The Topeka State Journal

Where Wheat Is Short Farmers Are Not Worrying.

Ground Is Plowed Up and Planted to Corn.

PART OF YEAR'S WORK

Plenty of Alfalfa, Pasture and Fine Cows.

Merchants Look Forward for a Good Trade Season.

Abilene, Kan., May 27.-The farmers of central Kansas who are facing a wheat shortage are not worrying about it.

It is probable that this county, Dickinson, which usually produces 7 million bushels of wheat, will not this year yield more than 3 million bushels. Some farmers believe it will not do that well. This will be the shortest wheat crop in 15 years and there has been some curiosity as to what effect it will have on the financial condition of the farmers to lose a million dollars in income from one crop.

Replanted Without Complaining.

The prediction of many, that the farmers would be anxious for their future and that land values would tumble has not been fulfilled. The fact is that the farmers themselves say very little about it. They have taken it as a part of the year's work, have plowed up the fields and replanted them to spring grains without complaining.

One farmer whose wheat was all winter killed was asked today: "What are you going to do this year?"

"Let me tell you," he replied promptly. "Don't you think I am suffering. I did plow up 40 acres of wheat, but what of it? When I first came to Kansas the same thing happened to me, and I was so poor and so much in debt that my wife and I packed up and went back east over winter.

Alfalfa and Fine Cows.

Then we returned to Kansas and took a fresh start. Now I know some things about farming I did not understand in those days. My wheat has failed again, but I have alfalfa and pastures and a lot of fine cows.

"The corn can fail, too, and it will not hurt me. There's plenty of money in the bank to run us through, with the income we can get from the creamery checks.

"Anybody who spends sympathy on the farmer because of the wheat is wasting it. Those who have any sort of a crop will get a dollar a bushel, and the prospects are fine for corn which brings more than 60 cents."

This is the attitude of the farmer and it is probable that the crop income of the present season will, including all the things from which the farmer can secure money, amount to as much as in any average year. This condition is encouraging the merchants, and they look for a good trade season.