No. 179 August 1, 1940.
INDIANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
COOPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
INDIANA
On August 1st corn prospects in Indiana were down from the prevkms-TTionth by 12
million bushels to 153,543,000 bushels. July began with a moisture shortage carried over
from June, and accumulated a greater shortage of its own. Corn, short the equivalent
of an average month's rain at a critical time, has deteriorated since the date of the estimate. The estimated production however is still one per cent larger than the 1929-1938
average. Hybrid corn and better care have to a large extent offset the reduced acreage.
Condition August 1st was equal to the ten year average. Although the condition figures
by districts are fairly uniform, corn is extremely variable as between smaller areas. The
effect of showers and other local factors has made striking differences in the appearance
of the crop in very short distances.
The winter wheat crop was aided by the cool, dry weather of early July which checked
the spread of black stem rust. In spite of state wide infection extensive damage was mostly limited to the three southern districts. Even these districts got average yields though
test weights are lower than usual. Elsewhere the damage was so limited that yields were
above average. Production is estimated as 29,260,000 bushels from a yield of 19.0 bushels
per acre.
The oats crop is making very good yields of high quality grain. Threshing had not
begun in the northern districts but the indicated state yield is 40.0 bushels per acre,
making production of 44,400,000 bushels. The crop is thus 1 per cent larger than average
even with the small acreage. The yield is the highest since 1920 and has been exceeded
only in 1917 and 1918 since records began in 1866.
Barley yielding 25.0 bushels per acre indicates a production of 1,500,000 bushels. Only
in 1928 when a large acreage of barley was seeded on ground where wheat winter killed
was production greater.
Rye yielding 13.5 bushels per acre is estimated as producing 1,688,000 bushels. The
yield is the highest since 1931.
The dry weather of July injured potato prospects even in the most favored localities.
Production is estimated as 4,335,000 bushels at 85 bushels per acre. This is 17 per cent
short of average.
Tobacco is near average in prospects with an indicated yield of 826 pounds per acre.
Production will be 10 per cent below average because of reduced acreage.
Soybeans with a condition of 74 are near average but much less promising than last
year. They will respond to rains but can hardly overcome the weeks of retarded growth.
The harvesting of hay crops was favored by the dry weather and an exceptionally
large crop of hay seems assured. Alfalfa and lespedeza have been lowered in prospective
production by drought. The estimated production of all tame hay is 3,060,000 tons, a loss
in prospects for the month of 114,000 tons.
The condition of pasture declined to 67 per cent of normal on August 1st from 94 a
month earlier. Very few pastures were making growth, and many were yielding very
little feed.  The dried grass, undamaged by rain, was carrying stock fairly well.
The production of apples in 34 counties designated as commercial counties was estimated as 1,100,000 bushels. This is 53 per cent of last year and 75 per cent of the 1934-
1938 average for these counties.
Peaches show little change. The crop is a failure in the sections usually producing
ws crop, but scattering production mainly in the northern half of the state is estimated
58,000 bushels.
The production of grapes estimated as 4,300 tons is slightly above average, though 10
cent less than last year.