Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-10-07
THURSDAY. OCTOBER Z. 1909.
wHEAT RAsT AND WEsT.

WHEAT EAST AND WEST.
There is great satisfaction among
the farmers Of Pennsylvania over the
fact THAI this years wheat crop In
that state Is in excess Of 25,OOO,OOO
bushels. For a state whose enter
prises are chiefly industrial, rather
than agricultural, the figures GER
tainIy are impressive and gratifying.
They signify that Pennsylvania is
still one Of the ten or twelve greatest
wheat-producing states Of the Union.
The rising interest in the question
Of wheat aroused by the prediction
OF Mr.. James J. Hill and other ex-
perts, that in years not far distant
we shall be importing, instead OF ex-
porting that staple, naturally sug-
gests an inquiry as to our sources
Of wheat supply. The results OF q
review Of that aspect Of the situation
are both surprising and encouraging.
we are accustomed to regard the
new states Of the West as our prin-
cipal resources of wheat. Tho fact
Is, however, that considerably more
than so per cent Of the entire wheat
crop of 1907, estimated in round
numbers at $4,000, 900 bushels, was
grown in fifteen Of the older states
east Of the Mississippi their gross
yield being placed at SS2,OOO,OOO
bushels.
Certain comparisons which these
figures invite are highly instructive,
Taking the year 1907 as the basis
Of calculation, 1t appears that Penn
sylvania with SO,OOO,OOO bushels,
produced more than three times as
much wheat as Oklahoma, twice as
much as Oregon and four times as
much as Iowa. New York, with only
1000, 900 bushels, raised more than
Montana and Wyoming put together,
and Virginia, with 5000 900 bushels,
equaled Colorado and more than dou-
bled Utah, while little Delaware, with
only 1000 900 bushels, equaled the
big state OF Texas. Ohio produced
1000 900 bushels, or 100000
more than Missouri, her crop surpass-
ing the combined yield Of Oklahoma,
Arkansas, Montana, Wyoming, Colo
RADIO, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and
Nevada. Illinois, with 10000, 1000
bushels, ranked fifth among the
states in wheat growing, being sur
passed only by Minnesota, with 67s-l
100000 bushels; Kansas, with e5,-
OO0, 900; North Dakota with IS ,OO0,-
900, and Nebraska with l5,OO0,O00.
DeductIng the sS2,OO0,OOO bushels
produced by the four leading states
from the total crop Of 6S4,O00, 900
bushels in 1907, there was left to-
tai Of 402, 900, 900 bushels for the
other forty-two states, and Of that
total remainder all but 10000, 900 |
bushels came from fifteen states east
Of the Mississippi. Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Maryland and |
Michigan produced total exceeding |
1875, 100000 bushels, or more than
rs per cent Of the entire crop.
Several conclusions are deducible
from these figures. The most i'm
portant is that Pennsylvania and the
states lying on the eastern slopes of
the Mississippi valley contain vast
areas Of the most productive wheat
lands on the continent, the output
Of which must continue to be power
full and beneflcent factor in the ma
TONS food problem. Another is that
the farmers Of the new states Of the
West are by no means getting as
much wheat from their soil as they
should. The average for the whole
country in 1907 was only II bushels
per acre. It should have been at
least 20, II not rs. In Pennsylvania
this year the average is only II,
when, with proper methods, 1t should
have not been less than 80,