The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-08
wheat PROSPECT
Winter Yield Will Be Smaller
Than Last Year.
General Condition of Crop,
However, Reported Better.
ACREAGE IS MUCH SMALLER
Govt Report Shows Spring
Planting Well Under Way.
Pasture Conditions Not as Good
as Last Year.

Washington, May S.-The winter
wheat crop this year promises to yield
499, 100000 bushels. the department OF
agriculture announced today, basing
its forecast on the condition of the
crop May 1. The output will probably
be above or below those figures ac-
cording to the change in conditions
from now until time of harvest To-
days forecast compares with 500, 04o,-
900 bushels harvested last year, the
greatest winter wheat crop ever gath
cred in this country, and with fore
cast of 540,000,0OO bushels made last
December before the crop entered the
winter from which it emerged in rath-
er poor condition, showing a decline
of "a points, compared with the 10
year average decline of 80 points On
the crops condition April 1 forecast
of 495,0O0,000 bushels was made by
the bureau of crop estimates. assum-
ing average abandonment of acreage
and average influences on the crop to
harvest time.
The area of winter wheat to be har-
vested is estimated at about 32,O20,O0O
acres as result of the May 1 can
vass. The area planted last fall was
1926, 700 acres, a decrease of 4,156,-
900 acres from the record area of the
1915 crop and compares with yearly
average of 81, 0SS,000 acres in the pre-
ceding five years.
SOnQllOU VI STOp.
The condition of winter wheat on
| May 1 was S2.4 per cent of a normal,
compared with 1873 on April 1 last,
929 on May 1 last year and SIS, the
10-year May 1 average. That condi-
ton is indicative of yield of Isl
| bushels an acre, compared with 1872
bushels harvested last year, and 19.0
| bushels in 1914.
The large reduction in acreage sown
last fall was attributed partly to I'M
| favorable weather for seeding, tangled
| condition of much corn land which
| otherwise would have been sown to
wheat, some fear of the Hessian fly
and to large supplies of wheat on
| hand.
A wet, cold. fall, causing poor seed
beds and poor start for wintering re-
suited in a low condition this spring
| Much of the crop was sown late and
| the Hessian fly was reported present
and active in many sections of the
southern part of the winter wheat
belt. Climatic conditions were harder
on late sown, the winter covering was
| lighter than usual, and the injury
| from freezing and thawing greater
than in previous years.
Other Details of Report.
Other details of the May report
show:
Rye-Condition sS.7 per cent of q
normal, compare with 87.S on April !
last, 93.3 on May L last year, and 9O.t
! the 10-year May L average.
| Meadow (hay) Characterization
| 1874 per cent of a normal, compared
with S9-S on May 1 last year and 49,
the 10-year May 1 average.
Hay-Stocks of hay on farms Ma,
1 are estimated at IL ,049, 900 tons, OF
3 per cent of last years crop, agains
S,46S.000 tons, or 12.1 per cent on Ma,
l last year, and 100000 tons. or H..
per cent the 5-year May 1 average.
Pastures-Condition $50 per cen
of normal, against S7.2 on May
last year, and $50, the 10-year Ma,
l average.
Spring Plowing-Was 70.4 per cen
completed up to May l, compared will
1873 on May L last year, and SIS, tn
10-year May 1 average
Spring Planting-Was 56.7 per cer.
completed up to May 1. compare,
with 65.3 on May l last year, an,
$50, the 10-ysar May 1 average