No. 157 October 1, 1938
INDIANA
CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
CO-OPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST  LAFAYETTE,  INDIANA
INDIANA
There was little change in Indiana crop prospects in September. Rainfall was slightly above average in the Northern third, and somewhat less than average in the Southern
two-thirds of the state. There was little rain the latter part of the month which in connection with above normal temperature made conditions favorable for maturing crops
and continuance of seasonable harvesting operations.
The expected yield per acre of corn is still 40.5 bushels or ten percent lower than
last year. Indicated production of 163,904,000 bushels is only 77 percent of last year,
but 114 percent of the average 1927-1936. Old corn on farms is estimated as 25,834,000
bushels or nearly three times the usual amount for October 1st.
The yield per acre of oats is estimated as 26.0 bushels. This is about a bushel less
than the ten year average, and 5.0 bushels lower than in 1937. Of the 36,634,000 bushels
produced 28,208,000 bushels were still on farms October 1st.
Potatoes are reported less promising than last month at 95 bushels per acre which
is 5 bushels lower.   Production of 4,845,000 bushels is 90 percent of last year.
Soybeans with a condition of 88 are expected to produce 6,462,000 bushels of beans.
This is 242 percent of average, and 180,000 bushels more than indicated last month.
The hay crop reached maturity with yields of each of the various kinds markedly
above average. The yield of alfalfa is placed at 1.85 tons per acre. All tame hay is computed at 1.41 tons per acre. This is higher than last month as higher figures are reported
for hay from soybeans, cowpeas, and miscellaneous hays than expected last month.
Production at 3,098,000 tons is 50 percent above the ten year average.
The condition of pasture declined sharply in September with aging grass and drier
weather, but it is still 14 points above average.
Apples and pears are unchanged in prospect with production at about the ten year
average.
Peaches at harvest were not as good as expected and the production of 144,000
bushels or 24 percent of a full crop is 46,000 bushels less than indicated in previous
months.
Grapes are also reported less promising with the crop at 50 percent of average.
Hired labor supply is larger than last year and demand is less. Consequently wages
are lower than last year. Declines are about $1.50 per month in monthly wages, with
reductions to day hands averaging about 15 cents.
Hens and pullets of laying age on reporters' farms averaged 88 birds October 1st.
Production of 28.4 eggs per hundred layers was again seasonally high.
Milk production per cow milked October 1, on reporters' farms, was 19.5 pounds
still reflecting good pasture condition. Last year production per cow milked was 18.1
pounds. The percentage of cows in herd milked was 74.9 with 74.5 last year.
UNITED STATES
The net result of September weather was to improve crop prospects nearly 1 percent. As compared with prospects a month ago, October indications show only nominal
changes of less than 1 percent for corn, wheat, oats, rice, hay, beans, and sugarcane.
The wheat crop, estimated at 940,229,000 bushels, will be the third largest. Total
stocks of wheat on farms, including all of the new crop that remains, are estimated at
^,000,000 bushels which indicates that an unusually large amount was disposed of
between July 1 and October 1.
Potatoes were hurt by wet weather in the Northeast, but show excellent yield prospects as a whole. Production is estimated at 373,000,000 bushels, which would be about
5 Percent below production last year and 1 percent over the average during the previous
ten years.
With slightly above average corn and barley crops of 2,459,316,000 and 253,000,000
bushels, a near average oat crop of 1,042,000,000 bushels, and a large grain sorghum
crop of 111,000,000 bushels the total production of feed grains will be about 95 million
tons compared with 100 million tons last year and an average of 89 million during the
Preceding 10 years, a period which includes four years of extensive drought. During
|fte 10 years prior to the drought of 1933, production averaged a little over 100 million
tons per year.
MNER M. JUSTIN, ROBERT E. STRASZHEIM,
Agricultural Statistician. Assoc. Agricultural Statistician.