The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-05-26
KENTUCKY CROP REPORT
AS OF MAY FIRST.


After a drouth, good crop year"
is an old saying that is believed by
most farmers, in truth there seems to
be some scientific basis for this. The
first crop report for the year 1914
would indicate that this year would
be no exception to the rule. Prob
ably never in the history of the State
was there a more promising outlook
for good crop year" than at the be-
ginning of the season
The wheat acreage of last fall is
given at 95 and practically none of
this was plowed up this Spring. Nine
ty-seven per cent. of the original SOW
ing was left standing May LIST. The
condition of this large acreage is SO.
This would indicate an unusually
large yield of wheat The original
acreage of rye sOwn last fall was 95.
Rye is used more as a clover crop
than wheat, large per cent of
which is plowed up in the Spring for
corn or oats For the last few years
rye has proven a more profitable crop
than wheat per acre and it is no sur
prise to find that 80 per cent. of the
original acreage is left standing. The
amount of barley originally sown was
II and the condition of both rye and
barley is given at 49, The corn acre
age planted is 81 per cent. while rs
per cent. of the blowing intended for
corn was done May LIST. Planting is
now in full swing with conditions ia
vorable. Deep blowing has been prac-
ticed this year more than ever before.
Favorable weather for the next few
will Ior Of
corn in a first-class seed bed. The
oat acreage planned is given at 80
with 80 per cent. of it sOwn May LIST.
While the dark tobacco crop plan
ned is only 70, the condition of plant
beds is given at So. The acreage
planned of Burley is given at 81 with
the condition of plant beds 81. There
is some complaint of insects and cut
worms injuring the tobacco beds.
The pastures are in unusually good
condition. The condition of blue
grass is given at 90 with every prom
Use of large crop of blue grass seed.
| Glover is given at 85, alfalfa SO, and
orchard grass at 90.
Fruits of all kinds have escaped
destruction by freezing and the apple,
cherry and plum crop is unusually
promising. Pears and peaches suffer
ed some from late frost, especially in
the central part of the State, however,
we will have more than three-fourthS
of pear and peach crop. The straw
berries are in good condition with
promise of bountiful yield. Ninety
five per cent. of potato crop is
planted.
Live stock of all kinds came through
the winter in good condition. 1t is es
timated that 4 per cent of the horses
died in the last IL months, 3 per cent.
of the mules and 81 per cent. of the
cattle. The loss of sheep is estimated
at per cent. and lambs at 10 per
cent. The greatest loss is from hog
cholera and it is estimated that 11.3
per cent. Of the hogs of the State
were lost by this disease, some Sec
tions of the State being entirely free
from this disease, while the loss runs
as high as so per cent. in other Sec
tions. This report indicates that
there is an unusual amount of atten-
ton being paid to live stock. The
number of brood mares used is in
creasing and the number of mules u.s.
ed upon the farm decreasing. 1t is
also worthy of note that great deal
more attention has been paid to al
falfa this Spring than ever before.
The amount of ground limestone used
upon the clover land has greatly in
creased
Summing up the first report of the
year, one cannot but be impressed
with the determination of the farm
ers to make the coming crop the
greatest ever grown in the State.
j. w. NEWMAN,
Commissioner of Agriculture, Frank
fort, KY.