No 254 September 1, 1947
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
Corn prospects in Indiana as a whole improved materially from a month ago. The
September 1 forecast of 186,233,000 bushels is 20 percent less than last year but about the
same as the 1936-45 average production. The probable yield of 43.0 bushels per acre is one
bushel below the 1935-46 average. Continued dry weather in the north west and north
central districts caused further deterioration in these areas, but there was a sharp improvement in the three central districts where the corn acreage is relatively large. The
southern districts showed improvement of less magnitude. Improved prospects in the
southern two-thirds of the state were due largely to temperature that averaged several
degrees above normal and adequate soil moisture. The relatively high temperatures during August have diminished the quantity of corn likely to be frosted prior to maturity.
The estimated production of oats is 36,337,000 bushels which is 35 percent below last
year and 14 percent below the 1936-45 average. The reported yield per acre is 10 bushels
less than last year and about 13 bushels below the 1936-45 average.
The soybean acreage expected to be harvested for beans is 1,445,000 acres or 8 percent
above last year. The reported yield of 18.0 bushels per acre is one bushel below last year,
but the production forecast of 26,010,000 bushels is three percent above last year and
about 60 percent above the 1936-45 average.
Potatoes showed no change from last month. The production forecast of 3,510,000
bushels is 78 percent of last year and 71 percent of the 1936-45 average. There was no
material change in sweetpotato prospects.
Tobacco prospects remained the same as a month ago with production forecast of
12,460 pounds which is 8 percent less than last year, but 23 percent above the 1936-45
average.
The hay crop forecast of 2,425,000 tons remains unchanged from last month. Pasture
condition declined seasonally because of inadequate rainfall. The reported pasture condition of 82 is still about 13 points above average. Pastures are relatively good in the
southern two-thirds of the state, but extremely poor in the northern third where dry
weather has been dominate.
A slight improvement from a month ago was reported for peaches, commercial apples
remained unchanged and pears and grapes prospects declined slightly.
August milk production of 338 million pounds compares to 355 million pounds produced
in August of last year. Total milk cow numbers and production per cow were below
last year.
August egg production was 148 million eggs this year compared to 132 million eggs
last year. The number of layers was 11,100,000 compared to 9,368,000 a year ago. Production for the first eight months was 1,627 million eggs compared to 1,528 million eggs
for the same period in 1946.
UNITED STATES
Adverse growing conditions in important areas during August handicapped late
maturing crops in a critical period of their development.
Corn prospects deteriorated 256 million bushels during the month. Production is now
expected to be only 2,404 million bushels, the smallest corn crop since 1936. It would
be slightly larger than the average for the 10 years just preceding the war, which included
two drought years, but far below the 3-billion bushel crops of the past five years.
However, the same factors which caused deterioration also diminished the quantity of
corn likely to be "soft".
Soybean and sorghum prospects also declined during August. Estimates for cotton,
oats, flaxseed, tobacco and peanuts were up, for hay and most grains down, but the
changes were relatively small as conditions were mostly favorable for harvesting these
crops. Gains were made by potatoes, rice, dry beans and sugar beets, as these crops are
mostly growing in more favored areas. The net effect of these and other changes lowered
the indicated aggregate 1947 production 2.5 percent from August 1.
Total production of all crops, despite the poor corn prospects, is near the average for
the past five years, the best 5-year period in the Nation's history. The total is 121 percent