Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-11-30
DECREASE SHOWN
IN THE KANSAS
WHEAT ACREAGE
(By The Associated Pressl

Wy AhC hbbutitttu AEctsl
Topeka, Kans., Nov. ga de-
crease in Kansas wheat acreage
shown by a report just issued by
the state board of agriculture, is
due largely to a return to more di-
versified farming following the
war years when wheat was greatly
in demand, according to j. c..
Mohler, secretary of the board.
'In response TO the governments
appeal, the farmers greatly in,
creased wheat production during
the war" says the report, land
since that urge has passed the eff
fects of wise farm management are
shown in the increasing tendency
to restore the agricultural balance
of diversified farming, which in
eastern Kansas particularly i'm
plies more attention to rotation Of
crops. Not a few farmers ascribe
that as the reason for smaller
acreage sown this fall, and in fact
this disposition to return to bet
ter balanced crop system was
clearly indicated a year ago when
the acreage sown to wheat for the
1920 crop was more than million
acres less than in the year preeed-
ing, while the acreages in corn and
oats were largely increased"
The boards correspondents esti-
mate that the acreage sown this
fall amounts in the aggregate to
9,S92,414 acres. This is greater by
2,70S,742 acres than the average
annual acreage for the crops of the
five-year pre-war period, 1909 to
1913 inclusive, but is 6.3 per cent
less than the sowing a year ago,
las per cent less than the record
acreage for the 1919 crop of H.
610,445 acres, and is practically
the same as the acreage sown in
the fall of 1918.
The fact that the acreage de-
crease has been caused largely by
a return to pre-war Investigation
of crops indicates, according to the
report, that there is no farmers
strike. Although this reaction to
former cropping methods is given
as the principal reason for de-
creased acreage the report states;
1T would be erroneous to assume
that the rapid decline in the price
of wheat this fall was not factor
in the reduced acreage, for the ma
jority of correspondents frankly
state that the condition of the mar
kets commanded conservatism, and
particularly in view of the posi-
bility of high priced labor for low
priced wheat next year. To a GER
tain degree also wheat sowing was
by too much moisture in
a number of southeastern counties
and by lack of moisture in a few
central and northwestern counties.
soil conditions have been
excellent for sowing and germina-
ton, and much of the wheat has
attained such growth as to afford
good pasturage. In the majority
of the counties seeding has been
although in numerous
localities, especially in the south
west, sowing was still in progress
at the date of the canvass, No
20.
about a dozen counties in the
southern half of the western third
of the state have probably sown
more wheat than a year ago. Out
side of this area, only two or three
counties indicate more winter
wheat sown than last fall"
The average general condition Of
the fall-sown wheat is rated as SIS
per cent, based on 100 as repre-
senting a satisfactory stand and de-
velopment. This is 81 points high
er than reported on the growing
wheat of a year ago; SO lower than
in 1918, III points higher than
in 1917, and is SO higher than the
average fall condition for the five
year period of 1888. The lowest
are in the adjoining
north central counties Of Ellis
worth, Ellis and Russell, averag-
ing 20, 7S and "A respectively. The
highest condition. SO, is reported
for the two northeastern corner
counties of Brown and Doniphan.