The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-04
BELOW LAST YEAR
Wheat Acreage Diminishes in
Kansas, MOhler Reports.
state Lacked $4,000 Acres of
4eaching 10 Million Goal.
CONDITION HAS FALLEN, ALSO
secretary of Agriculture Re-
ports 1t 7O.I Per Cent Now.
Dry Weather Responsible for
Showing at This Time.

Kansas fell $4,000 acres below her
rive for a 1O.0OO.O0O acre crop of
winter wheat according to a report
odav bv j. c. Mohler. secretary of the
tate board of agriculture. Mohler re
borts 9.4S2.OOO acres as against y
sS7.OdO acres last year. The condl-
ion Is 7O.i per cent, or 5.S points be-
ow the estimate as this time year
go. a
Hrgest the state has known, the con-
hilton is below that for this season in
nv recent year. Dry weather is re
|.ponsiBle for The condition. Condl-
ions in the eastern portion are better
han In the western. The big Wneat
counties showed badly tho- me me
northwestern section is below the
howing of the northwestern counties.
n practically all of the large wheat
rowing counties the acreage is below
hat of 1916
Sought Ten Million Mark
The state defense council made a
1irive for 100000 acre crop. w ME
heytfailed to reach the mark, the re-
+urne show the states second largest
. creage. Many fields are said TO De
|dle b,Ving to high cost OF SEED anu ia
Dor Shortage. Wheat is stlll peihs
own in thirty or more countess
Iohter reports
In his report the secretary of the
tate. board says:
he conservative, estimate that 9'fSz'
|.Oo acres were sown to winter wheat
IN Kansas this fall or IL per cent
ess than the acreage seeded IN lhe
,tu1nn of 1916. Based on 100, the
.enefaI average condition OF the
tatefs growing wheat is given as y.
,er. cent. This is lower by 5-S polnts
han was reported for the wheat OF
vear- ago. and is under any fall con-
.itiop reported by the board in recent
ears Dry weather is the cause. CON
ftiohs have been inhospitable for the
owing. termination and growth OF
Wheat in the western two-thirds of
he state. excepting in a half-dozen
ouuffes or so. In the eastern rhlrd
Conditions have been quite favorable
only once before has a larger area
beenf seeded to winter wheat in Kan
as. and that wss a year ago, when
5S7OOO acres were sown. The
hates wheat acreage this fall as re-
orted is SIS per cent less than the
o million acre stake set by the gov
rnuient for Kansas, but the official
SCISSORS returns next spring may re-
luce the difference, as sowing is still
r more western counties where dry
FEATHER has been protracted.
Ins counties where the acreages
own TO wheat are less, growers at
ribre the falling off mainly to lack
+ Moisture, high price of seed and
nsuGicient labor. The price of seed
NJ owever, is infrequently given as g
Nause outside the territory where tht
ropt failed this year and seed had tc
Imported. In a few counties the
decreased acreage planted to corn las
prine cut down the area for wheat
his fall, and now and then reporter:
redt reduced sowings to dissatisfac
on with the government price.
OF the eleven counties leading il
yheat acreage sown a year ago, hav-
ng 100000 to 100000 acres or more
ach. all except one report less sowr
his fall. A largely increased area has
cen seeded in the eastern third of the
tate. Allen county reporting the
reatest percentage of gain, or an in
rease-nearly doubled. 1t is in this re-
tun,1 too, where the best condition.
re Found. Johnson leading with "a
olloWed by Anderson with 90. Atchi
On. Crawford Linn and Wabaunset
j, and Bourbon 90. 1t is here also
hat any considerable pasturage ha!