No. 275 August 1,  1948
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
The 1948 corn crop promises 275,353,000 bushels for Indiana August 1. A record indicated yield of 59.0 bushels per acre and an acreage far above average, makes the prospect
about 42 million bushels, or 18 percent above the previous high of 1946. Condition is uniformly good over the state, with corn on the hills and high ground excelling average more
than bottomland corn.
A reduction of one bushel in the estimated yield of winter wheat was shown by harvest.
There was some black stem rust, and some loss from shattering in fields where harvest
was delayed by rains. Production of 37,840,000 bushels is six percent above last year, and
40 percent larger than the 1937-46 average.
Oats harvest is showing better yields than anticipated earlier. The indicated yield of
43.0 bushels is the second only to the 45.0 bushels of 1940. Production of 58,050,000 bushels
has been exceeded ten times when larger acreages were harvested, but is 69 percent larger
than last year, and 32 percent larger than the 1937-46 average.
Barley yield per acre at 30 bushels is a new record exceeding the previous high of 29.5
bushels in 1904. Production estimated as 510,000 bushels is not high because of the small
acreage.
Rye has an indicated yield of 14.0 bushels per acre with production of 980,000 bushels.
Soybeans yield per acre estimated as 20.5 bushels is a record high exceeding the 1942
yield by a half bushel. The production forecast is 28,413,000 bushels, slightly above last
year, and second only to 1945.
Pasture condition at 90 percent of normal is 10 points above average. The yield of hay
at 1.35 tons is slightly below last year, and average. Dry weather in late May and early
June, along with rains at harvest, reduced yields, and quality.
Tobacco promises to be second only to 1944 in yield, at 1,296 pounds per acre with
expected production 12,050,000 pounds.
Potato production is forecast as 3,300,000 bushels, with an indicated yield of 150 bushels
per acre. Sweet potatoes are expected to yield 120 bushels per acre, with production 216,000
bushels.
Fruit prospects improved somewhat in July. Commercial apples are forecast at 1,036,000
bushels, about 70 percent of last year and 71 percent of average. Peaches forecast at 539,-
000 bushels are 74 percent of last year though 140 percent of average. Pears at 156,000
bushels are 101 percent of last year but only 79 percent of average. Grapes at 2,600 tons
are 108 percent of last year and 104 percent of average.
Milk production in July was 364 million pounds. Production per cow continues at a high
level but cow numbers continue to decline so production this month was down three percent
from last year.
July egg production was 168 million eggs compared with 169 million last year. The
number of layers was 10,516,000 where last year the number was 10,802,000. Production
for the first seven months was 1,454 million eggs this year, and 1,431 million last year.
UNITED STATES
The outstanding crop prospects for 1948 improved and moved nearer to realization
during July. Ideal "corn weather" prevailed in most of the Corn Belt, booming the production forecast to a new record of 3,506 million bushels. Harvest of small grains proceeded
rapidly, nearing completion for winter grains and making headway in the Spring grain
areas. Yields per acre continued to exceed expectations in most areas as the result of
mostly favorable conditions for filling, maturing and harvesting grains. The aggregate
volume of all crops, as estimated on August 1 promises to surpass any year of record by
a considerable margin.
The winter wheat estimate increased to nearly a billion bushels as harvested yields
exceeded expectations in most of the country. With the addition of a spring wheat crop
larger than last year's, the 1948 all wheat total of 1,284 million bushels approaches more
closely that of 1947, the only one to exceed it. Corn was ready for harvest in parts of Texas
and was tasseled in fields to the northern border, having made excellent progress under
favorable to ideal conditions since planting. Rice may set another production record.
Cotton was favored by dry, hot weather until mid-July, helping to control insects. With
adequate soil moisture, a record yield per acre and a crop of over 15 million bales were in