Crops

This is the season when crop reporters are at their busiest. They are the gentry who flit about the countryside gathering data on agricultural conditions, data useful to farmer, middleman, speculator and consumer. Accuracy, speed and skillful surmise count mightily in the interplay of production, consumption and profits. Let him profit who best knows how, is the attitude of the Department of Agriculture, great compiler of pertinent statistics.

The Department has just issued its estimate for the 1926 crops of the country. That estimate, together with current meteorological, entymological and growing conditions that might modify it, is here given.

Corn. Estimated to be 2,660,680,000 bu.; was 2,900,581,000 bu. last year; sold currently at 80c to 90c a bushel. The U. S. leads the world in production. Next is Argentina which produces one-tenth as much. Iowa leads the U. S. The 1926 crop is excellent in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska. Rain is needed in Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas. In Georgia the crop has ripened late. Cold weather has injured the Wisconsin stand.

Wheat. Estimated to be: spring wheat 199,595,000 bu.; winter wheat 597,762,000 bu.; was: spring wheat 270,879,000 bu.; winter wheat 398,486,000 bu. last year; sold currently at $1.40 to $1.45 a bushel. The U. S. leads the world in production. Next is India with one half as much. Kansas leads the U. S. for winter wheat, North Dakota for spring wheat. Harvest is almost completed in the North and West. In the Dakotas and Minnesota the crop (spring) was short on account of dry weather, although showers helped the late crop of North Dakota. Dry weather persisted in Montana, but low temperature saved the stands. Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia report fat crops.

Oats. Estimated to be 1,334,260,000 bu.; was 1,501,909,000 bu. last year; sold currently at 40c to 45c a bushel. The U. S. leads the world. Canada is next with one-fourth as much. Iowa leads the U. S. Acreage was cut down from last year. Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas report excellent crops. In northern Illinois the fields are good; but smut has appeared in the southern counties.

Rye. Estimated to be 39,666,000 bu.; was 48,696,000 bu. last year; sold currently at $1.05 to $1.10 a bushel. Germany leads the world. The U. S. ranks third with one-fourth as much. North Dakota leads the U. S. Dry, hot weather has caused complaints.

Barley. Estimated to be 190,959,000 bu.; was 218,002,000 bu. last year. The U. S. leads the world. Germany is next with three-fifths as much. North Dakota leads the U. S. In Wisconsin and Minnesota fields are in excellent condition, in North Dakota practically as well. Potatoes. Estimated to be 334,044,000 bu.; was 323,243,000 bu. last year; sold currently at $1.60 to $1.85 a bushel. Germany leads the world. The U. S. is fourth with one-third as much. New York leads the U. S. Wisconsin reports good crop with increased acreage planted because of last year's high prices. Cotton. Estimated to be 15,635,000 bales (a bale weighs 480 Ibs.*); was 16,085,905 bales last year; sold currently at less than 20c the Ib. The U. S. leads the world. India is next with two-fifths as much. Texas leads the U. S. Nowhere is there exultation about the crop. The hopper flea has been nibbling at the fruits, retarding their growth and causing the stalks to grow rank. At present the boll weevil is feared. Texas seems in the best situation--rapid growth, favorable weather, fairly good fruiting, some insects, some rankness. Arkansas was doing well until rains came. Tennessee needed rain, got it. The Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi report poor fruiting, yet fair prospects. Louisiana and Oklahoma have altogether too much moisture. Growths are going rank. For the whole country, final production of most crops will be under that of 1925. The Department of Agriculture estimates that they will be a full 6 1/2% below the past ten-year average. Nevertheless, certain Federal Reserve Banks, speaking for their districts, consider 1926 an excellent year for the farmer.

That is, although total 1926 production may be somewhat below statistical averages, the financial interests take a cheerful view of the situation. By inference then, crop prices this year will equate themselves, in the minds of bankers, to keep the farmer in prosperity.

*In India 396 Ibs. of cotton constitute a bale, in Brazil 220 Ibs., in Egypt 228 Ibs. or 720 Ibs.