The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-25
BIC CORN CROP
Kansas Has Record Acreage.
Mothers Report Shows.
Condition of Crop Is Fair
Rains Are Needed.

The acreage sown to corn in Kan
sas jumped again this year and sur
passed all previous records, according
to figures compiled by J. c. Mohler,
secretary of the state board of agri-
culture in his June crop report. The
corn acreage for 1917, Mohler esti-
mates to be 100000 acres. The near
est approach to this was $3.50, 700
acres in 1910. Approximately $780,
900 acres of abandoned wheat land
was planted to corn. The average
condition of corn for the state is 1874
per cent
Until recently, Mohler says, the
weather generally has been too cool,
and the growth of corn in the main
is small and backward. In many of
the eastern counties the soil was for
time entirely too wet, while in nearly
ali the western counties it has been
continuously too dry. Turnout the
state much replanting has been neces-
sary, amounting in the Kansas river
counties to more than one-haIf the
area, while now and then come re-
ports of fields that have been planted
as many as three and even four times.
For corn, rains would be welcome in
all portions.
The Sorghum Crop.
The SEINE conditions that retarded
corn have likewise been unfavorable
for the sorghums, which require
warmer weather than prevailed when
\ UGH of the planting was done and
Nerward.
OF the sorghums kafir is by far the
most important. The area planted
aggregates 1 ,44S,O 600 acres, the largest
in the history of the state, and 358,0OO
acres more than last year. Its general
average condition is 90 per cent, based
on 100.
Milo is principally grown in the
southwestern counties. The states
acreage amounts to 100000 acres, a
gain of $50 per cent over last year,
vious record acreage in 1911. Its aver
age condition is IS.
A largely increased acreage has
been planted to sweet sorghums, ap-
proximating $4,000 acres, which is
100000 acres more than a year ago,
and 10000 acres more than the pre-
vious record acreage in 1911. Its aver
age condition is 76.
The first cutting of alfalfa, while
somewhat delayed by rains in por-
lions where the crop is most extern
sively grown, was saved in excellent
condition, and aggregates probably l.
10000 tons. Growth of the second
cutting in counties with the larger
alfalfa acreages is gratifying, but in
the western half of the state condi-
tons are uniformly unfavOrable be-
cause of lack of moisture.
In the great blue-stem region where
cattle grazing is an especially import
ant factor the pastures are luXuriant,
but the short grasses of the west are
not affording their usual heritage and
are rated as fair to poor in the
middle western counties. Dry weather
is the cause.
Good Hay Crop.
BY far the bulk of the prairie hay
crop of Kansas is produced in the
eastern half of the state, and there
returns in hay. Reports at this time
indicate an aggregate output of about
the same quantity as year ago, when
1900, 900 tons were produced.
More Irish potatoes were planted by
5000 acres than year ago, the total
for the state amounting to $1,000
acres. The general average condition
is $3.50 per cent. In the commercial
potato growing district of the Kaw
valley the condition is given as 90.
Aside from potatoes, which are in
Tested more or less generally by the
potato bug, the crops covered by this
report are unusually free from in
sects. Such pests are infrequently
mentioned by correspondents. In the
southeastern quarter of the state an
occasional reporter refers to chinch
bugs while now and then grasshop-
pers are noted in the western part of
the state. Information coming to the
board indicates that Kansans are alive
to the Importance of comb ting plant
pests, and that the spraying of pota-
toes to kill the bugs is being quite
generally practiced.
The boards data reveal that of the