The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-08
Iowa, 725,67S,000 bushels; Illinois
506,144, 1000; Nebraska. 410,2S0.000.
slump in Money Value.

506,1 "A 900; Nebraska. 41O,2SO.000.
Slump in Money Value.
A tabulation of the United States
estimates showing the valuation of
twenty-five major crops tells an inter-
esting story of what has happened to
American agriculture in the last year
of readjustmentS in the economic
world. In 1919 these twenty two
crops had an aggregate value of s1S.-
5,7s4,000. In 1920, with a much
larger total production, the valuation
slumped to $780, SIS, 900. On the
basis of the same crops, the Kansas
valuation slumped from $593.989, 900
in 1919 to $355.730,000 in 1920. APP
proximately $23S, 100000 of the re-
turns which the Kansas farmer had a
right to expect from his crops in
1920 at the time he planted them and
basing his probabilities on 1919 re-
turns, has suddenly vanished into thin
air. This is at least an index to the
decreased purchasing power of the
Kansas farmer unless prices Of the
commodities which he mas to buy are
reduced on the same basis.
Kansas Holds Her Own
AS a producing state sne 1920 esti-
mates show that Kansas still holds
her own as one of the first five in
American agriculture. In value fof
twenty-five major crops considered
and of which Kansas produces only
thirteen, the state ranks fourth in the
United States. Texas. Iowa and Illi-
nois alone excel her m the order
named. Iowa and Illinois excel be-
cause of tremendous corn crops and
Texas largely because of cotton and
great crop areas. Considering the
hypothetical value of all crops based
on the ratio of twenty-five major
crops to all crops in the 1909 census,
California, New York, North Carolina
and Pennsylvania crowd Kansas down
to eighth place in rank; Texas, Iowa
and Illinois retaining tne,r places as
for twenty-five major crops.
This is the first year that California,
New York or Pennsylvania have at
tanned any such high rank in crop
values. North Carolina has advanced
steadily from nineteenth place in
1909 until she has an assured posi-
ton among the first ten states in rank.
Kansas rank is consistent.
second in Total Acreage.
Considering nineteen major crops,
Kansas is second in total acreage. In
1920 Kansas had 22,373,OOO acres de-
26,S35,000 acres. Iowa follows Kansas
with 21,243,00 acres, and Illinois next
with 100000 acres. Considering
rural population, Kansas is probably
producing more acres of crops per
capita than any of these other states.
Comparing the 1920 productions in
Kansas with the records of former
years, it was found that the 1920 corn
crop was the largest since 1915, but
has been excelled twenty-four times in
the fifty-five years for which records
are available. The wheat crop was the
third largest in history and was the
fifth crop in Kansas history that has
exceeded 100,000,000 bushels. The
1920 oat crop has been excelled only
once-in 1917. Barley in 1920 made
a new record for Kansas, being 7,000,-
900 larger than any former production.
Rye production was about the average
of the last fifteen years. but only about
half the amount that Kansas used to
produce from 1875 to 1892. The grain
sorghum crop was close up to the rec
ord esta blished in 1915. The Irish po
tato crop was the largest since 1915.
but was ekcelled almost annually in
the days from 1883 to 1902.
Slump in Hay Crop.
The tame hay crop was not nearly
as large as in 1919 but was 100000
tons larger than the average in the
last ten years and has been exceeded
fifteen times in the last fifty-five
years. In the last ten years four wild
hay crops have been larger and six
smaller than the 1920 tonnage. The
Kansas flax acreage has been gradu-
ally growing smaller since the early
nineties; the production in 1920 was
larger than in 1919 but the last two
years have witnessed the smallest
crops since the seventies.