The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-21
WHEAT GOES OFF.
Condition s9.5 and Acreage
Less Than in 1905.
Important Crop Report Issued
By Cobnrn Today.
PLOWs HAVE BEENBUSY
Ten Per Cent Of December
Acreage PlOwed Up.
Remaining Wheat Is of Good
Color and Thrifty.

#. D. Coburn's wheat report issued
this morning at 10 o'clock shows the
condition of the crop on April Is to be
s9.5 per cent. The United States gov
eminent wheat report on Kansas. some
days ago showed a percentage of IS,
and the report issued by the Kansas
Grain Dealers association last week
showed 90 per cent. The Coburn re
port is regarded by experts as much
the best Of the three. as the sources Of
Information are more extensive.
1t is shown in the report that 10 per
cent of the acreage reported in De
cember has been plowed up leaving
$4,000 acres. Last year the acreage
was 5,s35, 287. SO there is q decrease in the
acreage this year Of half q million
acres. But. as Mr.. Coburn says: This
remaining $50 900 acres itself consti-
tutes a mighty field of wheat, and the
quite general recent rains closely fol-
lowing previous SHOWS are strongly en-
couraging to its vigor and Develop
ment."
Mr.. Coburn's reports show that the
DAMAGED wheat is chiefly in a strip 80
miles in width and 100 miles in length,
including the u counties Of Philips,
Norton, Decatur, Sheridan Graham,
Rocks, Ellis, Trego, Cove, Lane, Nes@
and Rush. The wheat in the eastern
half of the state is in generally better
condition than in the western half.
The following is the report in full:
s'The Kansas State Board Of Agrt-.
culture today issues a report based on
q careful canvass Of the growing win
ter wheat situation IN practically
every neighborhood, as returned by
the wheat growers themselves after
critical examination Of their fields on
Wednesday, April Is.
Last years winter wheat area was
6.S36,237 acres; in December the
growers reported the sowing for this
years crop as probably somewhat
larger, and approximating 100000
acres. OF this it is now reported that
nearly 10 per cent has been ptoWed
up or its wheat estimated as Of no
value. The condition of the remand
er averages for the state S9-5 per cent,
as against the states averages Of 95-4
in 1905. S3.5 in 1904. 97.8 in 1903. and
"A In 1902. at about the same dates.
Last December the general average for
the states growing wheat was S0.4.
This remaining $4,000 acres itself
constitutes d mighty field of wheat,
and the quite general recent rains
closely following previous SHOWS are
strongly encouraging to its vigor and
development
SOIL Conditions Favorable.
Responding to the query Are
present soil conditions favorable for
vigorous growth q the replies for
every county are almost without a
single exception Yes The wheat is
uniformly backward and small for the
time of year, but in the main Of good
color and thrifty. Seventeen counties
report average conditions of 100 or
better. and At report conditions rang
ing between so and 100 which makes
"a counties with conditions Of 80 or
above Twenty-eight have range be-
tween so and go The highest report
ed for any one county is 107 in Har-
per and the better prospects are In
variabIy found in the eastern half of
the state; % of the SO counties in the
eastern quarter report not an acre to
be plowed up. No injury from insects
is suggested by even one reporter.
Considerable areas in some of the
more prominent wheat producing
counties have been p1owed up or
abandoned, due principally to lack of
reasonable moisture and to winds
blowing the soil from the wheat's
roots Notably does this apply to a
block of the states area 80 miles in
width, measuring westward from the
northeastern corner of Phillips county
and extending southwark leo miles
from the same point, embracing the
- counties Of Phillips, Norton. De
catur. Sheridan, Graham, Rocks, Ellis,
IregO, Cove Lane, Ness and Rush.
0LDer
counties were similarly affected. espe-
cially In Hodgeman, Osborne and Stat
ford, and In lesser degree in Russell,
Lincoln Saline, Ellsworth Barton
Rice Edwards and Pawnee. The area
cl wheat In the counties named ae-
Ere8ated z,41s. 464 acres, or over 40
per csnt Of the total area sown last
faA Tor the state, and of this 20 per
cent has been abandoned or plowed
UP. In the majority of these counties
the general circumstances last fall
were not propitiOus for sowing, ger
raination and growth, and this situa-
ton, with later unfavorable develop
ments. was not materially improved
this spring until too late. While
among these are also reported the less
encouraging prospects, their growing
present excellent conditions Of soil and
weather, although much is late and
small and in many fields of thin stand
Large Corn Acreage Expected
The late. cool wet spring has de-
layed all spring work and has retard-|
ed or III many instances DISCOURAGED
the sowing OF oats and hence a some
what larger acreage in corn is ex-
pected- This is true especially in the
main corn growing counties in the
eastern third Of the state, and likely
much Of the plowed up wheat fields
especially in the block of twelve wheat
counties before referred to, will also
be devoted to corn.
The table below shows by counties
the probable area of winter wheat
sown in each last fall, the per cent
estimated plowed up, and the per cent
or present condition Chased on 1000
Tor the remainder:
Condition
TlunFa h1es T,e-,...s4