No. 299 August 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
There was no change in Indiana corn prospects in July so the forecast of production
remains at 226,416,000 bushels or 109 percent of the 1939-48 average. There was little
change by districts. There is evidence of nitrogen deficiency in some areas where soils
have been extremely wet and somewhat colder than usual. For July rainfall was near
normal but temperatures were somewhat below normal.
Wheat production also is unchanged at 30,114,000 bushels. Harvest showed higher
yields than expected in the northern third of the state, with somewhat lower yields across
the central part of the state and in the southeast.
The oats crop is again forecast at 50,616,000 bushels. There was no striking change
in prospects in any district. Harvest was not quite completed in the north by the end of
the month. 
Reported yield figures after haryest for barley and rye are about a bushel above earlier
expectations, even though very low barley yields-are reported in districts of small acreage.
Production of 662,000 bushels of barley and 1,022,000 bushels of rye is indicated.
Soybeans promise a yield of 21.0 bushels per acre, and with 1,680,000 acres for beans
the forecast is production of 35,280,000 bushels for a record crop for the state. The plants
are now blooming over most of the state. 
Hay production is forecast as 2,530,000 tons of which 950,000 tons is alfalfa, and
1,224,000 tons clover and timothy. Clover and timothy hay is 13,8 percent of last year and
alfalfa the same as last year. Pasture condition- 94 percerft of normal is two points
above last year and 14 points above average.
Potato production at 3,515,000 bushels is 10 percent less than last year and 24 percent
below average.
Fruit prospects are reported better than a month ago though still far below last year.
Commercial apples forecast at 1,020,000 bushels are 77 percent of average. Peaches forecast as 250,000 bushels are 55 percent of average. Pears forecast at 127,000 bushels are
76 percent of average. Grapes forecast as 2,400 tons are 102 percent of average.
Milk production per cow was 10 percent above average August 1st. Total July milk
production was 346 million pounds, where last year it was 362 million pounds. Milk cow
numbers are down about 2 percent from last year.
Egg production per 100 layers for July was 1,572 this year and 1,528 last year. Egg
production for July was 173 million this year and 166 million last year. January to July
production this year was 1,487 million eggs, and last year 1,466 million eggs.
UNITED STATES
Excellent prospects for most crops were maintained by favorable growing weather
during July. Cool, rainy weather hampered haying and harvesting, cultivation of row
crops and insect control measures, but was beneficial for spring grains, especially in the
late-planted areas, and for development of most later-growing crops. Corn prospects
were maintained at a high level, despite lack of "corn weather". Soybeans will be a
record crop. An aggregate outturn of all crops 24 percent larger than the 1923-32 average
is now in prospect in the current forecasts of crops.
Corn production is now estimated at 3,168 million bushels, indicating virtually no
change in prospects during July. Average temperatures in the main Corn Belt were
lower than usual, tending to retard development of corn plants. Tasselling and silking
are considerably later than in either 1948 or 1949, which were nearly ideal corn years,
and may be a week or more later than usual, as a whole. Some corn which was planted
very late will need at least the usual fall growing season to reach maturity; that is,
it will face a hazard of early frost damage. Limited harvesting of com has begun in
Texas. Corn borers pose a serious problem in the main Corn Belt, despite stepped-up
control efforts, for rains hampered spraying and washed off insecticides. The ample soil
moisture is a favoring factor in current and future development.
Harvesting of winter wheat, from Kansas northward and eastward, was delayed by July
rains. While in some areas the delayed maturity improved yields, it also lowered quality of
the wheat. Much of the threshed wheat was of relatively high moisture content in East
North Central areas. The current estimates of nearly 741 million bushels of winter wheat
and 256 million bushels of spring wheat add to over 996 million bushels of all wheat, barely
short of the billion mark and about 4 percent more than forecast on July 1. Harvest of
spring wheat had started in some areas, but the bulk of the crop in North Dakota was
barely headed on August 1 and was vulnerable to damage by heat and pests in August. Rye