Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-02-18

1Q6 ADVANCE OF hauSdS 10 the LIZ 81
place among the wheat-producing COM
monwealths again calls attention to
the wonderful productiveness of that
State. 1t is also calculated to make
one reflect on the remarkable history
of agricultural experiments by the
Kansas farmers. In the early SOS there
was high-pressure wheat growing, but
it did not reach the volume, nor even
the relative Importance. of the crops
of the last few years. The crop of
1901 aggregated more than 9O,Oo0,ooo
bushels. by far the largest of any
State in the Union. This crop is val
ued at more than $50,000,000:
Wheat raising in Kansas has passed
through many experimental stages. as
has the growing of many other agri-
cultural products. At first it was sup
posed that only spring wheat could
be produced with profit in the State.
This idea was dispelled by the demon
strations of T. C. Henry. known as
the Twheat king" who owned at one
time 10000 acres of land near Abilene.
Henry introduced winter wheat. One
year QS76) he raised more than 2Oo.-
900 bushels, which he sold at about
$1.2O per bushel. He reyolutionized
wheat raising in his State. At present
the spring wheat crop is an lnconsld-
erable item in the total product.
In spite of the fact that Kansas has
led the prairie States in agricultural
deyelopment, and has held the center
of the stage for many years. there have
been times in the experimental pro-
cesses when its people suffered dis
paragement for their foolish and un-
profitable methods. 1t used to be said
that a Kansan would plan anything;
that he had to be shown that a thing
would not grow before he would be-
lieve his State could not produce it.
For example, there are said to be $500
varieties of apples. State reports show
that at least 1000 of these have been
tried in the Sunfower State, many of
them proving utter failures. of course,
but the best varieties being establish
ed through this indiscriminate but con-
elusive method Of demonstration.
A story is told of Secretary MOhler
of the agricultural department that he
once visited the French market in New
Orleans and there for the first time
saw macaroni He was inquisitive
about the curious-looking food prod
to which the article could be put. He
declared that he believed the stuff
would grow in Kansas" and expressed
his determination to try it.
In recent years the Kansas farmers
have learned through their own exper-
iments and through the useful infor-
nation of tile agricultural schools
what crops are best adapted to their
soil and climate, what parts of the
State are best for this or that variety,
when to plant and SOW. how to fight
crop enemies. etc. This practical school
applies to cereals fruits and cattle. 1t
is wholly probable that the present
preference for wheat over corn will be
permanent since it has been demon
strated that as fine winter wheat can
be raised in Kansas as in any other
part of the world and with much more
certainty of success than attends the
raising of corn, says the Kansas City
Star.
1t seems improbable that the world S
wheat supply will become overlarge as
a result of this change in Western
States. The product of the Eastern
States is growing less and less. AS
an illustrations: Two counties in Kan
sas produced this year more than H.
OOO, 900 bushels of wheat-more than
all the New England States and Jer-
sey, Delaware, Alabama, Arkansas
Montana and South Carolina combined