No. 242 November 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 crop prospects for 1945 changed little in October. Precipitation for the month
was somewhat below average, and most of it fell early in the month. While temperatures
were somewhat lower than average the month as a whole was favorable for drying corn
and soybeans, and the performance of fall work. Soybean harvest was nearing completion on November 1 and only a small amount of wheat was to be seeded after that date.
Moisture in corn was still too high to permit extensive harvest for cribbing, but not high
enough to make a dangerous storage problem.
No changes in yields of field crops from the forecasts of October 1 were indicated by
the reports for November 1. The yield of 53 bushels per acre for corn is the highest for
any state in the country, and the production of 243,376,000 bushels assures the largest
crop in the history of the state. Production is 138 percent of 1944 and 141 percent of the
1934-43 average.
Favorable weather for soybean harvest prevented losses which had been feared and
maintained the 20 bushel per acre yield. Production of 28,640,000 bushels is 124 percent
of 1944 and 241 percent of the 1934-43 average.
Potatoes still promise 140 bushels per acre in spite of some loss from the rains of early
October. Production of 4,620,000 bushels now indicated is 148 percent of 1944, though only
83 percent of average. The acreage this year is lower than average.
Sweet potatoes indicate no change from the 125 bushels per acre and production of
225,000 bushels.
Tobacco also is unchanged with expected yield of 1198 pounds, and production of
14,380,000 pounds, the same as in 1944 but 165 percent of average.
Pasture condition at 87 percent of normal is 25 points higher than last year and 17
points higher than average.
Commercial apples at harvest fell below earlier expectations. The 828,000 bushels now
indicated is 92,000 lower than last month and only 61 percent of 1944, and 54 percent
of average. Pears remained unchanged at 146,000 bushels, or 93 percent of last year.
Grapes were poorer than expected by about 6 percent. The 1,400 tons estimated is 56
percent of last year and 42 percent of average.
October milk production is estimated as 304 million pounds, or 2 percent greater than
production last September. The number of milk cows is little changed but production
per cow is higher, because of excellent pasture and heavy grain feeding. Production for
ten months is 3,231 million pounds or 9 percent more than the same months of last year.
Egg production in October was 117 million eggs compared with 116 million in October.
1944. Eggs produced per 100 layers this October was 933 where last October there were
£99. The 1,774 million eggs produced through October is 99 percent of production last
year in the same months.
UNITED STATES
Prospective total crop production for the United States declined slightly during October,
and is now a little below the record production of 1942 and 1944. Prospects for most of the
major late crops are lower than a month ago. Sorghum grain and tobacco arc the main
exceptions. Although aided materially by good maturing weather in the latter half of
October, corn prospects declined slightly as damage from frost became more evident.
The expected crop is 3,074 million bushels. The first 2 billion pound tobacco crop ever
produced is mostly in the curing barns or in market channels. Even though October
feather was mostly favorable for harvest, previous detrimental effects, on some crops,
M lateness in planting, retarded plant growth, delays in farming operations, and frosts,
wuld not be overcome. As a result, the outlook for cotton dropped 411 thousand bales.
during October. Soybean production is down 6 million bushels, potatoes 5 million bushels,
and peanuts 86 million pounds. Prospects for sweetpotatoes, dry beans,-pecans and some
'flirts and other crops also declined.