The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-27

boards reporters They show in these
counties more winter wheat sown by
81 900 acres than correspondents had
previously suggested. Using these the
total sown is increased from that given
in April to 693.353 acres. The exact
area will not be known until the re-
turns of all assessors are received and
hence the acreage figures are yet sub
ject to revision. 1t is now estimated by
correspondents that % per cent, or
1887, 621 acres has been so damaged as
| to be plowed UP or abandoned, and the
| average condition on this is 62S7 per
cent, based on 100 as the standard. This
is decline of 26.71 per cent since the
report issued April "a, on an acreage
diminished by nearly 100000 acres,
and is 9.13 points less than reported by
the government for June 1. The aver
age condition of the states wheat at
| similar dates for some previous years
| are: 1855 in 1912: 76 in 1910; 72.3 in 1909
and 1898 in 1908.
| There have been two causes for the
deterioration. viz; deficiency or rainfall
at a time when the wheat was head
| ing or about to head, which applied es-
pecially to the western half or more
of the state, and damage by chinch
| bugs beginning about the same time,
| largely in eastern Kansas. The latter
| is likely to be repeated in other years
until more attention is given to pre-
vention through burning the accumula-
ton of corn stalks, trash, weeds and
stubble, in which the bugs harbor and
breed.
The severest damage was in territory
west of the 99th meridian, comprising
80 counties, some of which SOW wheat
on a large scale. These had nearly
40 per cent of the total area of wheat
sown in the state. The growers now
estimate that not more than 1,750,000
acres of this will be harvested, and its
average condition is given at 43,4.
Elsewhere, aside from Rush, Barton,
Harper and Cowley, important wheat
counties, and the eastern two tiers
south of the Kansas river, a compare
lively small acreage was abandoned,
and none at all in Mitchell, Clay, Geary
and the counties in the northern tier
from Doniphan westward to Jewell,
excepting Brown, and in the latter only
l per cent. 1t is in these counties, too,
that the higher conditions prevail,
Nemaha leading with 80, followed by
Doniphan and Clay with 90, Jewell "a,
Marshall 90, and Geary and Brown 80.
Ottawa is also 80. Republic and Wash
ington average OIL, and Cloud and
Mitchell 80, the others ranging from
So downward.
Wheat harvest finished in the south
ern counties is in full swing elsewhere,
and the grain will average a fair
quality. In the counties where condi-
tions ranged highest the berry is extra
good.
Assessors returns thus far made in
dictate somewhat less corn planted than !
a year ago, or a decrease of about 200,- |
900 acres in A counties, although when |
the percentage of abandoned wheat ac- |
reage put to corn is added the differ |
ence will not, of course, be so wide. |
The total land in corn last year was
6,SS4,O4 acres. The general average |
condition for the state is $50. or lie |
more than was shown in the report of |
year ago. Planting was late, as a |
rule owing to wet weather and low |
temperatures, and the growth is back |
ward for the time of year. Its cult |
walton has been given rather better |
attention than usual, and is progress |
ing satisfactorily throughout the ma |
jor portion of the state. The counties |
having the highest percentages of con- |
dition are not confined to any special |
section. Those having averages of 80 |
or better are in all parts of the state. |
Crawford with 81, has the highest, /
followed by COffey with Sc, ChautauQua,
Scott and Ottawa IS; Rawlins, Norton.
Rocks and Gray "a; Phillips. Smith and
Doniphan 80; Jewell and Jefferson 80;
Brown, Ellis. Leavenworth and Reno
81, and Johnson, Chase, Pottawatomie,
Kingman, Haskell, Pratt, Sheridan and
Cheyenne, 90.
Oats.
Figures for the A counties from
which assessors returns have been re-
ceived show about the same acreage in
oats as a year ago. AS some of the
land where wheat falIeu was sown to
oats the outlook is that the total acre.
age may approximate that of 1872 or
1 SIP $50 acres. The average condition
is 1913 per cent, or 26.4 points below last
year at about the same time. In some
of the western counties there will be
no oats harvested. In Sumner, the
leader in acreage in 1912 the promise
nh Irfh of |
and in Harper, little, if any, will be
cut. 1t seems safe to look for the
bulk of the oats of quality in the
quarter of the state. Jew
ell county with a condition of 81, is
highest, followed by Cloud with 81,
Clay 81, and Pottawatomie so. Labette,
Crawford and Montgomery, in the south
east, report conditions of 10, 76 and 70
respectively, the best in that section.
Alfalfa and Grasses.
Already leading by a wide margin
all other states in alfalfa, this years
returns indicate an increased acreage.
As a rule the first cutting was extra
heavy, and quite as uniformly the sec
Ond cutting so far as made is rather
lght- Reports suggest that on the
whole grasses are not so good as usual,
n notable exception is the
northern two tiers of counties extend
Ing westward from the Missouri river
zOO miles, where pastures and meadows
are ABOVE the average. Similar situa- |
lons are found also in eight or ten
other widely separated counties. and
n "a counties, here and there condi-
ton are about normal
The table below shows by counties,
ne probable acreage of Kansas win
Ter wheat TO be harvested. its condi-
non June 21 and the condition of corn |
IN the same date:
Wheat. Corn. |
60, Acres to be Condition, |
11ouhueS- harvested. Pet. Pct |
$3.50 A,66S IS 81
A 1on -.--..-..---..... 2S02 50 SO !