The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-10
| GREATEST YEAR.
s 'cretary COburn Awards Agri-
cultural Honors to 1908.
Value of Farm Products and
Live Stock $475, ga ,S31.
FINE WHEAT SHOWING
Forty Per Gem Greater Crop
Than for Past 90 Years.
King Corn Still Reigns-CrOp
Worth Over SO Millions.
FINE WHEAT SHOWING


board of agriculture has issued his
last final crop report for the year as
follows:
Alphabetically this has been Kan
sas' greatest year, and in no proceed
ing twelve months have the returns
from the farms been so great in value.
While as a whole yields were credit
able compared with those of former
| seasons, the unparalleled showing of
values this year must be attributed in
large measure to the high prices that
prevailed for wheat and corn espec-
tally.
This years farm products and live
stock reach the unprecedented value
of $475,244S31, or $11. 596,224 in ex-
cess of the best prior year, which was
| 1907. The value of the field crops, on
| slightly diminished areas, was more
by $24.O75,651 than on those of last
year. A heavy decrease is recorded IN
the value of the products of live stock,
! the single item of animals slaughtered
$S,447,O0O. In the aggregate the live
stock on hand was worth practically
the same as in the year preceding.
The field crops of this year We're
those of the years of 1898 and 1894
combined, and the total value of
all farm products is 90 per cent great
err than the average for the twenty
years endlnS with 1SUG-
| Wheat.
The Kansas crop of winter and
| spring wheat in 1908 aggregated 49,
| SOS,922 bushels, from $3.50, 1851 acres
sown, and was worth on the farms
| $63,SS5,145. Although the area was
less than that of last year by 295,-
| 932 acres, this years yield excels by
2,653,227 bushels; it is 40 per cent
greater than the average of the pre-
ceding twenty years. and is 3,74S,00O
bushels more than the average for the
ten years ending with 1907, decade
in which the largest five of the states
wheat crops were raised. - 1t is the
most valuable wheat crop ever pro-
duced by Kansas, and rated worth ST.
O97634 more than that of 1907, which
ranks second The average value per
bushel this year was above SS cents,
the highest since 1881. 1t is sugges-
tive of the present day advantages OF
the Kansas farmers situation, that
according to the official records the
wheat of 1908 was worth over twen-
ty million dollars more than was re-
ceived by the growers for their com
bined crops of the four years from
1898 to 1896 inclusive, from an area
of 17,4S1,463 acres Sown. The crop
this year is sixth in volume, and, ex-
cepting 1905 bushels of the spring
varieties, it is all winter wheat This
wears spring wheat area shows anoth-
er decrease; the crop was practically
a failure. especially in those half
dozen or so of the northwestern coun-
ties where it is grown with more or
less persistency, and where three
fourths or more of this years sowing
was the remainder being distributed
most in Insignificant areas through
various other counties.
Final returns show the. total yield
of winter wheat to be 2,802.5 $50 bush,
els more than indicated by the pre-
Iiminary estimate made by the boards
correspondents in August. Thirty
oil hut n
third of the state, raised one million
or more bushels each, and their
aggregate is 10 per cent of the states
entire CROP Eight counties raised two
ing with 4.251,24S bushels, followed,
although remotely, by Pawnee with
297O.436 bushels. The better aver
age yields were in the counties of the
northeastern and central portions.
Nemaha reporting 20 bushels, which
was the highest. The lowest yields
were reported from the western and
southe astern counties, and in some of
these the wheat amounted to almost
nothing.
Indications point to a smaller area
soWn to winter wheat this fall than
year ago, but owing to the fact that
sowing was still in progress in many
localities at the time OF making this
canvass. no figures are available that
can be said to reliably represent the
situation. In many portions of the
state sowing WAS IdIe,
ly on account of dry weather, which
delayed blowing and planting. A
month ago correspondents estimated
the condition of the growing wheat at
S. compared with 100 entirely
satisfactory, and the quite general
rains and SHOWS since have made pos
sible every material improvement.
Corn.
The total yield of corn this year
was 150,640,516 bushels. from 1881 |
535 acres and, appraised at its home |
value by those who grew it, was worth |
$50 642.461. Although ranking |
fifteenth in aggregate yield, it is first
in value. 1t exceeds by $4,320,S0S I
the worth of the corn of 1902, which |
has stood as the most valuable hereto |
fore. While only 24S,523 acres |
greater in area than last years, this |
years corn was worth $19,601,71S I
more-a difference in excess of the |
value of all the Kansas crops in 1907, |
barring wheat, corn, kafir corn and |
hay. The average yield per acre this
year is Approximately the same as a |
year ago, but the price per bushel in |
1908 averages more than IL cents or |
26.6 per cent higher. In fact in only |
one year in a third of a century has