Evening star., 1901-08-10
GREATEST WHEAT CROP KNOWN


Lost in Corn.
From Golfers Weekly.
Corn crop last year. 1.544, 600, 900 bushels;
corn crop this year, 1000 900 bushels.
Here is the denouement in figures of the
great present story Of the west. To say
that the yield of the greatest American
cereal has this season fallen off one-third
does not convey the fact with nearly as
much emphasis as saying that the corn
fields have given up 5O0,O00O00 bushels less
| than last year. The Importance of the case
to farmers becomes even more impressive
when put in dollars-the loss in Kansas
alone being estimated at S22o, 100000; in
Missouri at $1O0O00,O00; Nebraska, $350OO,-
600; South Dakota and Minnesota together,
$40, 600 600; Iowa and Illinois, each $50 0OO0,-
600. In other words, there will be over
$4O0, 100000 less cash in the corn belt this
year than last. And this means ruin for
many.
The cause: six weeks of excessive heat,
with its twin calamity drought. In the lat
ter part Of June and through July the tenn
perature in the corn states averaged Ger
one hundred degrees. Streams ran dry.
Fields that were green became brown. The
| whole region was baked, as in furnace.
The corn was fairly cooked in the husk,
the stalks were fired and the tassels burned
to a crisp. With the end of July rain fell,
but too late. The much-prayed-for down.
pour blessed only a portion of the crop.
Wheat to the Rescue.
But the law of compensation failed not.
And wheat was its prophet. While only
two-thirds of a corn crop was harvested,
the very conditions that caused the short
age In the one product made possible the
greatest winter wheat harvest In the his
tory of agriculture. The largest wheat
crop in past years was that of 9S-6i5OUo,-
coo bushels. The total wheat crop for this
yeaf-and these figures are compiled from
1,500 reports from as many different sec
tions of the wheat belt-will be 600
bushels, of which 3O0,OO0,OO0 are spring"
and 425 600 600 are winter wheat.
Kansas, the greatest sufferer in corn, will
produce the largest wheat crop-probably
100, 600 900 bushels, the largest in even this
kingdom of wheat. And the story of Kan
sas wheat is interesting.
This year Kansas wheat If sold at the
average price of 60 cents a bushel, would
give to every man, woman and child in
the United States not less than 81 per cap
ita. If placed in box cars on single track
the wheat of Kansas. If expectations are
realized, would this year make train
reaching from Wichita to New York. If
every farmer in Kansas raised the same
amount of wheat and it was sold at the
average price, the farmers wealth per
capita would increase $l,OOO, and increase
the wealth of the states population $50 per
head. The yield of wheat in Kansas for
the last three years has brought enough
money into the state to plaster its entire
area with twO-dollar bills.
Beginning in the latter part of May and
extending into July the wheat belt of this
state is the scene Of thrilling excitement.
One can scarcely imagine the income of the
Kansas farmer to be 100000 day for
the thirty days of the wheat harvest; but
such is the case. They grow rich. as it
were, at the rate of 81 600 minute. But
they forget all this, and are even pessi-
mistic until after the yellow grain has been
placed behind the doors OF their granaries.
Harvest Hands From Everywhere.
In harvest time every train coming into
Kansas is filled with so-called harvest
hands, although vast majority of them
never saw a wheat field.
These workers come from every walk in
life and from every part Of the country.
The professional tramp. out for his summer
outing, comes and spends a few days quit
| ting when he is most needed. The city man
comes and does turn for exercise. But
among the small army of hands great
number will stick it out; and these return
with hundred dollars or more for their
| trouble
Harvest hands receive 81 day for their
| labor. If they are required to work at
| night they are paid for double time And
when these imported helpers fail to handle
! the crop and fall out on account Of the
| heat, then the Kansas girl comes forward
| and finishes the job. She is used to the
work, and the fields have no terrors for
her. This year 1900 men have been i'm
| ported, so there is little chance of short
age but If such should happen, the Kansas
| girl stands ready to take her place where
she did last year and save the wheat.
Expenses in the Field.
In the western part of the state the
yield this year will probably average six
| teen bushels per acre. There is no plowing
no drilling, no binding to pay for
and hence the expenses Of handling wheat
| in that section Is much less than elsewhere
| seldom running over So an acre. This
| leaves about So an acre clear profit. In
other parts of the state the cost of wheat
raising is as follows: Flowing and harrow
| ing. 81; seeding and drilling, $1.50; cutting
| $1.25; threshing twenty-five bushels per
I acre.. 81 10; hauling. 81. so. Total 81. The
profits from an acre bearing twenty-five
bushels would be SIS, or a net profit of S.
The general value Of wheat land is $25
an acre, which yields interest at the rate
of so per cent annually. There are few
| farmers who would consent to accept less
| than 25 per cent profit on their wheat crop
when the value of the land Is considered
| In few other lines Of business In Kansas
are such returns guaranteed.
n&1r& IL