REPORT OF SECRETARY. 



13 



production is 307,364,000 bushels. The largest crop previous was in 

 1S95 when the total was 250,000,000 bushels. This makes an increase 

 above that year of 57,000,000 bushels. The quality of the grain is good, 

 although some damage has been sustained on account of heavy rains on 

 that part of the crop which is in the shock, and in the corn where it was 

 blown down. The damage is not great taken as a whole, as the average 

 quality of the crop is 96 compared with an average of 45 last year. The 

 total value of the crop, not including the fodder value, is $97,039,000. 

 The five counties in the State having the largest acreage planted in corn 

 are in the order named as follows : Nodaway, Bates, Atchison, Saline, 

 and Vernon. A great many fields have made phenomenal yields, a 

 number reported averaging 75 to no bushels per acre. 



Further detailed information is given in the following table : 



CORN. 



*Graiii only: does not Include forage value. 



OATS. 



On account of the high price of seed oats in the spring the acreage 

 sown to oats was decreased 15 per cent below the previous year. The 

 oats in some localities failed to germinate or were killed by late freezing 

 and about three per cent of the oat crop sown was plowed and planted 

 to other crops. The greatest decrease of acreage was in the southwest 

 section which was caused largely by it being too wet for seeding at the 

 proper time. The average yield of the crop this year was 31 bushels per 

 acre and of good quality at the time of harvesting, but on account of rain 

 during and after harvest the crop was damaged 25 per cent. 



