No. 239 _August 1,  1945
INDIANA
CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
COOPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION                                                                                                                                                                              DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS                                                                                                                                                                  WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA                                                                                                                                                                                                  INDIANA    
Indiana corn improved in July with favorable moisture and temperature conditions,
and now promises 215,824,000 bushels, only slightly less than the record crop of 1942;.
The indicated yield is 47 bushels per acre. There is some late corn which will swell the
total if frost is later than average. The river bottoms in the southwest part of the state
were not all planted and the standing corn there has been damaged by accumulated water
on the way to the streams, as well as overflowing streams.
Winter wheat proved better than expected as harvest progressed. The yield fe now
estimated at 23.0 bushels per acre, and production as 37,526,000 bushels. Quality is generally very good. Yields are above average throughout the state with the northern two-
thirds of the state approaching record yields.
The production-of oats is estimated as 60,648,000 bushels or 42 bushels per acre. This
is the largest crop since 1931 and is 40 percent larger than the average for the past ten1
years.
The estimated yield of barley is 27 bushels per acre, or two bushels above earlier
indications. Production is 1,134,000 bushels or 10 percent more than the 1934-43 average.
In spite of some late planting soybeans promise 24,030,000 bushels.
Rye production is unchanged from earlier indications at 1,330,000 bushels.
Potatoes, because of smaller acreage, are expected to produce 3,795,000 bushels or 68
percent of average though a yield of 115 bushels per acre is indicated.
Tobacco is expected to produce 13,170,000 pounds with a yield of 1,098 pounds per acre.
Heavier fertilization is expected to overcome somewhat adverse conditions in setting
and cultivation.
Hay crops are better than expected and the yield of all tame hay at 1.40 tons per acre
is ten percent above average, indicating production of 2,639,000 tons or five percent more
than average and three percent more than last year. Of the total 851,000 tons is alfalfa
hay, and 1,122,000 tons clover and timothy. Frequent showers have lowered the quality
of hay, though increasing use of field balers has minimized this loss.
Pasture condition at 93 percent of normal is 22 points above average and is the highest
for the date since 1938.
Commercial apple prospects declined in July by 69,000 bushels to 1,104,000 or 72 percent of average. Peaches improved in the past month and the expected crop of 722,008
bushels is seven percent larger than last year. Pears are reported slightly better than
a month ago but still only 63 percent of average. Grapes made a sharp improvement but
are still only little more than half an average crop.
Milk production continued at record levels though increases in number of cows seems
about stopped. Production in July of 386 million pounds is 16 percent greater than last
year.
, The number of laying hens shows about the usual seasonal decline but the laying rate
is at a record high level. Egg production in July of 168 million eggs is 12 percent above
last year. Production since January 1 of 1,389 million eggs is four percent less than laslj
year though layers were seven percent fewer at the beginning of the year. Production of
hatchery chicks continues at a record high level for the time of- year, and about four
times as large as last year.
UNITED STATES
, National crop prospects improved during July, with the total 1945 output now promises to be nearly 21 percent above the 1923-32 average. A volume this size would be about
2.5 percent below the records of 1942 and 1944, but would be about 4 percent above the
1943 total and 8 percent above aggregate production in any other year. The better out-
took on August 1 reflected the generally favorable growing conditions prevailing over
most of the country during July. While excessive rainfall in the Middle Atlantic States
caused light to severe damage to many crops, and hot, dry weather reduced prospects in
"te Northwest, gains registered in the rest of the country more than offset those losses;