The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-22
Condition Of Winter Wheat De-
clined Since April
According to Secretary Coburn's
June Crop Report.
CORN is DOING WELL
Condition So and Prospects for
Largest Crop Since 1892.
Acreage and Crop Conditions
Summed Up by Counties.

| Secretary Coburn's Kansas crop re-
port for June shows a decline of six
| teen points in the condition of winter
wheat since his April report. In spite
of this fact the secretary's predictions
are optimistic. Corn and the other
grains and grasses are in splendid
condition. While weather conditions
were unfavorable in the early spring
the commencement of summer
brought plenty of rain and Kansas
| farmers are expecting another year
| or prosperity. At this time last year
the condition of wheat was 1898 per
| cent and the total yield last year was
| over rs million bushels. AS the cond-
ton this year is practically the same
is reasonable to predict the same
yield, but the secretary does not at
tempt to do so in his report. Except
| ing last year the condition of wheat is
higher at this time this year than it
has been since 1905.
Mr.. Coburn's report on wheat,
corn. oats and grasses as follows:
| Winter wheaton, the states
| probable 100000 acres of winter
wheat reported by correspondents as
| likely to be harvested, the condition
averages 1928 per cent, a decline of
| nearly 16 points since the boards re-
| port of two months ago. in April
| One year ago the general average for
the state was 1928; about two weeks
earlier in 1907. 56.7; in 1906. 7o.5.
| and in 1906, III. Following the
April report. unfavorable conditions
| for some time, mostly due to lack of
moisture. caused quite general
| abundant rains throughout nearly all
portions of the state the outlook was
materially changed for the better.
Many. fields previously thought
worthless responded wonderfully to
the improved conditions, and con-
siderable areas will be cut that at
one time did not promise to Justify
4 harvesting. In many neighborhoods
the straw has not attained a normal
growth, compelling somewhat ex-
tended use of the header in harvest
ing, but this will be rather to the ad-
/ vantage of the grower in handling
Il and threshing the crop. The length
of the straw is of no especial i'm
portance so long as the heads are
sufficiently high for the reaper. The
feature of overshadowing Importance
| is the condition of the heads, and re-
porterS are unanimously agreed that
! they are filing in most satisfactory
way. many celebrating their replies
with such expressions as extra
| good" ''best in years, never bet
ter in the main promising credit
able yields of superior quality. Har-
| vesting has begun in some portions
| of the more southern counties, and
with favoring weather it may be ex-
| pected to progress rapidly.
| The best conditions are reported
| from the northeastern quarter of the
state, the highest average. 96. being
| in Washington county; its neighbors.
| Cloud, having "a. and Marshall and
| Pottawatomie SO each, and Shawnee
with SO following. Ness and Lane
have the lowest averages, or 3S for
each. and the least promising con-
| ditions are found among the counties
| of the western half of the state no.
ticeably among these being the
| prominent wheat counties of Decatur,
with an average of A, Sheridan 81.
| Ellis So, Osborne 56, Smith 81 and
! Hodgeman 5s. While the decline has
been more or less general. it is pleas
| ing to note that the outlook in the
| largely important wheat counties OF
Sumner and Dickinson is improved
! over that of April. Sumner having
advanced points since then, Cloud
points and Dickinson 8.
The 1909 assessors returns from
| thifty-nine counties, which include
several of the main wheat growers.
show an area sown aggregating 2S0,-
ST. acres less than the year before,
which is even smaller than the cor
respondents estimated earlier in the
| season. This would suggest that the
states actual wheat acreage is pos
sibly smaller than previously in
dicated.
Corn-Judging from the 1909 off,
cial returns of the thirty-nine coun-
ties. it would appear that Kansas
suggesting the largest area since 1899.
| The total paintings in these. among
which are a dozen of the foremost
| corn counties. amount to 222,19S
acres, or 11.44 per cent more than last
year. Calling a satisfactory growth
and stand 100, the general average of
the state for its growing corn is SS-
the highest of any year since 1902 at
similar times. Except perhaps the
single exception of Sherman, where
the soil is entirely too wet corn is
quite uniformly prosperous In fact.
about the only condition that at all
represses the enthusiasm of the corn
grower is too much moisture In many
localities, notably in those of the CEN
trail counties adjoining and lying
within a radius of Sixty-f1ve miles of
Ellsworth. Similar conditions have
prevailed in twenty or twenty-five
others, mostly in the eastern third of
ties, which are largely In the majority,
report weather and soil excellent for
the growth and cultivation of corn.
However. at the present stage of the
plants growth and the time of year,
a soil 'too wet may in Kansas be
considered advantageous rather than
otherwise for the corn grower, for
creasing warmth, beneficial results
seem well nigh a certainty. Crawford
county has the highest average condi-
ton, 81; Cove next with 90; Jewell,
the premier corn producer; Coffey,
Clark and Jackson follow with e5
each. and the lowest is Sc for Sher-
man.
Oats-Reports indicate that more
oats was sown this year than in 1908,
and the average condition on the
whole is IS. Those having the larger
areas in oats are eastern counties.