averages more than 8.33 per cent, or a net rate 

 higher than the capitalist, general broker or 

 money lender, other than a pawnbroker, dreams 

 of realizing. 



It should be understood, however, that the 

 thrifty Kansas farmer does not measure the profit 

 of his corn crop by the narrow margin here 

 shown between the items of "cost" and "value." 

 He does not, as a rule, anticipate selling his corn 

 by the bushel at the figures given as "value" 

 nor expect more, if he did so, than a moderate 

 return, one year with another, for his labor and 

 investment; it is the conversion of it on the 

 farm into beef, pork, poultry, dairy and similar 

 products from which comes the surplus to make 

 the comfortable homes and build the school- 

 houses, colleges and churches that are such com- 

 mon objects on his horizon and so largely a 

 measure of his ambition. 



The corn grown in Kansas is of the dent 

 varieties and the prime objects aimed at are max- 

 imum net corn by weight, minimum cob wei^nt 

 and maximum nutrition. These requirements 

 demand a seed corn, each planted grain of which 

 will germinate and grow, to secure a maximum 

 stand. The aim is at least sixty-two pounds net 

 (shelled) corn to the bushel, and not to exceeed 

 seven to eight pounds of cobs. In fact, such 

 corn is now grown to some extent. 



The largest authenticated yield reported for an 

 acre was grown by Mr. J. A. Baxter, of Shawnee 

 county, who raised 104 bushels to the acre in 

 1895. The portion of his crop giving this yield 

 was five acres of a twenty-five acre field of 

 slightly rolling prairie, not above the average 

 Kansas soil, but "with a hard, impervious sub- 

 soil." The ground had been planted in potatoes 

 for the preceding two years, and the last crop 

 dug with a listing plow late in October, which 

 was equivalent to a deep fall plowing. Mr. 

 Baxter says: "In the spring the ground was 

 much like a bed of ashes. It was then deeply 

 plowed, for I am a great believer in deep and 

 thorough cultivation, made fine and smooth, and 

 drilled the first week in May with a ' Farmer's 



33 



