The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-17
The Agricultural Departments Figures Con-
corning the Recent Harvest.

corning the Recent Harvest.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
SPRINGFIELD Sept. 16.-The Illinois De-
partment of Agriculture will, in a few
days, issue an important report on the re-
suits of the late harvest. The following,
which includes the chief facts, is taken from
advance sheets: The yield of wheat, 20,347,-
593 bushels, is the smallest recorded for
twenty-four years, the average per acre, ten
bushels, being less than that of any year on
record except 1876 and 1881. The crop has
been produced at a loss of about SO, 1858, 900,
after deductIng a reasonable amount for the
use of the land and the expense of produc-
ton. OF the total amount of the crop only
about 615,0 900 bushels was spring wheat.
Since 1860 there nave been eight years in
which wheat has been grown in the State at
an actual loss. The most profitable year was
1882, when the yield of 50, 1928 900 bushels at
the average price of 80 cents a bushel, gave a
net profit of SIG, 237, 900.
THE OATS CROP.
There were 2,740, $50 acres of oats sown IN
the State last spring, being about $50, 900
acres more than the largest previous, or that
of 1882. The yield per acre was thirty-nine
bushels, the largest or record, except that of
last year, which was forty bushels. The
total yield was 104, 900, 230 bushels, or $685.
$50 bushels IN excess of the largest crop here
tofore produced in the State, and the crop
saved in excellent condition. Notwithstand-
ing the magnitude of the yield, the profit
upon it to the producers is estimated, at the
| prevailing price, to be less than S4O0, 900,
while on the crop of 80, 275, 900 last year. the
estimated profit was $40, 100000. The report
in hand shows that in the twenty-four years
past this crop has been grown at a loss four
teen years, and at a profit only ten years.
The greatest estimated loss was in 1S76-$10,-
100000, The highest average yield per acre
this year was in Kane county-forty-eight
bushels, and the lowest in Hardin, twenty
bushels.
RYE, BARLEY I'M FLAX.
This crop covered only 276, 1855 acres, or ST.
800 acres less than the crop of 1882. The
yield was about II bushels per acre, or an
aggregate of 1895, 448 bushels, valued at 3d.
244,646. At the prevailing price, this gives
an actual loss on the production of the crop
of not less than $3.50, o00.
These two crops are almost uniformly
grown at a profit in this State. Flax has
always been profitable, and barley has been
| grown at a loss only four years in the last
twenty-four. The barley crop this year,
674 1873 bushels, is less than the yield of any
year since 1860, except 1879. Indeed Stephen
son, Ogle, Carroll, Lee and Winnebago are
the only counties in the State in which
barley culture receives much attention.
There are only five counties, also, which de-
vote much attention to fax, Iroquois, Ford,
Livingston, Cook and DuPage. These pro-
duce about 212, 900 of the total 273, 2S6 grown
this year.
THE Hay CROP
is an extraordinary one as to bulk, and the
quality is uniformly good. The area of mead
ows harvested this year was 2, 945, 482, or 316,-
049 acres in excess of the largest crop ever
before gathered in the State. The av-
erage yield is a trihe over one
and three-fourths tons to the acre, or a
total OF 5, 064 400 tons, as near as may be,
valued at $50, 800, 281, a sun which has been
exceeded only twice in twenty-four years
in 1864 and 1883. The profit to the producers
on this crop, for 1888, after deducting all ex-
| penses for cost of production, is So, 296, 176,
an amount which has been exceeded but
twice since 1863. Hay is uniformly produced
at a profit, the highest figure being 800. $685.
$40 in 1864. The area of pastures is stated at
A, 1872 ,728, much larger than last year.
The corn area is ,304, 500 acres, being about
| 81, 900 less than last year. The prospect only
can he stated, and does not exceed so per
cent. of an average yield. There are but
seventeen counties in the State that will
reach the average, and these are nearly all
| south of the line of the Wabash railroad and
are not among the heavy corn-growingc oun-
ties of the State.