No. 321 June 1,  1952
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
Favorable weather in May improved Indiana winter wheat prospects. The yield now
forecast is 23.5 bushels per acre, making expected production 36,519,000 bushels. This is
7 percent more than last month, 34 percent more than last year, and 22 percent more
than the 10 year average of 1941-50. Prospects throughout the state are rather uniformly above average.
The yield of rye is forecast as 14.0 bushels per acre with production of 700,000 bushels.
This is 12 percent above last year, and above average because of the higher expected
yield per acre.
The condition of spring planted crops is slightly above last year and above average, by
from 3 to 8 points.
Hay and pasture are following the pattern of spring planted crops with prospects
better than last year, and several points above average.
Corn and soybean planting are about a week later than last year though ahead of
other recent years.
The forecast of the peach crop is 456,000 bushels. This is more than six times last
year's short crop, and 10 percent less than the 10 year average. The expected crop of
pears is 94,000 bushels, 6 percent less than last year, but 25 percent below average.
Apples in commercial counties appear better than other fruits.
Milk production in May was 412 million pounds. This is 23 million higher than a year
ago, and 45 million above average. Cow numbers are lower than in the past but culling
and better feeding have raised production per cow to a much higher level. January to
May milk production was 1,548 million pounds this year and 1,473 million pounds last
year.
Egg production per 100 layers was 1,919 or 2 percent below last year. Production of
eggs in May was 266 million, 10 million above last year. January to May production of
eggs was 1,339 million this year and 1,234 million last year.
UNITED STATES
Progress of 1952 crops was about normal for June 1, although farmers had some
unfavorable weather to cope with in May. Yield prospects for winter wheat continued to
improve as harvest neared; in fact, harvest was started in the Southwest and South.
Spring work made about normal progress, despite delays from excessive rains and wet
fields in some sections of the Northeast and eastern Corn Belt, and from dryness in
much of the Dakotas. Seeding of spring grains was largely completed. Planting of
cotton, corn, soybeans, sorghums, and peanuts in some cases was started earlier than
usual, but was at about the usual stage for June 1. In most areas soil moisture supplies
were satisfactory and irrigation water supplies were the best in years.
Winter wheat prospects continued to improve with the generally favorable weather
during May. Production is now estimated at 1,060 million bushels, 74 million more than
on May 1. If this production is realized it would top the previous record winter wheat
outturn of 1947 by a narrow margin. Harvest started in the Southwest during the latter
Part of May, at about the usual date. Damage from April and May frosts appeared to
be relatively slight in the Great Plains. Wheat had advanced to the ripening stage in
south central Kansas and virtually all wheat in that State was headed by June 1. Soil