Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 17, Number 8, DeMotte, Jasper County, 10 January 1947 — HOOSIER 1946 CROPS NEAR AN ALL TIME HIGH [ARTICLE]

HOOSIER 1946 CROPS NEAR AN ALL TIME HIGH

Purdue Reports Indiana Corn Yield Past • year Was Greatest In History

Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. '6 Hoosier farmers harvested one of j l # the largest total acreages in history in 1946. As a result crop production nearly reached its highest peak. Purdue University agriculture statisticians reported that the state’s corn production hit a few all time high during the past year. Production is estimated at 231,489, 000 bushels which is only a little more than the 1945 harvest but is 29 percent larger than the 10 year average. A yield per acre of 51 bushel is the third highest on record and w'as exceeded only in 1942 and 1945. This large crop was harvested from 4n539n000 acres which is four percent more than the acreage harvested in 1945 and six per cent mord than the 10 year average. Wheat production was estimated at 29,692,000 bushels, 15 per cent less than the 1945 crop but 11 per cent more than average. The average yield per acre of 21.5 bushels has been exceeded only four times in the last 80 years. The wheat acreage harvested, however was low because of excessive rains in the fall of 1945 which interfered with seeding. The 1946 oats production of 56,160,000 bushels is two per cent less than 1945, but 40 percent more than average. They yield per acre as 30 bushels compared with 42 in 1945 and a 10 year average of 30.6 bushels. The statisticians reported that the acreage of soybeans planted last spring was somewhat reduced below plantings a year earlier because of the unfavorable position of soybean prices w T ith respect to corn priced at planting time. Total soybean production is estimated at 25,346,000 bushels 11 per cent less than 1945 but nearly twice as large as average. All hay production is estimated at 2,521,000 tons which is about one percent less than the 1945 crop and two pei’cent less than average. Fifty-five percent of all hay was clover and* timothy. Indiana produced more red clover seed in 1946 than any other state according to the Purdue experts. It amounted to 294,000 bushels or nearly two and onehalf as much as the year preious. Commercial apple production in Indiana is estimated at 1,320,000 bushels or 59 percent more than in 1945. This, however is 16 percent lesst han average. Peach production is estimated at 519,000 bushels, 12 percent less than 1945 hut 50 percent more than aerage.