The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-08-05

set tobacco which has been holding it's
own during the long drouth is ready
now to respond quickly when sufficient
moisture comes to normal growth. 1t
is these fields that must produce sat
isfactory crop if we have one.
The chief statistician of the United
States Bureau of Agriculture has pre-
pared a brief statement in reply to a
large number of inquiries as the basis
Of the calculations embodied in the
monthly crop reports showing the con-
dition of tobacco and other crops, the
average yield per acre, total produc-
ton, etc. The statistician says:
"The condition of various crops is es-
timated periodically during the growing
season by the Department of Agricul-
ture. These estimates are expressed
in the form of percentage, the base,
or 100 per cent, being termed a nor
mali condition.
''Three inquiries are often made as
to such condition reports, namely: az
What is normal condition? (2) What
yield is indicated by normal condi-
ton? 81 What is the method or form
ula for interpreting given estimate of
condition in terms of indicated produc-
ton; in other words, with given con-
dition, how is the indicated production
determined?
"a normal condition may be defined
as condition that will produce nor
NAL yield, if such condition is maintain
ed until harvest. But what is normal
yield?
''Most farmers know from experience
approximately what their fields ought
to produce, with the usual mode of
farming, with normal weather condi-
tions, and without unusual losses from
disease, insects or other injurious in
fuences. A yield under such favor
able, though not extraordinary, condi-
tions would be normal yield, which is
more than an average yield but less
than maximum possible yield. A con-
diticn which may produce normal
yield, as thus described, is normal, or
100 per cent, condition.
"A normal yield for one farm or sec
tion may vary widely from that for an
other. On one field a normal yield per
acre of corn might be eighty bushels,
and on another field twelve bushels. A
normal yield of corn for one state is
more than forty bushels per acre, for
another state it is less than fourteen
bushels.
''The condition of crop at given
date is expressed by the percentage of
a normal yield which may be produced
if no change in the condition or status
Of the crop occur from the given date
tO1thes time of harvest.
'"The normal yield of crop for a
state or for the United States may be
determined approximately in prac-
tical way by multiplying the average
yield per acre for any number of years
by 100 and dividing the product by the
average, for the same years, OF the
condition of the crop at or near the
time of harvest.
''This method cannot give precise
equivalent of 100 per cent, because a
change sometimes occurs in crop
after the date of the last condition re-
port and before harvest, and also be-
cause the data used are estimates and
and subject to errors of judgment. But
for practical purposes the method is
valid for obtaining approximations.
"A normal yield being known, it is
simple process to reduce any given con-
dition figure to its yield equivalent; that
is, multiply the normal yield by the
condition figure and divide by 100. For
example, if the condition OF corn IS
eighty per cent, where normal or 1OO
yield is thirty-fve bushels, the indicat-
ed yield would be eighty per cent OF
thirty-fve bushels, or twenty-eight. .
''The yield obtained by the method
th,1c doccr;bod ic tho WELD which NAV
be expected providing the condition OF
the crop does not decline or improve
after the date of the estimate. But as
a crop advances to maturity some por-
tion of it usually suffers from some
damaging influences, causing decline
in condition.