The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-13
THE WHEAT CROP.

While the average condition Of the
growing wheat crop for the state IS not
as great as might be wished, judging
from the recent crop report Of Secretary
Coburn, the situation is not as bad as
it might be, by any means
About fifteen or sixteen counties in
the wheat belt have comparatively poor
wheat. The area Of bad wheat is in
the shape of an inverted cone, the base
Of which is composed of the four north
ern counties of Smith. Phillips, Norton
and Decatur, and the apex OF which is
Ford county A great deal of wheat
has been plowed up in these counties,
and what remains is in poor condition.
The worst appears to prevail in Trego
and Ellis counties, where the yield will
perhaps not be greater than five or six
bushels per acre on the remaining acre
age. In Graham and Rocks county the
yield may be slightly better. yet a large
amount of wheat has been plowed up
for other crops Decatur county will
probably yield between seven and eight
bushels per acre and Ness about the
same. Norton. Phillips. Smith, Osborne.
Sheridan, Cove, Lane, and HOdgeman
ought to yield eight bushels or a little
better, Rush about nine, and Ford about
ten.
These comprise the area Of the worst
damage. and all but Cove. Lane and
Hodgeman have been million bushel
counties heretofore.
Then there are about half a dozen
counties just east Of these that have
suffered some damage, but which viii
still harvest great deal of wheat.
A
worth. Saline, Barton and Pawnee, which
ought to harvest from twelve to thirteen
bushels per acre. Rice county is a
trifie better
There are a dozen or more counties
which viii harvest a good average crop,
according to present indications, rang
ing from fourteen to sixteen bushels per
acre. These counties include Pratt. Ed
wards Stafford. Mcpherson, Marion.
Kingman, Dickinson. Ottawa, Clay.
Cloud, Mitchell, Jewell, Republic, Wash
ington and Marshall The four last
named are not million bushel coun-
ties,'' but they raise considerable wheat.
It is the south central portion Of the
state that will bring up the total wheat
production Of Kansas. Here are a num-
Der of the biggest wheat counties Of the
state: Reno, Sedgwick and Harvey have
an excellent crop. while along the Okla
homa border, in Sumner, Harper, Cow
ley and Barber counties, conditions are
the best for years at this season.
The encouraging feature of the
wheat map is that the poor crop this
year falls where the people are. as a
rule. well prepared to stand it. The
northwest is exceedingly prosperous,
and besides that it does not depend on
wheat. It raises corn. alfalfa and feed
crops in abundance, and even if wheat
is short the farmers are prepared to
make money as a rule.
An unusual feature of the situation
is that the extreme western counties
have far better wheat than those a
hundred miles farther east. In Raw
Inns conditions are better than in any
county west of Jewell. and the acreage
Is large. Thomas county ought to
have fourteen bushels per acre on
nearly $4,000 acres, and in Logan the
wheat is still better, but the acreage Is
not SO large. All along the Colorado
border present conditions indicate a
yield of from fourteen to seventeen
bushels, but of course the acreage is
small in most counties. The wheat
belt is extending to the southwest,
however. Meade county. for instance,
has nearly three times the acreage it
had in 1903, and it will probably have
ten times as much wheat as it had
two years ago.
Another encouraging feature at
present is that the price is steadily ad-
vancing and is likely to continue to do
so for a time. Conditions elsewhere
warrant the belief that the price Of
wheat will be good the coming fall;
and an average crop at good prices is
better financially than a bumper crop
at low prices. particularly if the quail
ity is first class.