The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-23
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Kansas and conditions, as reported by the
board in April, for recent years, are: 1918
10. los, 600 acres, 1922 per cent condition /:
"a. 970.000 acres. COILS per cent; 1916
100000 acres, 1916 per cent; 1915-S.5S6,
500 acres. 92s per cent It. tn The pre-war. five
cent.
There was comparatively little winter
killing of wheat and the cause of loss is
attributed mainly to dry weather, thruout
the fall and winter and winds of high We
locity this spring preceding the rains.
Much wheat was sown late last fall under
often on seedbeds that lacked proper pre-
paration because of dry weather. In all
portions Of the state, however. present soil
conditions are extra good for vigorous
growth of wheat, owing to recent rains.
except in the southwestern quarter which
up to date of this report. was still short of
adequate moisture, altho light rains of n
quarter to a half inch have fallen there
since. 1t is in this portion, too, where the
largest percentages of losses have been sus-
tanned. resulting in as much as 81 per
cent of the acreage sown in each of the
important counties of Clark and kiowa.
Several of the southcentral counties promi-
nent as wheat producers, report heavy
abandonment, as Barber. Harvey and
Kingman SO per cent each. and Reno %
per cent while further north, Russell, with
SO per cent, Jewell % per cent. and Lincoln
and Smith, each with 20 per cent aban-
doned, are the heaviest losers.
Another region conspicuous for the high
percentage Of worthless wheat is compose
Of about a dozen southeastern counties, and
! amounting on the average to % per cent
abandoned wheat are much larger in the
southern half of the state than in the
| that the southern territory did not receive
1 last fall and winter. Likewise present
prospects for the growing crop are uni
formly better. in the northern counties.
! Conditions of 90 or above are all, with one
exception, reported from counties lying
north of an imaginary line drawn thru the
n q
Cove county reports the highest percentage
of condition, "a followed by Graham %
Sheridan Of, Norton, Thomas and Lane 93
each, Decatur 81. all but Lane in the north
west, Brown and Doniphan northeastern
corner counties, 81 each, and Saline, CEN
J trail county, with 90. The general average
condition of the growing wheat in the
northern half of the state on 3.6S9.442 acres,
is s4.5 per cent, in the southern half, on
3,1O0.214 acres, 12-3 per cent.
1t will be remembered that a large area
of volunteer wheat: 1,262,00 acres, and
almost entirely in the western third, was
wheat for the state. Probably % per cent
at least of the abandoned acreage in the
western counties is of volunteer wheat, &C
/ fact the promise of the volunteer wheat
| remaining is by no means SO good in most
/ places as that sown on prepared seedbeds
| Very little insect damage is indicated
altho there appears to be serious infesta
TONS OF Hessl va tiy IN the Two soqtnea Tc
presence of this pest is noted in about AZ
! other counties. mostly in the eastern part
{ but in these 1t is mentioned by only a few
correspondents out Of the large number
reporting.
/ oats and barley-oats and barley were
sown in good time and conditions have
been favorable since. No definite figures
I on acreages can be given as yet but indi-
7 in oats and about the same to barley as
/ last year. The condition of oats is general
J " reported as good.
Potatoes-Reporters suggest a decrease
! in the potato acreage this year as COM
pared with that of last, amounting in the
: Kaw valley section to about 10 per cent
( This decrease is accounted for principally
by the high cost Of seed and labor.
: Corn-Reporters indicate an increase in
corn acreage this spring especially in the
4 eastern two-thirds of the state.
Alfalfa-The condition Of alfalfa IS
slightly below normal for this time Of
( year, averaging 50 per cent, the frs
/ growth Of the hay crop being retarded
/ somewhat by freezing weather during the
early part OF this month. The stand was
mer and fan of 1919 and many Of last falls
| sowinEs proved too weak to withstand the
| dry winter weather following
| Beef cattle on pastures-Reports indi-
cate a very decided falling off in the mum
bers OF beef cattle for pasture this spring
Answering the question, viii there be n:
| many beef cattle on pasture in your county
/ this spring as last2" 6S counties report
decreases of 20 to so per cent, the average
decrease in the Flint Hills country being
- per cent
Spring work-Spring work Is going for
ward most satisfactorily sltho eomewhs