The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-22
Every Seeder in Kansas Is
Working Overtime Now.
Greatest Effort in History of
Nation Is on This Week.
WEATHER is IDEAL FOR IT.
Never Have Indications Been
Better, Experts Declare.
In the "ShOrt Grass" Farmers
Are Making Big Plunge.

Kansas is in the midst of its great
wheat drive.
Every sender in the state from the
one-horse drill between the corn rows
to the 90 h. p. tractor caterpillering
over the stubble with its 50-foot wake
of seeded land is working overtime
in an attempt to break all records of
this or any other state in the sowing
of wheat The greatest food drive in
the history of the country is on.
With weather ideal all fall for pre-
paration of the seed bed. the soil in
the best of condition for planting and
fair weather continuing over the state,
Kansas is conducting its great wheat
success Never before have indications
been more suspicious, say agricultural
authorities, and there is every reason
to believe that the state will come
across" with 100000, 900 bushels of
wheat next summer.
Out in "Short Grass
Out in the short grass country.
the playground of the elements"
where a few inches of rain can buy
motor cars for the farmer or wipe out
his bank account, thousands of acres
of new land are being planted to
wheat The farmers there are taking
a chance that western Kansas, the
center where all things break" will
ring true this year. II is gamble but
they are willing to risk it if thereby
they can help Kansas go over the
top in its great food drive.
The federal government. thru DR.
David H Houston. secretary of agri-
culture, asked Kansas to plant TO-
000, 900 acres to wheat this year, more
than 900 square miles. This meant
that there must be available approx
irnately 100000 bushels OF seed
wheat. costing in the neighborhood of
s25,OOOO0O. Because Kansas had the
10 machinery and rha aflT1
ton. it was requested TO do what never
has been done before by any state in
the country-raise 200, 900, 600 busht Is
of wheat in one year
How Kansas puts its shoulder to
the wheel, made plans to secure the
necessary 100000 bushels of seed.
almost a fourth of the amount raised
by the state this year-it was short
year for kansas-mobilized its force
of tractors, horses and farm machin-
cry for the great task of preparing
a seed bed of $4,000 square miles
and then CONTINUED its tireless efforts
in planting the 100000 acres
how Kansas accomplished all this in
the few weeks of time at its disposal
will be one of the great annals OF the
war for democracy.
Campaign in Kansas.
Thru its council of defense. Kansas
launched a campaign to, secure funds
with which to finance farmers in sec
lions of the state where wheat was
destroyed by the winter drought and
the corn crop burned up by July sun
shine Business men, millers, eleva-
tor men, citizens in private life, the
railroads and great distributing
houses. reached down in their pockets
and took a chance in the kansas
seed wheat pool" The seed wheat
committee conducted lightning
campaign of the seed wheat situation
in the state and lined up the growers
who had desirable grain. With this
accomplished, together with the gov
eminent guaranteeing price of $500
a bushel for the 1918 crop Kansas
had looked the problem square in the
face
Today, hundreds of teams and trac-
tors are seeding Kansas lands to
wheat Thousa nds, millions, of acres
have been entrusted to complete the
task when the husmand hand has done
its part There is many a slip 'twixt
the grain drill and the granary." but
Kansas has done all that is humanity
possible IL has gone over the top
in the big drive for more wheat.