The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-08
WHEAT CROP SLUMPS
DECREASE OF FIFTY MILLION
BUSHELS INDICATED IN REPORT
Condition April Was 63.4 Per Cent
OF Normal as Compared With 1913
Last Year, sa.s in 1915 and s6.2 the
Ten-Year Average.

Washington, April THE winter
wheat crop Of the United States will
be about 43O,OOO,OOO bushels. the de.
partnent Of agriculture announced to.
day In its first estimate of the crop.
which was sown last autumn on one OF
the largest acreages ever planted hut
which had adverse conditions through
the winter
Last year 4S1,744,OOO bushels were
harvested and 673947.OO bushels
were produced In 1915.
Condition Decrease 22.3.%
Condition on April l was 63.4 per
cent OF a normal compared with 7S.3
last year. SS.S in 1915 and S6.2. the
ten-year average. The condition de.
creased 22.3 points from December
compared with an average decline of
4 points In the past ten years between
those dates.
Condition Of rye on April /, was $50
per cent of a normal compared with
SIS last year, S9.5 in 1915 and S9.G
the ten year average.
Condition Of winter wheat in the i'm.
portant growing states on April was
Ohio so; Indiana So; Illinois 60: Mis-.
souri, 62; Nebraska 35; Kansas As;
Oklahoma "a.
prospective slump OF more than
5O,OOO.0O0 bushels In the winter wheat
crop as compared with last years
crop is the first war feeding problem
to confront the country. Official esti
mates OF the department of agriculture
today Is the first Of the 1917 harvest
forecast that much Of decrease. al.
though the acreage is much greater
Paramount Question Now.
The food problem of the coming year
being one Of On, paramount questions
affecting the United States In the war.
extraordinary interest centered In the
governments report today showing
the condition and production forecast
the winter wheat crop planted last
autumn.
The extent Of the winter wheat crop.
usually about twothlrds OF the entire
production Of wheat in this country. Is
a vital question inasmuch as the allies
Will depend to a large degree upon
American supplies and Argentina has
placed au embargo on wheat and flour
exports.
The winter wheat area last autumn
was iO,O9oOO0 acres, one Of the lar.
gest acreages ever planted. How much
Of this acreage will have 10 be- ahan.
doned because Of conditions which
prevailed during the winter. has been
a cause of much speculation. Reports
from different sources reaching the
department OF agriculture have lndi.
Gated that there was some winter kill.
ing OF winter wheat In many sections
Of Kentucky Tennessee. Illinois. lndi.
ana Ohio, Missouri Oklahoma. Kansas
and Texas, and Of hard red winter
wheat In the western and southwestern
plains particularly In Kansas and Ok.
hhoma Whether the extent Of the
damage is more than the average was
uncertain.
Lack Of adequate snow covering dur.
ing the winter has been responsible.
and prolonged and sevege droughts
have followed Most OF the winter
sown acreage that has been aban.
doned undoubtedly will be sown to
spring wheat because OF indicated
shortage OF the winter crop and the
prevailing high prices.
Cereal specialists OF the department
Of agriculture are recommending to
farmers that if the crop Is not more
than half killed to let II grow. Where
more than that has been killed In the
northern part of the belt, seeding 20
spring wheat Is recommended. but in
the southern part Of the region plant.
ing Of corn Is proposed