No. 182 November 1,  1940
INDIANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
COOPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA 
INDIANA 
Weather conditions in Indiana during the past month have beerv^xtremalyi &&rame
for fall work. Good progress has been made with fall plowing anoV>©wiJsaAi^K3^bean
harvest. Fall sown grains have made good growth. The above normal temperatures and
below average precipitation have been particularly favorable for the drying of corn and
soybeans.
Corn production is now estimated to be 141,732,000 bushels which is only about two-
thirds as much as last year's unusually large crop but only about 7 percent below the
1929-38 average. The estimate is based upon a yield per acre of 36.0 bushels, which is
3.0 bushels more than last month. Improvement over last month in the indicated yield
per acre is general all over the corn belt, and is probably partly due to late corn continuing to grow under favorable fall weather. Uneven ripening, which has resulted in both
mature and immature ears in the same field, has delayed corn husking. In general, the
quality of the corn is satisfactory this year but will not equal that of the past three
years.
Soybean production is now estimated to be 10,439,000 bushels which is no change from
a month ago but is only about three-fourths as large as last year's crop and about 260
percent of average. The phenomenal increase over average production is due to an expanding acreage of soybeans as a result of decreasing corn and wheat acreage. The yield
per acre is now estimated to be 13.0 bushels which compares with 19.5 last year and an
average yield of 16.2.
Pasture condition is reported at 59 percent of normal compared with 51 last year and
an average condition of 71 percent of normal. The southern one-third of the state is
suffering most from poor pastures which have been caused by insufficient rainfall.
The size of the buckwheat crop is somewhat smaller than expected a month ago due
to a lower yield per acre. Total production is estimated to be 195,000 bushels which is
16 percent more than last year and 9 percent less than average.
Tobacco prospects remain the same as a month ago with total production estimated
to be 8,042,000 pounds which is about two-thirds as much as last year and about three-
fourths of average. About 95 per cent of the total is of the light hurley type.
Irish potato production is estimated to be 4,335,000 bushels which is 5 percent less than
last year and 17 percent less than average. Sweet potato production at 300,000 bushels
is also 5 percent less than last year but 30 percent less than average.
Present indications point to more sorghum molasses than last year. Total production
is estimated to be 220,000 gallons compared with 204,000 last year and an average of
162,000 gallons.
Production of all tree fruits is less than last year. Commercial apple production this
year is estimated to be 1,225,000 bushels which is only 59 percent as large as last year and
84 percent of average. Pear production at 483,000 bushels is a little less than last year
but about one-third more than average. Grape production at 4,000 tons is about average
but 17 percent less than last year.
On farms of crop correspondents there are 6.70 milk cows per farm on November 1.
There are only 3 other years in the past 17 years of records that the number has been
krger. Of this number, 72.4 percent are reported to be in milk. Milk production is
reported at 18.3 pounds per cow milked compared with 18.6 last year and the 1927-36
average production of 18.0 pounds.
Crop correspondents report that on November 1 they have an average of 99.3 hens
and pullets of laying age in their flocks. This compares with 102.0 last year and the
J927-36 average of 97.8. Production per 100 birds is reported at 25.1 eggs which is by
jar the largest reported production on record for this date. Last year's production was
235 eggs per 100 layers while average production was only 17.0 eggs per 100 layers.