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

fContinued from Page One.l
two bushels of wheat are required for
every acre. Out in Thomas and some
of the big wheat producing counties.
many of the farmers estimate halr
bushel of grain to the acre as suffl-
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
sas ranges from $9,225,0O0 to $780,
900. From this expense for seed In
1914, the state produced wheat crop
valued at 1S1 million dollars
Sorghum Is Popular.
In recent years the raising of sor-
ghum for forage mas 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,-
907.
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 $6e2,S0o.
Taking the run of years through The
recor6s of the state board of agri-
culture, corn is the states most valu-
able crop.
Long Alfalfa Lie.
Assuming the average life Of a
one-tenth of the Kansas acreage is
sown each year, the expense for al
falfa seed is something like $380,000
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 little item OF
iG
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 it
means a loss to the farmers-in the
first cost for seed alone-of 81, 400
OOO Mohler believes the loss through
sowing poor seed is far greater than
10 per cent. For that reason he urges
the most thorough and practical test
ing of seed. He follows the theory
that farmer should consider the best
seed none too good If 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 a bushcl of corn will
plant from six to seven acres, while
about two bushels OF SEED oats are re-
quired to the acre. Twelve bushels of
IriGh potatoes are necessary to plant
an acre in the big potato producing
territory of the Kaw valley.
Last fall Kansas farmers planted
9,46O,000 acres to wheat. 1t was the
| largest acreage in the states history
and nearly IL million bushels OF seed
wheat-representing a 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 $50 million dollars, according
| to the most accurate information OBJ
| tainable by the state board OF agr1cul-
| ture.
Figures concerning seed cost in the
Mohler 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 $350,000 annually for garden
sass seeds.