No. 214 July 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
The acreages of Indiana crops for harvest this year are estimated July 1 as totaling
percent more than last year. Corn acreage is 9 percent larger, oats 1 percent, potatoes
6 percent, and tame hay 1 percent. An increase of 4 percent in soybean acreage for all
purposes brings the total to the record figure of 1,800,000 acres.
Corn and soybeans were planted late because of excessive rains in late May. By June
11 only 79 percent of the corn and 38 percent of the soybeans were planted. The high
temperatures of June hastened growth so that in spite of the late planting condition of
corn and soybeans is only moderately below average. The good growing weather brought
improvement in crops already seeded so that indicated yields of wheat, oats and hay
are above earlier expectations.
An indicated yield of corn of 42 bushels per acre on 4,357,000 acres forecasts 182,944,000
bushels or 114 percent of the 1932-41 average though only 84 percent of last year's record
crop.
Harvest of winter wheat was well along in the southern half of the state with yields
better than expected earlier. The 16.5 bushels per acre now indicated forecasts 16,368,000
bushels or 119 percent of last year though only 56 percent of average.
A yield of 33.5 bushels of oats per acre is currently expected. Indicated production of
48,642,000 bushels is 123 percent of average but only 91 percent of last year.
Barley acreage is 86 percent of last year and the expected yield of 20 bushels per acre
is 4 bushels lower. Production indicated is 1,620,000 bushels.
Rye acreage for harvest is 90 percent of last year and the yield indicated is 13 bushels
per acre.  Production forecast is 1,690,000 bushels or 8 percent more than average.
The production of tame hay is forecast at 2,564,000 tons. This is 109 percent of average
though only 91 percent of last year. Alfalfa hay suffered winter killing and the acreage
of 514,000 is 90 percent of last year. Clover and timothy acreage of 929,000 is 111 percent
of last year.  While growth is good stands are somewhat thin and weedy.
Pasture condition at 91 percent of normal equals the highest figure of recent record
for this date.
Stocks of grain on Indiana farms include 60,338,000 bushels of corn, which is 16,000,000
more than last year and about 25,000,000 more than average. The 1,248,000 bushels of
old wheat on hand is only 51 percent of last year and 58 percent of average in spite of
feed wheat purchases in excess of 4,000,000 bushels. The 7,480,000 bushels of oats is
about the same as last year though about 3,500,000 more than average. Farm holdings
of soybeans are 2,232,000 bushels.
Potatoes show 3.000 more acres than last year but the indicated yield of 100 bushels
per acre is sharply lower than last year. Expected production of 5,100,000 is 79 percent
of last year and 93 percent of average.
Tobacco acreage of 10,300 acres is 20 percent larger than last year.
Tree fruits generally show a rather low condition. Peaches are not quite as poor as
iast year but other fruits are less promising.
On farms with less than 310 layers the average number of birds July 1 was 95 or 3
more than last year. Eggs produced per 100 layers July 1 were 48.9. June production
°f 189 million eggs compares with 164 million eggs last year. Young chickens on hand
are about 11 percent more than last year.
Crop reporters were milking 77 percent of their cows July 1 or about the average
Percentage. Milk production per cow in herd was 18.0 pounds where last year it was 18.3
and the 1932-41 average is 16.8 pounds.