The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-23
Mr.. Coburn Places Condition at
Eighty-Ei Per Cent.
Decrease in Acreage Is Four
Hundred Thousand.
INSECT PESTS ARE FEW
Crop Is Least Promising in the
Eastern Section.
Only a Small Percentage Will
Be PlOwed Up.

DO Il lOHeU Up
Secretary F. D. Coburn this morning |
issued his spring bulletin on wheat,
which is of the utmost Importance at
this time of sky high prices and the
rampages of Patten and other bulls in
the market centers OF the country. Ac
cording to the Kansas prophet there
are six million acres of wheat standing
in Kansas, a decrease of 100000 acres
under that of last year at this time.
The condition of this wheat averages
SS05 per cent out of a possible 100, and
about five per cent will be plowed up.
Secretary Coburn sums up the wheat
situation for Kansas by declaring that
the state has a vast area of prospecting
wheat safely past the perils of winter
but not SO far advanced as usual for
the time of year. The fields are re-
markedly free from insects. 1t is in
the eastern and southeastern portions
of the state that the wheat Is in the
poorest condition. The following is the
Coburn report in detail, based on the
situation as it appeared April II:
Indications last fall pointed to a
smaller wheat sowing than in the year
before, and reports now show that the
area sown Appropriated for the state
6.424, 900 acres a decrease of nearly 6
per cent. or 40S,236 acres. OF the total
area it is reported that about per
cent will probably be plowed up, leaV-
ing 100000 acres standing, on which
the condition averages 8S.05 per cent.
100 representing a good average stand
and satisfactory development.
On account of dry weather last fall
sowing was delayed in many localities,
and considerable of the wheat now
abandoned was that planted unusually
late. Damage in the western two
thirds of the state. covering the more
important wheat counties, was mostly
from winds. In some of this territory
lack of moisture later was also a fac
tor, as it was in a portion of the east
ern counties. In the eastern part of
the state the greatest depreciation is
found, owing to winds, alternate
freezing and thawing, and a soil
continuously too wet in several of
the southeastern counties, and it
is in the eastern three tiers, and a
half-dozen or more of the southwest
ern counties, that the larger percent
ages of areas will probably be plowed
up. The smaller percentages reported
as likely to be abandoned are, as a
rule, in the foremost wheat producing
counties In fact, thirty counties each
with $4,000 acres or over of growing
wheat, and aggregating 3,943.379 acres,
or nearly So per cent of the states win
ter wheat area, have an average condi-
ton of 1871, more than a point and half
above the average for the whole. Ex-
cepting the three northwestern coun-
ties of Decatur, RaWlins and Thomas,
these thirty counties comprise a block
of those more centrally located. 1t is
in these, too, where the plant is quite
uniformly reported thriftiest, al
though the outlook in a number of
other counties of lesser prominence as
to acreage is equally as good and in
some possibly better Replying to the
query Are present soil conditions fav-
orable for vigorous growth?" sixty
eight counties, mostly in the eastern
and western portions Of the state re-
port Yes" thirty-two principally in
the central third average Fair" and
five say NO" including the important
wheat counties of Sumner, Harper and
Lincoln. The more or less recent gen.
eral rains. however will doubtless ma
terially improve conditions throughout.
Hence, II appears that Kansas has a
vast area of prospecting wheat safely
past the perils of winter, and while it's
growth is probably not so far advanced
as usual at the time Of year, owing to
late sowing and the protracted cool
threshold of the growing season I'M
der encouraging circumstances.
A week earlier than now, last year.
the average condition for the state was
ola. and the crop was 76,40S, 900 bushels.
Three years ago it was S9.5. and the
yield aggregated more than 1000, 900
bushels. The highest condition report
ed now. 90. is in Edwards county, Clark
lowing Rocks with 90 and Comanche,
Pratt, Sherman, Mitchell, Saline. OF
tawa and Butler with 95 each. while
the lowest is 56 in Lyon. The counties
with the least promising prospects are
among those of the eastern third of
the state south of the Kansas river.
Perhaps at no similar time in any
former season have the fields been so
generally free from insects, and these
pests are referred to only by an occa-
sional correspondent in six or seven
counties. In no case, however, are
these mentioned by more than one out
of several reporters in each of these
counties. except three in Harper and
four in Sumner who noticed the
Hessian fly and one or two the green
bug" and but for the vigilance of one
Sumner reporter the presence of the
chinch bug in the 100000 acres OF
Kansas wheat would have escaped de-
lection.
The table below shows by counties
the probable area OF winter wheat sowr
in each last fall. the per cent estima
ted plowed up, and the per cent of pres
ent condition Chased on 1000 for the re
mainder: