Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1915-12-16

Three 6ilIion-Bushel Corn Crop
Were the Features Of the Year.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The ma
tons harvests this year have sur
passed any ever before recorded. The
value of the principal farm crops,
based on prices paid to farmers De-
cember l, was announced today by the
department of agriculture in its final
estimate as $5,56S, ,773,OoO, making 1915
q banner year both in value and pro-
duction 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 progressed, American farmers
began the season by planting greater
areas to grain. The acreage Of the
principal crops this year aggregated
approximately 486,57O square miles.
That Is larger than the combined area
Of Germany, France, Belgium, Holland
Denmark and Switzerland.
Corn was planted on 1OS,321 900
acres, the second largest area ever
planted and the harvest was 3,O54 $780,
900 bushels, the second largest crop
ever grown. Its value was $1,755,S5
900, exceeding that of the previous
most valuable crop by $33,OOO,OOO.
New records were made in produc-
tion by wheat, oats, barley, rye, sweet
potatoes, rice and hay while tobacco
closely approached its production rec
ord, 1,103,415,O00 pounds, made in 1910.
Each OF these crops, in addition, estab-
lished records as being the most valu-
able 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 the features
of the year.
Wheat acreage aggregated 59,S98,0
acres, or six million more than ever be-
fore. The yield was 1863 bushels an
acre, the largest acre yield for winter
and spring wheat combined ever at
tanned in this country. The final esti-
mate of production was 1.011 sos, 900
bushels, with value of $930,3 900
The crop exceeded last years, which
was a record, by more than 100000
900 bushels, and by $5O,O00,OO0 in
value.
Oats. rye, potatoes, sweet potatoes
and tobacco all were planted on record
areas. Oats exceeded the record pro-
duction of 1919 by 122.000,000 bushels
and its record value Of 1914 by s56.00O,-
000 Barley production was 100000
bushels more than the 1912 record crop
and was worth $4,O00.00O more than
the former most valuable crop, grown
in 1914. Rice passed the 1913 record
by 100000 bushels and it's 1912 rec
ord value by $1,7OO,O0o
Sweet potatoes exceeded by 14,Oo0,.
worth $3.100,000 more than the 1913
value record.
Hay showed 12,5O0 OOO-ton increase
over the record crop of 1912 and was
worth 55,600.000 more than the value
record made that year. Tobacco, while
growing on a record acreage, was
worth $26,000,000 less than the record
value year.
The potato crop received perhaps the
most severe setback of the year. Farm.
ers planted a record acreage to pota.
toes but the outturn was onlv 359, 9,103,-
900 bushels. That was 81 SOC, 900 bush.
els below the record year and 50,800,.
900 less than last year. The value of
the crop, however, was $22,000,O0O
more than last year.
This years principal farm crops
were worth $6.270, ,465 900 at Decembe,
farm prices. the department of agri
culture announced today in its final
estimate and review of crop produc
ti2n and values. That compares with
1887, 900 last year. $4,966, ,497 ,O0I
ii 1918 and $4,757, 7,45s, 900 in 1912.
With the wheat crop passing the bill
Non'bushel mark for the first time In
the nations history corn production
reaching three-billion-bushel total 70,
the second time, and record crops oi
oats. barley, rye. sweet potatoes, hay
and rice, the year has been an extra
ordinary one for farming. Prices paid
farmers for some crops have been high
er than in other years because of the
European war and as result the
value of some of the crops is the
largest ever recorded.
The value this year of each crop
and the year it was produced. is an
nounced as follows: Tin thousands
i. e.. 900 omitted)
wear. Price SIT cents, against 54.:
last year.
Rye-Production 49,19O,OOO bushels
against 42.779,000 last year. Acre yielt
l7.2 bushels, against 1853 last year
Price 1873 cents, against S6.5 last year
Buckwheat - Production 1879 90,
bushels, against 1881, 900 last year
Acre yield 1876 bushels, against 81: