No.  249 June 1, 1946
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    
There was no change in winter wheat prospects in the month Thkyytfoated
yield of 21.0 bushels per acre is 3.6 bushels above average, and the producTttJS*WP2^904,000
bushels is 12 percent above average, though only 83 percent of 1945 production.
Rye prospects are also unchanged with an expected yield of 12.5 bushels, the same as
last year and average. The production of 900,000 bushels reflects an acreage only 81
percent as large as last year. The 67,000 bushels stocks on farms is smaller than the 81,000
bushels of last year and 27 percent of the 1935-44 average.       
On the oats acreage intended in March prospects June 1 would indicate 64,467,000
bushels, or 8 percent more than last year. The intended acreage was larger by 11 percent.
The forecast of 572,000 bushels of barley is only 70 percent of last year because of
reduced acreage. The 98,000 bushels reported on farms is lower than last year but more
than average.
The condition of tame hay at 83 percent of normal is one point lower than last year
but three points above average. Pasture however is reported eight points above average
at 93 percent of normal.
Fruit prospects are exceedingly variable. A peach crop of 490,000 bushels is forecast.
This is 83 percent of last year, and 141 percent of the 1935-44 average. Production of pears
is now expected to be 118,000 bushels or 81 percent of last year and 51 percent of average.
The condition of commercial apples shows almost as much locality difference as peaches.
The state condition figure this year is 47 percent of normal and last year the same date
was 51 percent.
Egg production in May was 1,922 eggs per 100 layers, the highest of record. The 1935-44
average is 1,810 eggs. The high rate of lay is probably due to close culling as soon as hens
begin to slacken production. Egg production in May was 223 million eggs or seven million less than last year. Production since January 1 of 1,041 million eggs is one percent
above last year. Young chickens per farm are 91 percent of last year, and hatcheries are
operating at a much lower rate than a year ago, with bookings of chicks for delivery down
even more than the setting of eggs.
The production of milk per cow in Indiana June 1 was 20.2 pounds, exceeding last year's
record of 0.8 pound, and higher by 2.0 pounds than the 1935-44 average. May milk production was 370 million pounds where last year 378 million pounds were produced. Production since January 1 totals 1,422 million pounds compared with 1,485 million pounds
last year.
Grain fed per cow daily in May was 4.3 pounds where last year feeding was 4.4 pounds.
It would appear that the higher pasture condition was the principal factor in the high
production, though there are reports of less productive cows being discarded.
UNITED STATES
Winter wheat prospects improved during May and, with a fairly large production of
spring wheat coming along, the third consecutive billion-bushel wheat crop and third
largest total production of wheat on record is indicated. New wheat is already moving
to market from the southern areas. The progress of most other crops has been relatively
slow, but as of June 1 prospects continued mostly satisfactory. Weather handicaps in
May have done much to offset the good start obtained earlier but farmers apparently still
be able to plant the acreage they had planned, perhaps exceed it for certain crops.
spring plantings are at least up to the usual schedule, even for corn, though wet weather
in the eastern Corn Belt and South during May was a handicap. The total volume of pronation is expected to rank well up with that of the past four years. Moisture supplies
re adequate with few exceptions, and crops should respond generously to the usual
warmth and sunshine of June.