The Mena weekly star., 1908-09-03
4 BIG WHEAT CROP
KANSAS PRODUCED AN OUTPUT PLACED AT sEvENTY-THREE
 MILLION BUSHELS.
MORE WHEAT THAN RAISED IN 1907
Corn Crop Now Placed at 69.7--Largcr Acreage Than Last Year--Northeast Portion of State Raised Best Wheat Some Wheat Damaged--Heavy Rains Hurt the Corn Some.

Topeka, Aug. 29-Kansas produced more wheat this year than in 1907 and the indications are that the corn pro- duction will be about the same as last year, acreage and condition being con sidered together. This is the conclu- sion to be drawn from the crop report issued by F. D. Coburn, secretary of the Kansas board of agriculture.
 Kansas will produce 73,500,00 bush- els of winter wheat this year, close to 500,000 bushels more than in 1907, but much less than in 1906. The corn condition is reported at 6S.7, lower than for several years at this time, but the larger acreage indicates that the crop will be about the same as last year. possibly larger.
 In the report MT. Coburn says:
 Winter Wheat-Estimates of corres- pondents last fall indicated the area sown to winter wheat would approximate 4,97S,- o0oacres. Returns of assessors for each Of the 105 counties which, in two or thre6 instances may be slightly amended after further investigations, show that the area actually sown in the fall of 1907 was 6,S34 800 acres, or 143 200 acres less than correspondents reported, and smaller by 2170S2 acres than the area of the pre- vious year. Easing the average yield per acre on the entire area sown. Kansas Is now credited with yield of winter wheat in 1908 of "a, ,606, 900 bushels by those who have grown and are threshng and mar keting it. But portion has been threshed and 1t and returns when threshing has been completed show a situation some what different, hence the figures will be subject to such final revision, up or down, as developments warrant. By this show ing the years output is 372,000 bushels more than that of 1907 and 19 per cent less than the crop of 1906 The bulk Is reported as of good. merchantable quail ity," although here and there the berry ts said to be bleached. and in some locali- ties rains did more or less damage to wheat standing In the shock for a con siderable time. It may be said too, that smaller percentage than usual of the wheat was stacked because of the pres sure of other farm work so long delayed in many counties by the well-nigh inces- sant rains.
 In the main the large raverage yields per acre are in the northeastern quarter of the state, the highest yield. 20 bushels, being reported by Republic county; Nemaha and Pottawatomie following with 19 bushels per acre each. Doniphan, Brown and Shawnee each report IS bushels per acre, while Marshall, Riley and Washington coun- ties are each credited with IT bush els. Among the counties having the larger wheat areas Barton and Pratt lead in average yields per acre with 16 bushels each and in aggregate yield Barton is first with 4,251,24S bushels; Ellis remote second, with 1,810,370 bushels; Pawnee third, with 2,758.262 bushels, followed by Stafford with 2,667,300 bushels; Pratt, 2,524,192 bushels. All counties but one in the central third of the state raised 1.000.- 900 bushels or more each and aggre- gated over two-thirds of the states crop.
 The smaller yields are in the coun- ties of the southeastern and western parts of the state and in some of these the crop was practically a failure. Al ter several years of rather surprising increases in the sowings of spring wheat. in some of the western coun- ties especially, it seems that interest In this variety, excepting possibly in a half dozen of those in the northwest ern corner of the state, is diminish Ing in a marked degree, as this years returns show 107000 acres in spring wheat, as against 1S3,401 acres the year before. and 197.044 acres in 1906. Thus the spring wheat industry seems Q be gradually receding to its natural 1 position among the states crops; to he place 1t occupied before the ad- | rent of macaroni wheat into Kansas. No figures of the spring wheat pro iuction are yet compiled.
 Continuing, MT. Coburn's report iays:
 Corn--Despite the superabundant rain- | all throughout much of the states prin- | ipal corn growing territory, that serious | y interferred with preparations for corn md It's planting, the area Is greater than hat Of 1907 by 243 403 acres, and aggre- ates 7,052, 415 acres The general aver ge condition of this area is 6s7, one hundred representing a good average tand and satisfactory growth. This Is B points lower than the condition last ear at about the same time. and 193 ass than in 1906.