No. 130 April 1, 1937
INDIANA
CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DIVISION OP CROP AND LIVESTOCK
CO-OPERATING WITH     
PURDUE UNIVERSITY 
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATIS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
INDIANA
The condition of winter wheat in Indiana on April 1 was 72 percent of normal,
3 points below the ten year (1923-32) average and 10 points below December 1. This
decline in condition since December 1 is the same as the ten year (1923-32) average.
Wheat has made but little growth over the north two-thirds of the state. The
lowest condition was reported from the central and west central areas. The indicated
production of winter wheat April 1 was 34,500,000 bushels compared to 30,922,000
bushels produced in 1936 and the five year (1928-32) average production of
26,458,000 bushels.
The condition of rye on April 1 was reported to be 80 percent of normal, 8 points
below December 1. The ten year average change is a decline of 6 points.
Pasture condition was reported at 64, 14 points below the ten year average.
Stocks of wheat on farms were estimated to be 74 percent of wheat on farms
a year ago and 68 percent of the five year (1933-37) average. Coi*n on farms was
53 percent of farm corn a year ago and 69 percent of the same five year average.
Oats stocks on farms were 94 percent of oats on farms a year ago and 90 percent
of the average of the past five years.
On Reporters' farms having general farm flocks of 390 or less hens and pullets
of laying age, the average number was 109; a year ago, 107. The percent laying was
56.9; a year ago, 59.6; 12 year (1925-36) average, 57.5.
The number of young chicks per farm was 59; a year ago, 40; ten year
(1927-36) average, 55.
On Reporters' farms 71.5 percent of the cows were being milked; a year ago,
71.9; 12 year (1925-36) average, 71.3. Daily production per cow milked was 18.6
pounds; a year ago, 18.1; 12 year (1925-36) average, 19.3.
The supply of farm labor was reported to be 86 percent of normal; on January
1st, 90; a year ago, 96. The demand for farm labor was reported to be 92 percent
of normal; on January 1st, 88; a year ago, 87. The ratio of supply to demand was
93; a year ago, 110; on January 1st, 102.
Farm wages were reported 9 percent higher than on January 1 and 16 percent
higher than a year ago.
UNITED STATES
A winter wheat crop of 656,019,000 bushels in 1937 is indicated by the April 1
condition. Production in 1936 was 519,013,000 bushels and the 5 year (1928-32)
average production was 623,220,000 bushels.
Condition of the crop on April 1, 1937 was reported at 73.8 percent of normal,
compared with 68.5 percent on April 1, 1936 and the 10-year (1923-32) average
of 78.9.
The cold weather of March retarded the growth of pastures, lengthened the
feeding period and increased the severity of the feed shortage in the drought area.
It also delayed spring work on the farms over a wide area and nipped early fruits
in a number of the Southern States. Repeated freezing and thawing during March
also appears to have caused considerable damage to winter grains and grasses in
Northern States where a snow cover was lacking.
Due to the effects of recent droughts, more than average production of spring
*own crops would be needed to permit average marketings of farm products during
the crop year. Due chiefly to drought last fall, the record acreage planted to winter
wheat is expected to produce a crop only about 33,000,000 bushels above the 1928-32
average and present stocks of wheat on farms are 56,000,000 bushels below average.
Reserves of feed grains on farms are nearly as low as they were two years ago
after the drought of 1934. April stocks of feed grains are equal to only 20 percent
°f an average year's production, instead of the usual 35 percent of an average production. Stocks of hay and forage also appear to be low. The number of hogs on
farms, while larger than it was two years ago, is smaller than in any other spring
'n nearly 50 years. The number of cattle is about 10 percent below the high point
of three years ago and many of them have been on short rations.