The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-09
WEATHER
DAMAGED WHEAT
TO GREAT EXTENT.
Estimate of Crop Now Be-
low Amount Required for
Home Consumption by
Several Millions

Washington, September s.-Heavy dam
age to the country's cereal crops dur
ing August caused a loss OF many mil
lions of bushels in prospective production,
cutting down the outlook for wheat to
below the amount required for home
consumption. The department of agricul-
lures monthly forecast, issued today.
estimates the wheat crop at Gil, 000, 900
bushels, 100000 bushels less than is cal
culated to be necessary for domestic use.
A carry-over of approximately 10000, 600
bushels of old wheat from last year s
record breaking CROP however. will make
UP the deficiency and leave something
like 100000 bushels available to supply
the heavy demands of foreign nations
for American wheat.
Spring wheat, parched by hot and dry
weather, showed loss of 43, 900 bushels
since the August forecast of production,
while corn estimates were 67,00O,000 BUSH
els smaller than forecast a month ago.
SMALLEST IN % YEARS
A preliminary estimate Of the winter
wheat crop places the production at
455, 100000 bushels, and that of spring
wheat at 156,00O,OoO. The prospective
spring wheat crop is the smallest in q
years and 200G00,0O0 bushels less than
harvested vast year. The total wheat
crop is placed at Gil, 100000 bushels,
which is 4UO0O0,O00 bushels less than last
years record breaking crop of 1,0l2, 100000
bushels. The combined winter and spring
wheat crop is the smallest since 1900 and
the acre yield the lowest in q years.
The heavy loss in prospective produc-
ton of corn was due to drought. In
many sections, particularly in Kansas
and Oklahoma, many fields Of corn were
cut for ensilage or fodder The total
crop is forecast at 2,71O,0O0,000 bushels,
which is 100000 bushels smaller than
the average for the last five years.
An unusually short output of white
potatoes for winter supply is forecast
Production of 31S,O00,0OO bushels is indi-
Gated. That is 100000 bushels less than
forecast a month ago and the smallest
crop since 1911.
OTHER CROPS LOSE
Other losses from the production esti-
mates made month ago are:
Oats, 100000 bushels; barley. II LOCO, 900
bushels; buckwheat, 1900, 900 bushels; rice,
100000 bushels; cotton, 100000 bales; ap-
pies, 3,90O,0 barrels and peaches, 81 90
bushels.
w nile cereals all SUFFERED serious DAM
age during the month, hay and tobacco
prospects increases in the harvest of those
two corps and also of rice will be record
breaking. There was an increase of 3D.
100000 pounds in the indicated production
of tobacco, making crop of 1924, 000, 900
pounds and exceeding the former record
crop of 1910 by 121, 100000 pounds.
Hay production is forecasted at So, 200 600
tons, which is 100000 tons more than the
forecast a month ago. and 100000 tons
more than last years record crop.
Rice, which declined 100000 bushels
from month ago, promises a crop Of
S2.S00O00 bushels, which would be almost
! 100000 bushels more than that of the
| record crop last year.
DETAILED ESTIMATES
Following are the figures of the de-
partment expressed in millions:
Spring wheat, 1885, all wheat, Gil; corn
2,170; oats, 1921; barley, 1874; buckwhear
1873; white potatoes, 31S; sweet potatoes
6.3; tobacco pounds) 1924; flax, 14.9; rice
1878; hay (tons) S6.2; apples (barrels)
| 677; peaches, 1853; sugar beets (tons), 7.66
| kafrs, TAT.
Other details of the report follow:
| Spring wheat, condition 4a6 per cent
of normal, acre yield S.s bushels; al
| wheat, acre yield. 12o; corn, condition 71.3
acre yield 24.9; oats. condition $50, acre
yield 1913; barley, condition 74.6, acre
| yield 23.S; buckwheat, condition 1875, acre
! yield 1873 white potatoes, condition 67.4
| acre yield ST.; sweet potatoes. condition
s2.7, acre yield 942; tobacco. condition
| s55, acre yield $3.50; flax, condition S4.S
acre yield "a; rice, condition 91.2. acre
! yield $50; hay, acre yield 164; sugar beets
] condition oS1, acre yield 100.