Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1898 — INCREASE IN WHEAT ACREAGE. [ARTICLE]

INCREASE IN WHEAT ACREAGE.

Department of Agriculture Statistician Makes a He port. The May returns to the statistician of the Department of Agriculture show the acreage in winter wheat to be 5.7 per cent greeter than the acreage last year, the comparison being not with the acreage harvested in 1897, but with that sown in the fall of 1890. While there is an increase of 28 per cent In Kansas, a more or less marked increase in every Eastern and every Southern State, and some increase also on the Pacific coast, the large expansion thus indicated is to some extent offset by a decrease of 2 per cent in Indiana, 3 per cent in Ohio, 12 per cent in lowa, 13 per cent in Missouri and 16 per cent in Illinois. The reduction in area in these last named States is due to the fact that the fall of 189 G was one of the finest seeding seasons ever known, whereas that of 1897 was one of the most unfavorable. The average condition of winter wheat is 86.5, against 80.2 on May lof last year. In the nine States with 1,000,000 acres or upward in this product the averages are as follows: Kansas 105 Pennsylvania ■ 96 Michigan and Tennessee, each 95 Missouri 88 Indiana 87 Illinois 86 Ohio 82 California 26 Correspondents agree in reporting the crop of California to be one of the smallest ever raised in the State. On the other hand, the crop of Kansas bids fair to be the largest in its history. The proportion of spring plowing usually done by May 1 is 75.8 per cent of the whole amount. The proportion done this year by that date is 72.4, against 61.9 last year. Among the States in which plowing is usually advanced are New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, lowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. Among those in which it has been delayed by unfavorable weather are Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota. In Kansas the proportion done up to May 1 was 12 per cent below the average. In Missouri it was 16 per cent and in Illinois 19 per cent.