No. 218 November 1, 1943
INDIANA
CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
COOPERATING WITH  
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATlSTICS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
INDIANA
Indiana corn yields as of November 1 are one-half bushel better than expected a
month ago. The yield is now estimated at 48.5 bushels, compared with 54.0 bushels last
year, and the ten year (1932-41) average of 37.6 bushels. Total production appears to be
211,314,000 bushels or only two percent less than last year but 32 percent more than
average. Very little corn was damaged by frost to the extent of causing soft corn, but
some because of being late, is shallow kerneled thereby reducing the yield slightly. The
favorable October weather making possible more days of field work is lessening the
seriousness of the labor problem and corn husking is making good progress.
Soybean prospects remain the same as last month and, with a yield per acre of 19.0
bushels, production of beans is estimated to be 27,702,000 bushels or 7 percent less than
last year but nearly four times as much as average. By November 1 it appeared that
about 75 percent of the beans had been harvested and quality is reported to be good and
moisture content low.
The potato yield at 115 bushels per acre is somewhat better than earlier expectations,
but 20 bushels less than last year's yield. Production is now estimated to be 5,865,000
bushels or 9 percent less than in 1942 but 7 percent more than average. The yield of sweet
potatoes is also better than expected earlier. Production is estimated at 220,000 bushels.
Production of commercial apples at 1,010,000 bushels is less than earlier prospects by
71,000 bushels, and is only about two-thirds of last year's production. Pear production
on the other hand at 72,000 bushels is better than earlier expectations.
The condition of pasture is reported to be 73 percent of normal compared with 79 last
year and 78 two years ago. The lower pasture condition is having its effect on milk production which on crop reporters' farms was reported at 13.2 pounds per milk cow in
their herds compared with 13.6 a year ago and 14.1 two years ago. The lower percentage
of cows being milked is also contributing to the lower rate of production. However, due
to the increased number of milk cows in their herds, total milk production per farm is
above the last two years at this time.
Egg production on reporters' farms, at 24.6 eggs per 100 layers in their flocks as
of November 1, is a little less than either of the three preceding years but more than
any other year on record. Total egg production for October on all farms is estimated
to be 108,000,000 eggs or 8 percent more than last October which was the previous high
October production. Total production so far this year is running 15 percent ahead of last
year.
UNITED STATES
The harvesting of most late crops was well advanced by November 1 as dry weather
offset the scarcity of labor and permitted field operations to progress with little interruption. Most of the cotton, soybeans, potatoes and other late crops are under cover and a
good start has been made on cribbing the big corn crop. On the other hand, the limited
rainfall during much of October was decidedly unfavorable for growth in pastures and
for the seeding of winter grains and cover crops.
Reports on the yields of the crops now being harvested average about as expected for
the country as a whole but show many local changes. Early frosts caught some corn in
southwest Minnesota and South Dakota, some peanuts and other crops in the Southwest
and nipped gardens southward into northern Mississippi and Louisiana but in southern
Iowa and northwestern Ohio late-planted corn and soybeans had a chance to mature.
The corn crop is now estimated at 3,086,000,000 bushels, an increase of 1 percent from
October 1. Most farmers have husked enough to estimate the yield, and their reports
indicate a higher yield per acre and a larger total corn crop than in any season prior
to 1942. The early November snows in the northwestern part of the Corn Belt will delay
fv? «ng kut snou*d no^ cause serious loss. Sorghums for grain, a main source of feed in
the Southwest, were nipped by early frost in Oklahoma; but a record acreage is being
grown and production is now expected to total 107 million bushels, substantially more