No. 127 April 1, 1936
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 1st was 69 percent of
normal, a decrease of 15 points since December 1. The ten year average change
in condition between these two dates is a decline of 10 points.
Wheat has been slow starting this spring. The lowest condition is reported
from the north and northwest. The indicated winter wheat production on April
1 was 27,970,000 bushels, compared to 28,458,000 bushels produced last year and
a five year (1928-32) average production of 26,279,000 bushels.
Rye condition on April 1 was 76 percent of normal, a decline of 10 points
since December 1.   The ten year average change is a decline of 6 points.
Pasture condition was reported at 76, 2 points below the ten year average.
Stocks of wheat on farms were estimated to be 67 percent of wheat on
farms a year ago, and 69 percent of the five year (1932-36) average. Corn stocks
were 207 percent of farm corn a year ago and 109 percent of the five year
(1932-36) average. Oats stocks were 206 percent of oats on farms a year ago
and 95 percent of the five year (1932-36) average.
On reporters' farms 71.9 percent of the cows were being milked; last month,
72.4; a year ago, 68.8. Daily production per cow milked was 18.1 pounds; last
month, 17.5; a year ago, 18.5.
On farms of reporters having general farm flocks of 390 or less hens and
pullets of laying age, the average number was 107; last month, 110; a year ago,
101. The percent laying was 59.6; last month, 33.5; a year ago, 59.4. The percent laying was the highest for April 1 since 1929.
The number of young chicks per farm is reported much below last year and
shows the effect of the cold weather of late winter in retarding hatching.
The farm labor supply was reported as 96 percent of normal; a year ago,
106; on January 1st, 99. Demand for farm labor was reported as 87; last year,
78; on January 1st, 81.
The ratio of supply to demand was 110; a year ago, 136; on January 1st, 122.
Farm wages were reported 5 percent higher than on January 1 and 11 percent higher than a year ago.
UNITED STATES
A winter wheat crop of 493,166,000 bushels in 1936 is indicated by April 1 condition.  Production of winter wheat in 1935 was 433,447,000 bushels and the five
year average (1928-32) was 618,186,000 bushels.
Condition of winter wheat on April 1, 1936, was 68.5 percent of normal compared with 69.8 percent on April 1, 1935, and the ten year average (1923-32)
April 1 condition of 78.9 percent.
The April 1 condition indicated that about 21 percent of the acreage seeded
last fall will be abandoned. The ten year (1923-32) average percentage abandoned was 12.6 percent.
While crop prospects on April 1 appear to have been better than on that date
in any of the last three years, they were not particularly bright because of recent
freezes and storms. The progress of farm work has been extensively but probably not yet seriously delayed by wet soil.
Pastures have been late in starting.
Reports from practically all states show that the demand for farm labor has
jncreased as compared to a year ago, that farm wages are higher, and the number of local men still available for employment at current wage rates appears
to be substantially lower than at this time last year.
Stocks of wheat on farms are unusually low. Stocks of feed grains are somewhat greater than average supplies at this season but are not excessive.