The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-25
Kansas Wheat Crop Suffers
From Wet Weather.
Has Declined to 70 Per Cent
According to COburn.
PROSPECT is GOOD.
Decided Improvement Over a
Few Days Ago.
Rocks County Leads With Aver
age of 80.

The state board of agriculture's re
port Just Used on the states CROWNS
crops. shows the condition up to ane
including June Is. The report is dis
tinctly favorable in the face of all tn,
discouraging reports that have beer
spread broadcast by the professional
crop-killers. The report is based
upon the conditions in forty of the
principal wheat counties of the state
On June Is the conditions of the crop.
were placed as follows:
Wheat, 1898.
Corn. 1885.
Oats and grasses, 7S.4s.
Rocks county leads on wheat, re-
porting a condition of SO per cent
Rush is second with so per cent.
Cove county reports a perfect con-
dition for corn, 100 per cent. Ness
reports a condition of 80 per cent.
The report issued by Secretary F. d
Coburn reads:
More or less continuous and Excess
sive rains for the six or seven con-
secutfve weeks preceding this investi-
cation have on the whole undoubted-
" been to the disadvantage of the
farmers. The too abundant rainfall
not only dimini shed the prospects for
the state generally, but IN the valleys
damage and loss from the overlooking
waters amounted to not little. While
Individual losses in the inundated dis
strtcts have been heavy. and are fully
realized, It should be borne in mind
that the flooded areas comprise but a
fraction OF the states aggregates in
crops, and in truth conditions there
have but comparatively small in
fiuence when balanced against the
whole. AS a matter of fact the in
formation assembled by the board as
TO conditions in many OF the counties
was furnished by the growers at a
time when they were most distressed
by foods and incessant rains, and in
such territory the general averages of
all crops given here might. no doubt.
points.
Winter Wheat.
Returns of assessors from 40 coun-
ties nearly half of which are among
the states chief wheat-raisers, and
the last fall estimates of correspond
ents as to winter wheat sown. quite
closely agree. Substituting the Of
fetal figures for the estimates changes
but slightly the total area of winter
wheat reported sown, which approx
mates 100000 acres. In April the
growers estimated but "a per cent as
worthless: now the same reporters
say it amounts to 1927 per cent, OF
about 1,070. 900 acres. This leaves an
area standing of $4,000 acres, and
its present condition averages 1893,
100 representing a satisfactory situa-
ton. This is decline. and on a
diminished area, of over Is points
from the condition reported April 16.
Rocks county is credited with the
highest condition, or SO, followed by
Rush with 90. AS these suggest, the
better prospects generally are in the
central third of the state. with the
poorer conditions in the counties Of the
southeastern corner and those farthest
west and 1t is principally in these
that the larger percentages are re-
ported as worthless; in fact, in six or
eight of the western counties the win
ter wheat seems to be practically
In the spring. These, however, are
not large winter wheat producers. and
several have greater areas of spring
wheat than of the winter varieties.
Only three counties. Pratt. Leaven-
worth and Wyandotte. report no wheat
plowed up or worthless.
Aside from too much water, rust in
some and Hessian fly in more have
contributed to the depreciation OF
wheat conditions in localities more or
less separated.
1t is encouraging to note the agree
ment of reporters that in the leading
wheat yielders the heaeds ave filled
well. although the opposite is the case
in the countless on the Colorado
border. and in those of the eastern
three tiers.
Present weather is quite favorable
for the harvest, which has we'll begun
IN the southern half of the state and Il
rapidly progressing northward.
Corn.
The total corn acreage for the stat.
is not yet known. but judging from
this years assessors official return.
of acreage already received from 4,
counties, including dozen or more o
those foremost in corn production /
would appear that the total plantin,
will be appreciably increased over tina
Of last year. which was 6,so9.o12 acres
Calling satisfactory stand an,
growth 100, the general average condi
ton of the states growing corn is 74.s
per cent or below a normal for tn
time OF year. The general condition
have not been propitious for corn. ow
ing to superabundant moisture in tn
main corn-growing territory which de
layed or prevented planting and cult
walton. In fact, excepting in three @
four western counties, reporters sa
that soil and weather have been un
favorable for working the corn; tina
weeds have made an unusual growth
and much replanting has been neces
sary. In some portions cor
Is now being planted for til
first time this season. Their
is little uniformity in growth {
the different paintings, and much
the lowland corn is of poor color be
cause of water-logged soil. OF cours
all flooded areas planted to corn wi
be late.
Corn Replaces Wheat.
In several of the counties from whic
assessors returns have been receive
IL appears that where any materi;
area of wheat is worthless or plowe
up, considerable portions of this hay
been planted to corn. For instanc
1896 acres of wheat in Sumner cour
ty Is reported worthless, while II
corn area is more by 30.4a3 acres, an
26.036 acres of wheat in Decatur wa
abandoned, with the corn increased 10
1853 acres over the preceding year.
Only one county (Gove. in the we.
parD reports a condition of 100. II
highest; it's neighbor Ness, is ne,