No. 250 July  1, 1946
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    
On July 1, 1946 the general outlook for crops was consideraS^^felrve-jitxerage^Cw'
probable yield of 21.5 bushels per acre for winter wheat is 4.0 btrsraft^iKhar w^^ne
1935-44 average. Production of 30,616,000 bushels while less than lastS^Ba?^ iJrfia»ercent
of average. Old wheat on farms at 718,000 bushels is the lowest in 20 years except
following the very low crop of 1928.
The acreage of corn for harvest is 4,675,000 the highest since 1937. An expected yield
of 49.0 bushels per acre indicates 229,075,000 bushels. This figure is 128 percent of average
and except last year the largest crop ever produced. Stocks on farms of 54,569,000 bushels
are the largest in twenty years except 1943.
The oats acreage was increased to 1,563,000. The prospective yield of 38 bushels per
acre is seven bushels higher than average and production of 59,394,000 bushels is nearly
as much as last year. The 8,952,000 bushels of oats on farms is the largest supply for
the season in twenty years.
The acreage of soybeans for all purposes was reduced 13 percent from last year to
1,483,000. Soybeans held on farms amount to 838,000 bushels or somewhat less than in
II recent years.
Yields of other small grains are above average.
The yield of hay is- only slightly above average. Increased acreage of clover and
timothy and decreases in alfalfa and soybeans which usually make higher yields is
responsible. Hay production of 2,665,000 tons expected is above average though lower
than last year. Pasture condition at 93 percent of normal is very high for the date.
Potatoes are doing well and the 3,720,000 bushels in prospect is 95 percent of last year.
Because of an acreage below average production will be only 72 percent of 1935-44
average.
Tobacco promises 11,750,000 pounds on an acreage 5 percent smaller than last year.
The acreage of popcorn is 19,100 where last year it was 34,800.
The fruit crop is rather small though not a real failure generally. Apples are expected
, to be 133 percent of last year, grapes 143 percent. The peach crop is expected to be 75
percent,of last year, and pears 87 percent.
Milk production per cow continues at a record high level. Milk production in June
i was 364 million pounds, only six million below May. The June production in 1945 was
381 million pounds and the 1935-44 average for June was 327 million pounds.
, June production of eggs totaled 175 million where last year it was 194 million. Eggs
j produced per 100 hens was 1,686 the highest June number in 16 years. Production for the
: first six months of 1946 of 1,216 million eggs was only five million less than last year.
j Culling has been close and number of hens decreased about twice as fast as usual. The
number in June was 88 percent of those in May, and of June 1945. Young chickens per
'arm July 1 were 82 percent of last year.
UNITED STATES
The current outlook for total crop production has seldom been surpassed. A record
| corn crop and near-record crops of wheat, oats, potatoes and rice appear in prospect. The
cotton acreage shows a slight upturn, after successive declines had brought it in 1945
to the lowest point in 60 years. Except for 1942, the reported condition of all crops is the
best in seven years. Milk and eggs were being produced at near-record levels. The combined acreage of all crops for harvest in 1946 has been exceeded since 1932 only in the
past 3 years. Indicated yields of most crops are above average. These are some of the
' S1^?,s Panting to another big crop year in 1946.
The third consecutive billion-bushel wheat crop will be the second largest of record.
Kye production will be the smallest since the drought years, but rice will be at a near-
record level. The combined output of feed grains may be the largest ever produced, with
Prospective production of all corn setting a new high mark and a second \xk billion bushel
°ats crop nearly up to that of 1945, though barley is the shortest crop since 1937. The
expected tonnage of hay is below the level of the past 4 years, but the carryover of old
bay is large. Oilseed crops are receding from the high wartime levels with the production
S1 sovbeans and flaxseed down sharply and a small decline in the acreage of peanuts.
wge crops of tobacco, potatoes, vegetables, citrus and most other fruits are expected,
W dry beans and sweetpotatoes will be below average. Pastures and ranges, except in