No. 297 June 1, 1950
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
An indicated yield of 2.0 bushels per acre June 1, on the 1,434,000 acres of wheat
remaining for harvest in Indiana makes the forecast 28,680,000 bushels. This is 5 percent
more than a month ago, though only slightly more than the 1939-48 production. Both
acreage and expected yield are below last year so production is only 73 percent of 1949.
Condition varies rather slightly over the state,
The condition of oats is 13 points lower than last year resulting in a prospect of
50,556,000 bushels or 90 percent of last year- The lower condition is mostly in the three
northern districts, where oats are most heavily grown.
Barley is slightly less promising than last year with expected production 575,000
bushels. Rye condition is also below last year but the larger acreage promises 949,000
bushels.
Only a small acreage of corn and soybeans remained to be planted after June 1. Some
stands are impaired because of dry soil after planting.
Fruit prospects are considerably below last year. A peach crop forecast of 240,000
bushels is 30 percent of last year and 53 percent of the ten year average. The prospects
for pears are 73 percent of last year and 81 percent of average. Other tree fruits are
also less promising than last year.
Milk production in May was 343 million pounds or 15 million below a year ago or 7
million below average. Milk production per cow is above average but numbers of cows
continue at a low level. January to May production was 1,398 million pounds this year
and 1,420 million pounds last year.
Egg production per hundred layers was 1,903 eggs in May slightly above last year.
Production of eggs was 224 million this year and 232 million last year. January to May
production was 1,120 million in 1950 and 1,106 million in 1949.
UNITED STATES
Crop production in 1950 is expected to be well below that of recent years. Acreages
of important crops have been reduced by diversion to fallow, pasture, new meadows and
less productive crops. More cropland than usual will remain idle in 1950. In addition,
progress of the growing season is still retarded, although significant recovery occurred
during May. Spring-sown grains in most areas made good progress, despite late seeding
dates. Planting of corn and soybeans progressed rapidly during the latter part of May
and development of these crops is about normal. Winter wheat prospects improved
slightly with favorable conditions in most areas as heads formed and filled. Favorable
weather in late May and early June tended to correct deficiencies of sunshine or rain,
as the case might be, in most of the country, though the rains in some sections interfered with completion of planting and spring work.
Yield prospects for winter wheat improved to the extent that production is now estimated at 710 million bushels, nearly 21 million bushels more than on May 1. Harvest is
under way in the South, also in the Southwest, where yields are mostly better than
expected earlier. Heavy heads developed on the short, thin straw as kernels filled well.
Much acreage yielding only 3 to 5 bushels may be harvested as an "expense" crop in the
Southwest, as some recovery followed "greenbug" and drought damage. The threat of
aphis and mosaic disease in the central Great Plains is present, but is not yet regarded
as serious. Inability to seed spring wheat at usual dates in the North may have reduced
the acreage below intentions and has lowered yield prospects. Estimated production of
over 234 million bushels, added to the winter wheat, results in a total wheat crop of
nearly 945 million bushels, first to fall below a billion bushels in 7 years.
Corn planting made rapid progress in the latter part of May and was nearly completed
by June 1. Weather and wet fields caused some delay in starting corn planting, but
observance by growers of borer-free dates is likely to have been a more significant factor.
Fields were generally well prepared and stands are good in most areas. Planting of soybeans was also well advanced. Planting of sorghums was delayed because of dry topsoil
in parts of the Central and Southern Great Plains. Cotton planting continues in some
areas, as rains in early June interfered with completion of this work in northwestern
sections and interrupted chopping and cultivation rather generally in the southern cotton