Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-14
OF KANSAS
TAKES ISSUE WITH
SECRETARY WILSON
Declares 1912 Wheat Crop
viii Not Be Small and That
Reports Sent Out Are Very
Misleading

Especial Dispatch to The Journal.)
KANSAS CITY, Mo, May 11.-wheat
is the most important and most widely
diffused of the cereals and the premier
breadstuff; hence there is universal
interest in il from seedtime to harvest
A small wheat crop means dear bread.
ing to F. D. Coburn, Kansas state sec
rotary of agriculture.
One disturbing and altogether too in
fiuential factor constantly tending 70
uneasiness and disturbance in the mar
kets in certain seasons of the year il
the continuous stream of reports by So
called crop EEK perts," apparently en-
ployed by certain interests to travel
about in the agricultural states and
use the wires. the mails and the news
papers to help spread a cloud of pes.
simism. wet blanket. so to speak, over
the entire growing crop situation.
TOO MANY, PESsIMIsTS
Mr.. Coburn says: at is notable that
these parties have never before been 50
Industrious, so acute, so ingenious in
their methods and so liberal with their
testimony as they are this spring,
Seemingly they report with the sans
facility for territory they traverse on
limited trains in the night as they
fields at high noon, microscope in hand
mo person can ride over the 3d.
600, 900 acres OF Kansas to scan and es-
innate the prospect of the seven and
half million acres that were sown to
wheat last fall. 1t would be a physical
impossibility in the first place, and in
the second place if he could cover. the
ground il would be at such a rapid
pace that his findings would be of no
value.
Furthermore. when the expert.
makes his visitation he steers for the
bad spots TO learn of the damage.
rather than the counties of most prom
Use Hence, the apostles of woe see only
the poorest kind. that too often 1t
seems, is what they are seeking.
There are inspectors who have -
real desire to know the actual grain
conditions who take the time to make
bona fide inspections and whose reports
are based on what was actually seen,
bunt their showings being more con-
but their showings being more con-
sentative and less sensational, are
less potential in speculative circles than
those that breathe deva station and de-
struction.
KANSAS CROPS.
when timely showers and sunshine
have put the fields aglow with a COM
ing prosperity rot to be repressed 9TH
erwise, the public may expect to read
in the near future Of fierce eruptionss
Of green bugs ehinch bugs, Hessiar
flies. army worms and whatever other
media may be deemed most effectively
alarming for the purposes sought.
so far as Kansas and Nebraska,
the principal points of the great win
body disputes that there are counties
body disputes that there are cvounties
where an unfavorable fall or winter.
or both. have caused severe damage;
others that are damaged, but less Sc
verely, and many others where condi-
tions are wel1-night perfect There iS
no reason whatever to suppose thai
out of all this there may not be vast
aggregate of wheat.
May first the Kansas department.
reported, after thorough canvass.
that we had more than 100000 acres
Of growing winter wheat that would be
left standing (one-ifth of all in the
United States). with an average condi-
ton of S1.2 per cent.
"A report at this time Of the year on
winter wheat can only comprehend
stand, growth and condition. To some
it may indicate probable yields; 1t
would TO all if we could know that
present conditions were to continue
until after harvest.
Some history illustrates the fulfil
ity of guesses based on ante-harvest
DAYS. In April, 1911. the acreage OF
Kansas winter wheat left standing
was 5,s3O.O0O, with condition Of 1884
the yield was 5O,704,67S bushels,
I'm April, 1910, on 4.5S2.O00 acres
the condition was rs. and in November
the yield was found to exceed 10000
600 bushels.
Now note the contrast:
I'm 1910, with a smaller acreage and
a lower condition in April, there was
crop 100000 bushels greater than In
1911, when the April acreage and con-
dition was considerably higher"