elevator men met
to talk about business and the CROP
Inquiries Of many of them showed a
belief was general that a larger pro-
portion of the crop than ever before
would not find its way to market this
year. The farmers, these local buyers
said, were able to crib the corn and
hold 1t until next year, and they would
do 1t. Mr. F. p. Lint, one of the travel
ing men for Greenleaf & Baker, who
had been all over northern Kansas
said that half of the crop would remain
in the hands Of the farmers not the
spectators. His opinion was indorsed
by score of other travelling men and
elevator managers.
What viii the 800. 900 bushels be
Worth 70 the men who have produced it?
All eeIloI some distance east of Kansas
I eLltly suggested IhaC corn would be so
cheap as the result of the great crop. the
farmers would use much of it for fuel
1AeIe may De some remote quarter sec
ton where farmer will figure that it is
less AdooH 70 SIT Dy the stove and shove in
ears of corn than to go to town and trade
that corn for coal. Corn fuel was once a
Tact IN Kansas @. w. Maffitt ran the
Anthony Republican day on corn fuel
and found it cost him just 75c. When Col
Jim Legate went to Washington to tell
committee of congress how much a deep
water harbOr the gulf would mean IL
Kansas as an outlet for her products. he
was asked by southern member:
rs il a fact, Col. Legate, that the ma
iority. of Kansas farmers burn corn for
fueI?''
well sir" said Col. Legate. with that
air of serious elaboration which became