528 



Aveva'je yield of wheat in Ohio hij 20-ijcaf periods. 



Sections. 



Nortli eastern . 

 !Nortli-central. 

 Xortbwesteru 



Eastern 



Central 



Western 



Southwe.steru 

 Southern 



A glance at the geological map of Ohio shows three broad bauds rnnniug across 

 the State from north to south. That ou the east embraces the coal nu-asures, and 

 extends across nearly cme third of the State; then follows a narrower strip, under- 

 laid witii Waverly rocks and bordered by a nsfrrow belt of Huron shales, while the 

 western half of the State lies over limestones. * • » 



In the following table is given the average yields per acre of each of these groups 

 of counties for tlic 40 years under review and for each of the two 20-year periods, 

 and the average increase in yield per acre during the last 20 years: 



Yield of wheat per acre in Ohio by geological divisions. 



Within 20 years the area annually sown to wheat in Ohio has increased from an 

 average of 1.8(X), 000 acres during the eighth to 2.r»0O,OO0 acres during the ninth decade. 

 This area represents 12 per cent of the area in farms within the State, but several 

 counties are sowing annually 18 to 20 and even 25 per cent of their farm land to 

 wheat. * » * The time may come when the average of the entire State will 

 eciual the present average of Summit County, which means a total average production 

 of about (50 million bushels, or bread for 12 million mouths. » * » 



It would seem that the profitable culture of wheat ou the steep hillsides of .southern 

 Ohio is a hopeless undertaking; that the great problem before the wheat grower of 

 the central belt of counties is winterkilling — a ])roblem which may be ]>arti:illy 

 solved by nnderdrainage and the intelligent use of clover and manures; and that in 

 the northern counties climatic iuHuences are more generally favorable to wheat 

 culture than elsewhere in the State. 



'i'hese statistics indicate that the wheat crops of Ohio have been sliglitly increased 

 by the use of commercial fertilizers, but it appears that the average cost «>f this 

 increase has equaled its market value, and that a general improvement in the 

 methods of agriculture has contrilAUted more hugely to the increase of Ohio's wheat 

 crops than the use of purchased fertility. 



