Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-10-02
Condition of Crops.

The Government Crop Reporter,
official publication of the secretary of
agriculture, reporting on condition
OF crops, puts Iowa away in the lead
in many products.
The percentage of full crop an
ticipated fer Iowa is SO, while in
| Illinois, rival in corn, the percentage
of a full crop is estimated at only
1885, Iowa leads every state and is
tied only by Rhode Island where
there isn't as much corn raised as
There is in one Iowa county. Iowa
last year at this time.
Iowa leads all states in the per-
centage Of wheat crop except North
Dakota, and the mountain and Pacific
states where big gains are shown.
Iowa has 80 per cent OF barley
crop. the largest percentage east of
the mountain states. The oats crop
in Iowa is quoted by the government
at l01 per cent, which is higher than
all other states except North Dakota
and Nevada. All OF the mountain
and Pacific states show big crops of
small grain this season. Iowa shows
an average yield of lao tons of hay
per acre as compared to 80 Of ton
last year.
The quality of hay in Iowa is
shown at 96 per cent. This is the
best percentage on total and on guam
tity Cf any Mississippi valley state.
The quality percentage is 4 above the
| 10-year average. Iowa's percentage
of clover seed compared to 1911 is
l117 which is higher than any state
except Minnesota, Arizona. and Mis-
sissippi The condition Of Iowa flax
seed is 81 per cent which exceeds any
state in the union except Montana.
The condition OF Iowa's hogs is
90 per cent compared with "a per
cent for 10year average which
shows a slight loss. The loss Is less
than is most of the Mississippi valley
states. Iowa's potato crop is SO per
cent this year as compared with SO
per cent at this time last year, almost
double. In apples this state has fall
len off this year from sc per cent
in 1911 TO 25 per cent in 1912. and
the state has cne cf the poorest
apple crops in its history. The peach
crop is practically nothing, being
only 3 per cent of q crop as com
pared with 80 per cent last year. The
grape crop, however, is heavy, 81
per cent against so per cent in 1911.
Iowa shows a gain in the pear crop
increasing the percentage or 1911
from 32 to 80.
The success of other crops may
be seen by the high percentage given
| in the government report as follows:
Alfalfa 81, millet 96, blue grass SO,
| tomatoes 90, cabbage 81, onions "a,
watermelons so, cantaloupes 92.
| jComparing the value of crops the
Reporter says that wheat in Iowa is
worth SO cents as compared to 50
cents last year; corn, 81 cents, COM
pared to Sc cents last year; oats,
26 cents, compared to 36 cents last
year; potatoes, 65 cents, compared
to S125 last year; hay. $9.10 ton,
compared to $3.50 last year: bar
ley, "a cents. compared to 80 cents
last year; rye. So cents. compared to
$50 cents last year; butter, "a cents.
compared to 23 cents last year: eggs,
ll7 cents, compared to IA cents last
year; chickens, 10 cents per pound.
lcompared to IA cents last year.
A table of conditions of all crops
in the west this year. September lst,
shows Iowa III per cent. In this
table 100 per cent indicates the
average and not normal crop. Iowa
has III per cent of a normal crop
this year and no other state ap-
lproaches this high per cent except
lWest Virginia which shows 119 per
cent and North Dakota with 125 per
lcent. The general average for the
whole country Is 104 per cent. show
ling that Iowa is 13 per cent higher
than the average of the nation.