The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-02
KANSAS SEED COST
[Continued from Page one.l

ICOnC1nueQ from rage One.l
two bushels of wheat are required for
of the big wheat producing counties,
many of the farmers estimate hair
bushel of grain to the acre as suff1-
cient for seeding. The wide difference
in requirements is due to rainfall and
soil conditions in the various sections
Of the state.
Estimates by Mohler based on wheat
acreage for recent years, shows that
the annual cost of seed wheat in Kan
sas ranges from $9,225, 900 to $780,
900. From this expense for seed In
1914, the state produced a wheat crop
valued at ISL million dollars.
Sorghum Is Popular.
In recent years the raising of sor-
ghum for forage has attracted the at
tention of thousands of farmers and
every year the expense for sorghum
planted in Kansas reaches a nice indie
pendent fortune OF $1,205,S14. Oats
are third in the list of seed expenses
to farmers. The annual cost for oats
sown in this state amounts to 1,146,-
sO7.
while corn is one of the states big
agricultural assets. the expense for
seed corn is away down on the list.
Expense for seed corn amounts an
nually to something like $6o2,S00.
Taking the run of years through the
records of the state board of agri-
culture, corn is the states most valu-
able crop
Long Alfalfa Lie.
Assuming the average life of a
stand Of alfalfa is ten years and that
one-tenth of the Kansas acreage is
sown each year, the expense for al
falfa seed is something like $3SO,0OO
each year. Barley. grown principally
annual outlay of 100000 for seed,
while the annual clover seed expense
is something like $4,000. Seed for
the Kansas rye crop is a little item of
1e, Aw,%
for seed for the planting of nearly
million acres Of kafir corn. Millet
sown each year is worth $44, 900, while
flax seed for planting costs about $685.
900.
Thorough Test of Seed.
Should onc-tenth of the seed planted
in Kansas each year fail to grow 1t
means a loss to the farmers-in the
first cost for seed alone-of 81, AGO.
900. MoIler believes the loss through
10 per cent. For that reason he urges
the most thorough and practical test
ing of seed. He follows the theory
that a farmer should consider the best
seed none too good II he would sue
coed on the farm.
With the variance in the amount Of
seed wheat required to SOW an acre,
Mohler states that the seed require
ments for other crops is almost uni
form. In Kansas n bushel OF corn will
plant from six to seven acres, while
about two bushels of seed oats are re-
ouired to the acre. Twelve bushels of
Irioh potatoes are necessary to plant
an acre In the big potato producing
territory of the Kaw valley.
Last fall Kansas farmers planted
9,450,0 900 acres to wheat. 1t was the
largest acreage in the states history
and nearly IL million bushels of seed
wheat-representing q cost Of twelve
million dollars-was the first expense.
This expense was above the average,
as both the acreage and price were
abnormal.
On Other Side Ledger.
In view of the fortune annually re-
quired for seed purposes in Kansas.
a look at the other side of the ledger
brings a broad smile to the Kansas
farmer and the Kansas booster. That
expense of fourteen million dollars
for seed in 1914 was returned twenty
fold by the crop production. Crops
produced in Kansas last year were
worth ESQ million dollars, according
to the most accurate information OBJ
tainable by the state board of agricul-
ture.
Figures concerning seed cost in the
Molaler tabulation, do not include ex-
pense for garden seeds or flower
seeds. The secretary of the board
of agriculture estimates that in addi-
ton to the seeds sent free by the gov
eminent, Kansas spends from $780,
900 to $3.50, 900 annually for garden
sass" seeds.