The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-13
The Santa Fe Collects Data All
Over Southwest.
Every Section of Kansas Has a
Big Acreage.
SPUD OUTLOOK VERY BaH6hT
Bumper Crops in Oklahoma,
Texas and California.
Colorado Will Produce Big
Yield of Alfalfa.

Believing that 1t will be of great
value to l1omeseekers as well as other
investors attracted to the states in
cluded, the June copy of THE Earth"
departs somewhat from its regular
program to present crop report OF
all the territory served by the Santa
Fe railway system This, of course,
takes in all of the great southwest,
from Iowa and Illinois to California.
AS the report is made up from infor-
nation gathered by the Santa Fe's
own representatives, it can be de-
pended upon as reliable.
This is the year in which the gov
eminent expects to be called upon to
put forth unusual efforts in food pro-
duction that our allies and our boys
at the front, as we'll as the home peo-
pie, may be well fed, and the south
western states have responded with a
will to Uncle Sans appeal for in
creased acreage and heavier produc-
ton. Weather conditions have been
admirable up to the present time and
the farmers have not been seriously
handicapped by the shortage of help.
They have guarded against this last,
however, by organizing and co-operat-
ing with various farm labor bureaus.
Good Kansas Showing.
AS for Kansas, the report shows up
favorably every county in the state.
acres, is the heaviest ever planted,
and altho much of this acreage has
been planted to other crops, the wheat
acreage is still 100000 greater than
last year, the township correspondents
of the state board of agriculture hav-
ing found 6,309,563 acres of wheat
that will go to harvest. Bulletins in
dictate 77.6 per cent of a full crop. as
opposed to COL per cent last year.
There are 100000 acres of grow
ing corn in the state, the condition
of which is satisfactory and the soil
conditions are favorable, Reports on
1 100000 Of barley indicate a big yield
and more than 100000 acres of oats
are rated uniformly as good. The
oats acreage increased 20 per cent.
Potato prospects are the brightest
known in years, the Kaw valley-the
states potato empire-with a greatly
| increased acreage, promising a yield
of about 100000 bushels.
In the western half of the state
there is big increase in the acreage
of kafir, feterita and pinto beans and
farmers announce that the prospects
for these crops have never been bet
ter. Alfalfa came thru the winter
without damage and the spring rains
| made big yields certain, while the
vegetable acreage is the heaviest in
history. There will be an abundance
| of small fruit and fair crop of
| apples.
Oklahoma Outlook Good.
In Oklahoma the acreage under Gull
tivation this year shows marked in
crease over last year. There are ap-
proxfmately 2,813,000 acres of grow
| ing wheat, conditions about 70 per
cent. A reduction in corn ge
was more than made up in an in
crease in kafir, feterita, and milo,
| which thrive in Oklahoma. The oats
acreage was slightly reduced in favor
of kafir, but conditions are excellent
The peanut acreage is doubled and
| prospects uniformly good. Pinto beans
can be produced in great abundance
In the northwestern part of the state
and the farmers planted heavily. Fruit
prospects are satisfactory and there is
an increased acreage of cotton. There
is an enormous acreage of garden stuff
all over the state, 81 out of 100 fam
lies interviewed reporting gardens.
| The county agricultural agents arc
coming into popular favor and have
done much to assist in the campaign
1 for increased food production.
In Illinois, farm work is from two
TO three weeks in advance of past sea-
sons, which has in large measure
OFFSET the labor shortage. Soil con-
oltlons In the early spring were ideal
and the farmers have had little trou-
bic In planting. Soft wheat, buck
! ~ hdio SOTll, OdlS, barley, al
falfa, fruit, vegetables. beef, pork,
mutton, poultry, milk, butter, eggs,
money and fruit are the dependable
products of this state and prospects
are even more promising than in the
record year of 1915 when Illinois led
all other states in the union in the
value of field crops.
In Missouri, corn, wheat, oats, DO
tatoes and fruit are the staple products
and conditions for crops generally in
that state are highly satisfactory A
bumper apple crop is indicated and
| the number of head of livestock is
very much larger than that of last
year.
Bumper Texas Crops.
Texas excels in vegetables and this
year the acreage is so per cent greater
than in 1917. Corn acreage is 80 per
cent greater and grain sorghums, pea
nuts and potatoes are 10 to 25 per cent
greater. The drouth-resisting pinto
bean is gaining favor in northwest
Texas and there is a big acreage. The
bean is a soil builder, leaving the land
in better condition for wheat.
Il In Colorado, prospects are excel
lent for a big yield of alfalfa, which
is a staple crop in the Arkansas val
ley. With the alfalfa came the dairy
COW, and two great condensaries-one
| at La Junta and another at Lamar
and a number of creameries and
cheese factories buy the milk and the
dairy industry is growing steadily
Much of the valleys alfalfa is manu-
facturad into meal, eighteen mills put