Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-06
CORN AND OTHER CROPS
l:N NIAI. In LAST 1-E

CORN AND OTHER CROPS
EQUAL. TO LAST YEARS
These reports arc now sufficiently
conclusive 10 show that the future il
decidedly promising. First OF all thay
indicate that the wheat crop Will FAR
exceed that OF last year il weather
conditions from this time forward are
| reasonably favorable. II is little
carly to figure definitely upon tn.
corn crop. but the acreage SO far plant
cd Is about as great as that planted
on May !. 1917. The situation with
regard TO other staples is about as
good as that regarding corn.
The wheat crop is by far the most
vital of any grown in America. This
is true because OF the fact that wheat
-four is a necessary diet. not only for
the armies in the field, but for tn.
civilian populations Of all countries
now at war. More and moro corn il
being used for bread as the war
icngthcns, but tho whole foodstuf(s
problem ccntcrs about wheat. and. SO
far as the allies are concerned. it CEN
ters about American wheat
Reports received by the United States
Chamber of Commerce and supported
Agriculture. show that $4,000. 900
bushels of winter wheat will probuhlv
be harvested in the United States this
. summer. This is 20 per cent moro
winter wheat than was grown last
year and is tho greatest crop raised
since ;hc record breaking yield Of 1sI5
Tine present acreage now standing
in winter wheat" says the Chamber
OF Commerce report. lis 20 per cent
greater than the acreage at the same
time in 1917. l;ut the greatest promise
Of "A high yield is found in the gen
eral high condition of the wheat 4.
condition which has improved steadily
since the first of April. Estimates of
coming yields are always unccrtaiu
because Of the possible vicissitudcs of
weather and dcpredationS of insect
enemies But the crop has come
through the trying month of March
with higher condition than il en-
tered IT. and with moderately favorable
weather from now on there Is prom
ised Il production of at least 6OO.O 900
900 bushels. 1t may go as high as
65o,o00.0oo bushels if all goes we'll"
In addition 10 this. the reports point
to an increase of - per cent i'm the
acreage of spring wheat. Seeding OF
this late crop is nearly completed and
under most favorable conditions One
of the most important conditions is
the large amount of moisture in the
subsoil. This increase is due In large
measure to the joint appeal issued by
the Department of Agriculture and the
FOOD administration two months ago.
in which farmers in every wheat
growing State were urged TO SOW an
additional spring wheat acreage The
been general.
If the 1918 wheat crop is as large
as is now forecast the effect will not
only be felt in Europe, but in this
country as well. The American people
are now enjoined against the consump-
ton of more wheat bread than of other
kinds of bread combined This has
been found necessary in order to main
tai a moderate rate of wheat e%por-
tation. Should the new crop materi-
alzc as is now promised. there will not
| only be sufficient flour for foreign con-
sumption. but enough to allow an in
crease in the domestic consumption
Within n short time the government
will issue a report on the corn crop
This may not be as large AS that Of
last year, which was the greatest ever
raised by this or any other country
1t was so large. in fact, shat great
deal OF 1917 corn Is stiil unmarkcted,
q circumstance which will curtail tho
corn acreage to some extent. Then,
too. the farm labor problem IS one
which all corn nrowerc ora