Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1918 — 21 BILLION IS VALUE OF U. S. CROPS THIS YEAR [ARTICLE]

21 BILLION IS VALUE OF U. S. CROPS THIS YEAR

Nearly 1,000,000,000 Bushels More Grain Was Raised *' Than in 1916. CORN LEADS ALL THE REST \ aMaMaMMataHMMiaßa* :■ 'Production of Grain and Other Farm Products Far Exceeds Any Other •Year In History of CountryWeather Ruins Flax. Washington. —, Farmers contributed approximately $21,000,000,000 to tb» wealth of the nation this year In the production of grain and other farm products, far exceeding any other year In the history of the country. Of this immense total the corn crop leads with an estimated value of $4,053,672,000. The oats crop is valued at $1,061,427,000; wheat at $848,372,000, and potatoes at $543,865,000'. ' Final report on the crops has just been issued by the department of agriculture, and it showed that with the exception of wheat the leading grains established records in production. A big wheat area was planted, but severe winter killing cut down the crop heavily. Cotton was caught by an early frost and suffered a sensational loss of approximately 1,000,000 bales from early estimates. A late season and early frosts hurt the corn crop, but more In point of quality than quantity, and there is more soft corn in the country this year than ever before. 1,000,000,000 Bushels in Excess. Nearly 1,000,000,000 bushels more grain was raised than in 1916. The final estimate shows a total production of 5,666,728,000 bushels of the five leading grains. This ' compares with 4,686,253,000 bushels last year, and is clbse to the record aggregate production in 1915.

The .total wheat yield is given as .650,828,000 bushels, compared with 636,318,000 bushels last year, and 806,861,000 bushels, the 1911-15 average. - Corn production is estimated at 3,159,494,000 bushels, about 31,000,000 bushels under the preliminary figure and compared with 2,566,927,000 bushels raised in 1916. The five-year average was 2,754,164,000 bushels and the previous bumper crop in "1912 was 8,124,746,000 bushels. * The yield of. oats was also a record one and is given as 1,587,286,000 bushels, compared with 1,251,837,000 bushels last year. The five-year average was 1,230,499,000 bushels. Production of rye is placed at 60,145,000 bushels, against 48,862,000 - bushels last -year and five-year average of 41,899,000 bushels. The barley crop is finally estimated at 208,975,000 bushels, against 182,309,000 bushels last year. The bumper potato crop Is maintained In the final report; in fact the figure of 442,336,000 bushels Is a little In excess of the preliminary estimate and compares with 286,953,000 bushels last year. Weather Ruins Flax.

Unfavorable weather conditions ruined the flax crop and the yield Is estimated at only 8,473,000 bushels, against 14,296,000 bushels last year. Production of hay-was 70,528,000 tons of tame apd 15,402,000 tons of wild, compared with 91,192,000 tons and 19,800,000 tons respectively last year. The rice crop totaled 36,278,000 bushels, against 41,982,000 bushels last year. Buckwheat production was 17,460,000 bushels, compared with 11,840,000 bushels ip 1916. The kaffir corn crop was 75,866,000 bushels,.' against 50,340,000 bushels last year. Following shows area, yield per acre and prbduction in bushels of the leading crops: Yield • ' per Area. acre. Production. Winter wheat.... 27,430,000 15.2 418,070,000 Spring wheat 18,611.000 12.6 232,758,000 Corn .......419,765,000 26.4 3,159,494,000 Oats 43,572,000 36.4 1,687,286,000 Rye 4,102,000 14.7 60,145.000 Barley 8,835,000 23.7 208,975,000 Kaffir corn 5,153,000 14.7 76,866,000 Potatoes ...' 4,490,000 100.8 442,336,000 Sweet potatoes... 963,000 91.4 87,141,000 Hay. tame - 63,616,000 1.49 *79,528,000 Hay Wild 16,472,000 .94 *16,402,000 Flaxseed 1,809,000 4.7 8,473,000 ♦Tons. * Cotton production this year is estimated at 10,949,000 Equivalent 500-

pound bales. Tobacco yield Is given as 1,196,451,000 pounds; sugar beets, 6,237,000 tons; beans, 15,701,000 pounds; onions, 13,544,000 bushels, and cabbage, 502,700 tons. The apple crop was 58.203,000 barrels ; peaches, 45,066 f 000 barrels; pears, 13,281,000 bushels; cranberries, 245,000' barrels, and oranges, 12,832,000 boxes.