The Washington times., 1914-08-24
REPORT ON CROPS
IS LESS FAVORABLE
Reduced Foreign Yields Caused
by Abandonment of Fields by
Men for War Duty.

Reduced foreign crop yields, due to
the widespread abandonment of the
fields by the male population of mill
tary age.'N and a less favorable con-
Cition of crops in this country. are re-
Torted in the monthly forecast of the
Department of Agriculture for the sea-
son up to August /.
The general tone of foreign crop re-
ports during the past month has indi
Gated previous estimates of prospective
Yields to be too optimistic, the report
declares. This is due to weather con-
Gitons, well as to the war excite
ment The Department of Agriculture
oes not venture to make an estimate
of what the result of the war on Euro
Iean crop yields will be.
The saving Of standing wheat and
other unharvested crops promises to
Govolve largely upon female and youth
ful labor" today's report says. Al
though the stress of urgent necessity
viii be powerful influence against
ermitting waste. the effect of these un-
usual harvest conditions upon ultimate
Rains Check Harvesting.
AS to the European wheat crop, the
report says that in most countries
where cutting has been finished, not
ably in southern France, Italy, Hung
ary. Roumanis, the Balkan states, and
south Russia, harvesting operations
were interrupted by frequent torrential
rains. which reduced prospective yields
and impaired the quality of grain.
The Italian and Hungarian govern
ments have reduced previous estimates
by upward of 100000 bushels. In Eu-
dicated yield 150,OOo.0o0 below the 1913
crop.
In the United Kingdom and the more
northerly latItudes of continental Eu-
rope there was promise of better than
an average crop before the war brought
halt to farm operations. What the
result will be in those countries the
department will not forecast.
In the United States the August !
report declares that the month of July
was very unfavorable for crop growth.
The composite condition of all crops
August / was > per cent below the ten
year average, whereas on July l pros
pscts were Ia above the ten-year aver
age. Prospects, however, are still 5
per cent better than the outturn Of last
years crops
Improvement Is Shown.
Improvement occurred during July in
nearly all the Atlantic Coast States,
the northern States of Michigan and
Wisconsin, and the mountain States,
except Montana and Wyoming. In
sss, sssriy all ist other parts of the United
deteriorated during July" Poorest
crop conditions prevail in Kentucky |
and sections of States adjoining 1t. The
phenomenal wheat crop OF Kansas |
Tsises the aggregate condition in that |
State above all others. |
Taking the ten-year average as rep
resenting 100, the condition Of all crops
in Kansas August l was 1929: in New |
Mexico. 113; in Colorado. 122, and in |
Maryland. ILLS. These States will have !
the largest crop Yields Texas, Illinois, |
Indiana. and Missouri are among tine
big crop-growing States with present /
condition reported below the average.
The estimated yields indicated by the |
condition of crops on August !. and final |
Yields in preceding years for compari- |
son, are as follows:
Winter wheat. August forecast, ST5,-
cn,oo bushels: July forecast, $50, 900 600 |
bushels; last year, 4ilo0o. 600 bushels. 1
Spring wheat-August forecast, 236 =;
10000 bushels; July forecast. 214,Ooo. 900
bushels: last year, 240, 900 bushels
Corn August forecast 1854 900. COO
bushels; July forecast, 2,s17, on, 900 BUSH
els: last year, 24i7. .60o,Ooo bushels.
Oats-August forecast, LIS, ,0o0, 600: Julyj
forecast. 1.1e7 1000 600; last year, l,l22 Ooo.-
GO bushels
Potatoes-August forecast. $4,000 900
bushels: July forecast. 361 ,0oo. 600 bush
Tis, iaSt year, Sa--ep,uo oushels-
Tooacco-August forecast. T9l, COO 600
July forecast. 757, ,OeO. 900 pounds:
last year. s54, ,oOo, 900 pounds
Hay-August forecast. 690oo, on0 tons:
last year, 1000 900 tons
The condition Of the cotton crop July
o5 was 76y4. as compared with 79S on
June 25; 1916 on July %. 1913, and so the
ren-year average on that date
Forecast Of a production of 30, o0o. 900
Of apples is made from reports of the
condition of the crop August !, which
Indicates 61-S per cent of a normal WELD
compared with 54.3 the average for the
past ten years.