BULLETIN 1094, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



apparent drops in some of the recent years have been due to wmter 

 losses rather than to a restriction of the acreage attempted. It has 

 been shown that winter wheat in Elhs and Rush Counties occupies 

 about 72 of every 100 acres in crop. For Russell County the pro- 

 portion is 63 and for Rooks and Trego about 50. 



These statistics show that in such counties as Ellis and Rush if 

 every acre in other crops were seeded to winter wheat only about 

 one-third the total wheat acreage would be provided for. After this is 

 done 2 of every 3 acres of wheat must still be sown directly following 

 wheat. As every acre in other crops is not seeded to wheat it seems 

 safe to conclude that in the area represented by the Fort Hays (Ellis 

 County) branch station approximately two-thirds of the wheat is 

 grown following winter wheat. 



The greatest single problem, measured in terms of acres mvolved, 

 that the agricultural practice of the section presents is how to prepare 

 wheat stubble for seeding winter wheat. 



The relative importance of other crops in the rotation possibilities 

 offered by their acreage is shown in Table 2. This table shows the 

 average number of acres occupied by winter wheat and the other 

 more important crops during each decade or partial decade of the 

 period from 1874 to 1920, inclusive. It is shown by this table that 

 corn comprises the largest acreage of any of the other crops and that 

 the grain and forage sorghums make up the second largest acreage, 

 with a comparatively small acreage devoted to small grains, millet 

 and other crops. 



Table 2. — Average numoer of acres in Ellis County occupied by winter wheat and the 

 other viore important crops during each decade or partial decade of the 47-year period 

 from 1S74 to 1920, inclusive. 





Areas cropped (acres). 



Decade. 



AVinter 

 wheat. 



Rye. 



Spring 

 wheat. 



Com. 



Bar- 

 ley. 



Oats. 



Pota- 

 toes. 



Sor- 

 ghum. 



MiUet. 



MUo. 



Kafir. 



Al- 

 falfa. 



1874 to 1880... 



5,827 

 26, 129 

 110, '458 

 177,686 

 163, 584 



206 



4,013 



2,438 



524 



403 



239 



740 



156 



175 



8 



3,825 

 7,934 

 13, 366 

 21, 553 

 33,065 



60 



373 



4,467 



3,272 



7,873 



494 

 2,794 

 3,491 

 2,349 

 6,072 



139 



435 

 557 

 630 

 651 



69 

 3,053 

 6,110 

 5,883 

 12, 155 



1,536 

 3,972 

 3,672 

 3,340 

 1,592 









1881 to 1890... 









1891 to 1900... 

 1901 to 1910... 

 1911 to 1920... 



28 



47 



1,799 



2,194 

 6,806 

 15,448 



201 

 1,677 

 2,248 



The effect that this heavy cropping to wheat may be having upon 

 yields is an important question worthy of the most careful study. 

 A period of 47 years would seem to be sufficiently long to afford 

 conclusive evidence on the single concrete question of whether 

 yields are increasing, unchanging, or decreasing; but on examina- 

 tion it is found to be relatively short when considered in connection 

 with the great fluctuations in yields from year to year and for irregu- 

 larly recurring periods of years. 



