No. 323 August 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
Indiana corn yield prospects declined 5 bushels during July. The expected yield on
August 1 of 49.0 bushels is about equal to the ten year average yield. With about a 1
percent greater acreage than last year the indicated production of 225,449,000 bushels
105 percent of average although only 93 percent of last year. Drought and extreme
heat have caused damage in areas throughout the state with the southern and southeastern counties most severely affected.
Winter wheat held the high prospective yield of 24.5 bushels per acre. This yield,
exceeded only in 1931, gives an indicated production 168 percent of last year and 132
percent of average.
The indicated yield of oats declined 3 bushels during July and the August 1 forecast
is 48,615,000 bushels or a yield of 35.0 bushels. This expected production is 96 percent of
last year and 103 percent of average.
Soybean growth has been good with only minor plant damage from drought conditions.
However high temperatures during bloom may result in reduced pod setting. Production
is estimated at 31,842,000 bushels which is 115 percent of average but 87 percent of the
iarge 1951 crop.
The rye crop of 742,000 bushels is 119 percent of last year but below average. Barley
with 621,000 bushels is 126 percent of last year but far below the 10 year average.
Hay prospects of 2,491,000 tons are 93 percent of last year and 98 percent of average.
Of the total hay crop 876,000 tons are alfalfa and 1,328,000 tons are clover and timothy
hay. Reduced prospects for second and third cutting of alfalfa hay give an expected
production which is 71 percent of last year's large crop but 107 percent of average.
Pasture condition at 73 compares with the very high condition of 92 for last year and
the average of 83.
Tobacco prospects declined with heat and lack of moisture. Expected production of
12,950,000 pounds is 94 percent of last year and 109 percent of average.
Some decline in the prospects for fruit was evidenced during July. Apples in commercial counties promise 1,287,000 bushels or 71 percent of last year and 92 percent of
average. Peaches forecast at 448,000 bushels are over six times the short crop of last
year but 88 percent of average. Production of pears, indicated at 91,000 bushels, is 91
percent of last year and 67 percent of average. Grape production of 900 tons is 112
percent of last year and 48 percent of average.
July egg production was 184 million eggs, 7 million below July 1951 although the
number of layers was 4 percent above last year. Total egg production for the first seven
months of 1952 was 1,741 million compared to 1,640 million for 1951.
Milk production per cow continued at record levels. July milk production was 382
million pounds compared with 377 million pounds a year ago.
UNITED STATES
Total crop prospects for 1952 continue good. A combined volume of all crops larger than
in any year except 1948 and 1949 is expected in 1952, in spite of adverse conditions in a
•arge portion of the South. Declines from July 1 forecasts for drought-affected crops,
juch as corn, all hay, tobacco, and sweetpotatoes, are partly offset by improvement in
outturn of wheat, barley, flaxseed, dry beans, sugar beets and sugarcane. Of the crops
:or which current estimates are the first for this season—cotton, soybeans, sorghum
?rain, peanuts and broomcorn—only cotton is above average in yield per acre. The net
result is an aggregate volume of all crops 28 percent above the 1923-32 average. This
*ould be 4 points lower than indicated on July 1.
t Drought has seriously affected a large southern area, particularly curtailing pasture
eed for livestock and reducing yield prospects for late growing crops. As early as
July 1, hot, searing weather had affected an area centering in southern Missouri and
Arkansas. During July the affected area expanded in all directions, but chiefly eastward
Md southeastward to the Atlantic Coast, most seriously affecting Tennessee and western
Kentucky. Before the drought occurred, an excellent crop of grains and some early hay
fad been harvested in the area, but the late-growing crops are the more important." Most
severely affected by the drought were pastures, lespedeza and other late hay crops, and
c°rn, which poses a serious problem in current and future feeding of livestock. Potential
Mds of unharvested types of tobacco were reduced in much of the area. Less severely
affected were soybeans, while peanuts and sweetpotatoes appear to have held up fairly