The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-04
Coburn Report Places 1t at
S,5SO,OOO Acres.
And Conditions Are Excellent
for Growth.
CnNnIT|0n PLACED 1T 81
This Is Highest for State
Since 1900.
Is Six Points Higher Than 1912
and 10 Higher Than 1911.
INCREASED AREA IS GENERAL
Applies to Entire State, Not a
Few Counties.
May Mean Biggest Wheat Crop
Kansas Ever Had.
INCREASED AREA IS 6ENERA|
Anplies to Entire State, Not q
Few Counties.
May Mean Biggest Wheat Crop
Kansas Ever Had.

Kansas Ever Had.
Winter wheat conditions average ~
for the state, with an acreage or o.
$50. 900, or nearly 10 per cent larger tnan
anv crop sown in the history OF tne
state. is the encouraging report maoe
today by Secretary of Agriculture r
d. Coburn. In but two cOuntles III
the state is the winter wheat conoltlon
below the 80 mark, while in eleven
counties, reports shows that conditions
are above 100, the standard.
Coburns report today is by far tne
most optimistic and encouraging revie"
of Kansas crop conditions issued in the
last year. Recent rains have put ran
sown wheat in excellent condition in
all parts of the state, the report says,
and the increase in acreage indicates
that the wheat crop next year snouio
break all records, with favorable
weather conditions. Never in the his
tory of the state was the winter wheat
acreage SO large as at the present
time.
..The season has been an excellent
one for sowing, termination and
growth, and the general average con-
dition is 81, on the basis of 100 repre-
senting a satisfactory situation" says
the report This is six points higher
than one year ago, 10 points above 1911,
and 21.5 points higher than in 1910. In
fact it is the highest reported since
1900, when the average was 99.7, on an
acreage 60 per cent less, but which
produced in the following year. accord
ing to the United States department of
agriculture, the largest wheat crop
Kansas ever grew, or nearly 100 mill
lion bushels.
Wheat for Pasture.
I'm recording the unusually large
acreage it should be stated that some
reporters mention that here and there
are fields sown for pasture only, to
be planted to some other crop in the
spring. Should this aggregate any
considerable amount, it would Of course
be misleading to base next years pro-
liabilities on the acreage reported now,
and it may require the 1914 assessors
returns to show just what proportion
of the area represented pasture. There
is the chance that such plans made in
good faith this fall may be reversed
by an exceptionally promising outlook
next spring, leaving most, if not all
the wheat sown, to mature. This is
problematical, but the possibilities of
such developments are to be consid-
cred.
Lie 1VO COuHtlcS, except line, nave
sown more wheat than in the year
before, which indicates that this was
not limited to any portion particular
ly noted heretofore for extensive
sowing. Thirty-seven counties. all
but three lying between or transacted
by the 9th and Tooth meridians, have
100000 acres or more each, and ag-
gregate 6.222,372 acres, or 72.5 per
cent OF the total, and the condition
on this averages about half-point
hfyhnr 1ro boo
seven of these counties form a solid
block. geogra phically the heart of
Kansas. 1872 miles east and west, by
1872 miles long, with Comanche and
Sumner as the southwest and south
east cOrners-probably comprising
the greatest area of winter wheat tn
the most compact territory, with the
brightest promise ever known. In this
area OF course are the leading coun-
ties in wheat acreage, although Ford.
fourth. with 263,458 acres Reno
county is far ahead. with 3O3,665
acres, the first time any county has
sown so much as 100000 acres in a
year. It's neighbor, Barton. is second
with 293,711 acres, Pawnee third with
2S3,122 acres, then Ford, Ellis fifth
with 23S,S53 acres. Stafford sixth with
239,292 acres, Pratt seventh with
21S,4S5 acres, and Rush eighth with
211,3s3 acres. These comprise the
counties sowing 100000 acres or more
fourth Of the whole. Their % iocafion q
may be described as in the east cen
trail part of the western half Of the
state.
''The county making the greatest
gain in acreage-37,292 acres-was
Reno, Sumner next with 32733 acrea
Ness third with 27,7S3 acres and
Lane fourth with 25,75S acres The
counties showing the greatest nor.
centage Increases are Morton 500 nor
cent, and some reporters opfned the
sowing was ten times more than a
year ago. Stevens increased 253 ana
Stanton 220 per cent. These three
counties are in the extreme south-
western corner, and considered bv the
acreage sown are comparatively nm
important wheat growers Some Of
the eastern counties also report ratt
er large percentage gains, as Potta-
watomie 149 per cent, Nemaha 12e
Butler and Neosho 127, Morris 1eI
and Marshall and wabaunsee 1a1
The nine counties reporting less sown
are Allen. Anderson, Bourbon. Frank
lin. Linn, Miami and Usage, all south
Of the Kansas river, in the eastern
which adjoin in the northwest.
Average 90 to 100 Per Cent Cron
while the situation was senerallv
favorable for wheat sowing, a good