Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-20
Department of Agriculture
Reports Grain Prospects
Worst in History.
NATIONS LARGEST ACREAGE
PRODUCES POOREST RESULTS
Dry Weather, Late Harvest of
Other Crops and Labor Stu
alton Responsible.
MUST CONSERVE THE SUPPLY
Usc of Cornmcal and Whcaticss Days
Urged TO Provide Cereal
for Allies.
iBy Associated Press

thy Associated Press
WASHINGTON December lo.->Gov-
crnmcnt plans Tor biilion-bcShcl
wheat crop next year - help the
United States feed its allies have re.
ccivcd "A setback. II was disclosed
to-day by the December crop report
nf tho Department OF Agriculture ;hat
while winter whe:.t WAS planted on the
largest acreage ever sown 10 that &C.
rial it's condition on December was
tho lowest on record for that date.
Condition was 1a.3 or normal
\ winter crop OF 54oooo.oe0 bushels
was forecast by tho Bureau OF Cro''
Estimates. The actual production viii
be greater or loss. according as co:.di-
tiDns hereafter are hotter or worse
jh2n average Through a great spring
crop. II still Is hoped to bring tho
voar'a total TO somewhere near the
billion mark.
The very dr%. weather in most Of
the winter wheat belt WAS l"rS:
drawback. while late harvest Of other
crops and shortage OF farm help were
contributing causes.
Shonld the winter wheat crop ma
,urc TO $4,000 900 bushels as iorccas,
TO-DAY It would be the third ,ar-cs,
of record being exceeded only by the
crops OF 1914 ard 1915 Government
officials had figured on having winter
wheat production reach s7o,ooG ooc
bushels. but to-day's forecast indicates
that II will fan i32.coo.ooo bushels
;ihort o; that nEurc. Indications arc
that rye production viii be 5000 ooc
bushel@ larger than last years record
crop
FOn ACREAGE INCREASE.
Already steps are being taken for
:, ilrEc increase in tho acreage Of the
TnrInS wheat crop TO be planted next
pprirS. Council Of National Defense
and Department o: Agriculture officials
Will ado7t measures To insure AN ade-
quatc labor supply for planting or
critions. ample supplics OF seed whoa;
aud nclp for tho harvcsts. The largest
sprinE wheat crop heretofore Was in
1915 when 35l.*54.G0o bushels were
harvested from ir.l6l.oOo acres.
This years short crop OF wheat has
ncccssitatcd adoption Of methods 10
conserve the supply by having conslm-
ers in the United States Gu. down use OF
That cereal. Tho whca,lcss day and the
use of corn meal as a substitute arc
measures food administration officials
are urging in order to increase the
quantity ot wheat ,ha, may be sent
abroad
While last years sowinrs OF winter
wheat were Oh the second largest area
ever planted to that cereal. severe
conditions caused an abandonment OF
more than II per cent OF the acreage.
Las; fall 4o,53i0o0 acres were planted
10 winter wheat. revised figures show.
but the area harvested was only o.
$4,000 acres. reduction of 1881 900
acres from the planted area. The 1915
sowinSs were on 33,o03, 600, while the
harvested area that season was a.
$4,000 acres.
Last years abandoned acreage was
the heaviest on record. The average
abandonment of acreage due to winter
conditions is about 10 per cent. the
lowest abandonment in the lasJ fifteen
years being IS per cent in 1908, and
the highest, excepting that year. was
POL per cent in 1912.
PLANTING CONDITIONS
HAVE NOT BEEN OF BEST
Conditions for planting and tho
carly growth OF this years crop have
not been the best Dry weather de-
laycd termination of late sown seed
and in some sections prevented blowing
and seeding. 1t was one Of the dricst
Novembcrs on record in Kansas the
principal winter wheat growing state
Rainfall during that month was less
than % per cent Of the normal from
Eastern Kansas eastward across Iowa,
Northern Missouri, Central and North
crn Illinois. Indiana and Ohio. which
States form the principal winter wheat
O hnI
Agriculture. however. says the yield OF
winter wheat is not determined en-
tircly by the rainfall during the late
summer and fall.
The condition Of winter wheat on
December I compares with s5.7 per
cent OF a normal on that date last year
ST. in 1915, and sos the ten-year
average
The December rye condition COM
pares with Ss.S per cent Of normal on
December last year, 9l.5 In 1915. and
?2.2 the tcn-year average.
Acreage OF winter wheat with tho
percentage Of increase over last year
in Southern States follow:
Virginia1.i63 acres; 10 per
cent.
North Carolina-I.179.OO acres; Is
per cent
South Carolna-27O,o acres: 20
per cent.
GcorSia-i2s,0O0 acres; per cent
Tcnncssec--si0,00 900 acres; per cent.
Alabama-l4i.O00 acres; 20 per cent.
Mississippi-36,000 acres; 100 per
cent.
Tcxas--l,se2,coo acres; decrease,
per cent.