The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-12-31
The NATIONS HARVEST
BREAKS ALL RECORDS
Value of Crops More Than Five Bill.
lion Dollars for 1915-Greater
Acrea9e-Higher Prices.


this year have surpassed any ever be-
fore recorded. The value of the prin-
cipal farm crops, based on prices paid
to farmers December l, as announced
Friday by the department Of agricuI-
ture in it's final estimate as 5000
$4,000, making 1915 banner year
both in value and in production Of
crops.
The unusual situation Of eXtraOrdi-
nary production and high prices, prob
ably never before so pronounced, is
credited principally to the European
war.
With the price of grain soaring as
the war proceeds, American farmers
began the season by planting greater
areas to grain. The acreage of the
principal crops this year aggregated
approximately 486,570 square miles,
larger than the combined area of Ger
many, France Belgium, Holland, Den
mark and Switzerland.
Corn was planted on 108,321, 900
acres, the second largest area ever
planted, and the harvest was 1854,
$4,000 bushels, the second largest
crop ever grown. It's value was ST.,
755 $4,000, exceeding that of the pre-
vious most valuable corn crop by $685.
100000
New records were made in produc-
ton by wheat, oats, barley, rye, sweet
potatoes, rice and hay, while tobacco
closely approached its production rec
ord, 1,1O3, 415,OO0 pounds, made in
1910. Each of these crops, in addi-
ton, established records as being the
most valuable ever grown except in
the case Of barley and tobacco.
Production of the first billion-bushel
wheat crop and the second three-bil-
lion-bushel corn crop were features of
the year. Wheat acreage aggregated
59,898,000 acres. or six million more
than ever before. The yield was 1853
bushels an acre, the largest acre yield
for winter and spring wheat combined
ever attained in this country.
The final estimate of production
was 1,011,5O5,OO0 bushels, with. value
of $93O,OO0,0OO. The crop exceeded
last years, which was a record, by
more than 120,0O0,O0O bushels and by
$50,0O0,000 in value.
Oats, rye, potatoes, sweet potatoes
and tobacco all were planted on record
areas. Oats exceeded its record pro-
duction of 1912 by 122,OOO,OOO bushels
and its record value of 1924 by $685.
100000. Barley production was 49,
100000 bushels more than the 1912
record crop and was worth 100000
more than the former most valuable
crop, grown in 1904. Rice passed the
1913 record by 100000 bushels and
its 1912 record value by $1,7OO,OOO.
Sweet potatoes exceeded by 14,0OO,-
600 bushels the 1910 record and were
worth 100000 more than the 1918
value record. Hay showed a 12,5OO,-
OO0-ton increase over the record crop
of 1912 and was worth S55,60O 900
more than the value record made that
year. Tobacco, while growing on a
record acreage, was worth 100000 900
less than in the record value year.
The potato crop received perhaps
the most severe setback of the year.
Farmers planted a record acreage to
potatoes, but the outturn was only
1863, 100000 bushels. That was $780,
600 bushels below the record year and
5O,Soo,OOo less than last year. The
value of the crop, however, was $22,-
100000 more than last year.
Cotton produced 11,161 900 bales of
800 pounds gross, excluding linters,
against 16,135,OOO last year. Acre
yield, 172.5 pounds, against 209.2 last
year. Price, lie, against Csc last
year.
sugar DeeLS produced 6,462, 600 tons,
against 5,5S2,000 last year. Acre yield,
ll'6 tons, against 1O.4 last year. Price,
1884, against $5.45 last year.
In addition, it was announced that
the apple crop was 76,67O, 900 bushels,
valued at $156, 900. The bean crop
in the three principal producing
states, S,325,00O-a decrease of 1888
600 bushels-valued at s27.55S, 900,
and the cranberry crop, $4,000 BUSH
els. valued at $2,845,OOO The value OF
these three crops is included In the
years total.
In addition to these crops other
farm products, such as minor crops
and animals and animal products, will
bring the years total to about So.
GOO, 100000.