The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-08
BUMPER CROP OF
WHEAT PREDICTED
FOR THE COUNTRY

Washington, June 8.---A bumper
wheat crop this year, which before
harvest may develop into a produc-
ton of billion bushels, was forecast
yesterday by the Department of Ag-
riculture in its June crop report, Civ
ing the first indication of the size of
this years spring wheat output.
With American people using the
least amount of wheat possible and
sending to Europe every bit they can
spare, the size of this years crop will
determine the extent to which wheat
will be available for home use until
the 1919 harvest. The government had
hoped for a billion bushel crop, and
while conditions for winter wheat
have not been the best crop of that
size may yet be realized.
Basing its estimate on the condition
of the crop on June i, the department
forecast total wheat production of
931 900, 200 bushels, which would place
this years harvest as the second larg-
est in the history of the country. Elk
perts of the government pointed to
the development of the record crop of
1915 to substantiate their hopes for a
crop equal to that.
In June of 1915 a total wheat pro-
duction of $4,000, 900 bushels was fore
cast and the quantity gradually crept
upward until the final figures for the
year showed the crop to be ], 025, S0O, 900
bushels.
The acreage sown to spring wheat
this year is larger by 100000 acres
than ever sown before, and 215 per
cent, larger than last year, aggregat-
ing 2, 489, 0O0 acres. The condition Of
the crop on June 1 was 95.2 per cent.
of a normal, or 1.5 per cent. better
than the ten-year average. A pro-
duction of 344, 900, 900 bushels was fore
cast That is Ill, 100000 bushels more
than harvested last year and only
about 100000 bushels less than the
record spring wheat harvest of 1915.
Winter wheat growing on the sec
ond largest acreage ever planted
showed a condition per cent. better
than the ten-year average, with 1913
per cent. Of a normal. A production
of 5S7, 100000 bushels was forecast,
which is 100000 bushels more than
forecast from conditions existing on
May 1. Such a crop would be the
third in size grown in this country.
Winter wheat condition and produc-
ton forecasts by principal States are:
Ohio, condition 81 per cent; produc-
ton, 35, $4,000 bushels; Indiana, 81,
and $1,000, 900; Illinois, IS, and 1885,
900; Missouri, 50, and 1898, 900; Ne
braska, 70, and 43,049, 900; Kansas, 7s,
and 97,114,OOO; Oklahoma, IA, and 3d.
267, 600.
Details of spring wheat by principal
States follow: Minnesota, acreage,
4,OSS, 900; condition, SO; production fore
! cast, 81, 2s4, 900 bushels. North Dakota,
acreage, 7,630,o0 condition, 80; fore
cast, 92,247,000. South Dakota, acre
age, 4r24S,O condition. 102; forecast,
sc, 262, 900. ,-s-5-5.
The oat crop also promises to be Of
record proportions. On an acreage 81
per cent, larger than last year, when
the record crop---1, 5s7 ,0OO, 900 bushels
twas grown, conditions on June 1
warrant a forecast of 5000 600
bushels. Only last years, and the
crop of 1915, exceeded that quantity.
Rye production will be a record, the
forecast being S1,OoO,OOO bushels, which
is slightly less than was forecast in
May Last years crop was 60,1OO,000
bushels, which was a record.