155 



looked quite brown on the opening of spring, a portion of the plants 

 being' killed outright, with an indication of vitality of root in a large 

 proportion. The drilled areas Jire invariably superior to those sown 

 broadcast. A partial thaw in March, with subsequent hard freezing, 

 wrought much injury. Drought in the autumn prevented vigorous 

 growth in some counties, except in the best bottoms and in well-culti- 

 vated soils, giving a poor appearance this spring to thin upland areas. 

 Timber shelter has had a favorable influence. 



There are forty-three count}' reports of winter grain in Kansas, of 

 which nineteen are below average, seventeen average, and seven above. 

 Drying north winds have been destructive since the 1st of March, kill- 

 ing much wheat that up to that date gave fair promise. The winter 

 has been spoken of as the hardest ever experienced in Kansas. Some 

 of the new counties return a very promising appearance of wheat, la 

 Cowley a volunteer crop is sj)ringing up, which is being harrowed, 

 and expectations are raised of a remunerative yield. The efficacy 

 of the drill is aftirmed positively and repeatedly'. 



Oregon produces very little winter wheat. 



California wheat is put in from November to April, or in the rainy 

 season. It cannot be called spring wheat, nor is much of it fall-sown. 

 It is literally winter wheat, sown in winter and grown in part in winter, 

 ripening in spring or early summer. Reports are generally favorable, 

 with the exception that more rain is needed, and drying northerly winds 

 are to some extent injurious. In Stanislaus, on adobe land, wheat looks 

 well ; on sandy land a lack of rain threatens to shorten the yield. In 

 San Joaquin, it is in high condition on land summer-fallowed and sown 

 early. Many farmers are pasturing or topping the more luxurious 

 growths. On the west side of the river considerable rain is needed. 

 In Alameda a great breadth is suflferiug from want of rain. In Contra 

 Costa it is well seeded and growing, but the late-sown is suffering from 

 drought. Ill Sacramento the crop is forward and promising. It looks 

 well in Amador, though a little dry ; is promising in Sutter, but north- 

 ern winds are rapidly taking the moisture from the soil ; and is in good 

 condition in Sonoma, Kern, Nevada, Mendocino, Placer, and other coun- 



CONDITION 01^^ CATTLE AND SHEEP. 



The status of farm animals for the whole country is fully up to 

 the average of spring condition in a series of years, notwithstanding 

 the remarkable severity of the winter, and far above average, taking 

 into consideration comparative numbers of animals represented by 

 the counties making the best reports. There has been no prevail- 

 ing disease during the winter in any section. Scarcity of feed that 

 could not be met by better housing and care, or purchased supplies, 

 has been confined within very narrow limits, and though, in the sec- 

 tion north of the thirty-sixth degree of latitude, and east of the Pacific 

 slope, the cold weather was of extraordinary intensity and duration, 

 the atmosphere was dry and the temperature comparatively uniform. 

 While this induced more careful shelter and feeding, it stimulated in 

 the animals vigor of appetite and muscle. In some localities in Texas 

 the winter was severely cold and unusually wet, but over the greater 

 part of the State the conditions were favorable for unsheltered and un- 

 fed stock. In the remaining Southern States winter rains were more 

 abundant than common, occasioning much depreciation and loss among 

 stock left to find their own shelter and food. On tiie Pacific slope, 

 especially throughout California, all kinds of sheltered stock were 



