The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-12-26
MISSOURI CROP SUMMARY. 1919

Jefferson City, Mo-, Dec. 22.--All
crops of Missouri combined closed the
growing season 81 per cent above the
average year, according to f. A. Lo-
gan and Jewell Mayes of the U. S.
Bureau of Crop Estimates and Mis-
ssouri State Board of Agriculture.
& The three leading cereals, corn,
wheat and oats, had combined acre
age of 11,477,000 acres in Missouri,
with total yield of 55,8S4,000 bush
els.
The early spring season started off
splendidly, with the largest wheat
acreage ever grown in Missouri. Pros
poets were exceedingly bright, but
I Missouri farmers saw their billowing
I fields of golden wheat staggering in
Z maze of the mists in May go down
under June deluges to final loss of
many fields which were later burned
as the only means Of Kidding the
ground Of the tangled mass of straw.
The final yield of wheat at 13 IL
bushels per acre is nearly four BUSH
els per acre less than in 1918, but the
total yield of 57,954000 bushels of
wheat is the largest wheat crop ever
grown in Missouri All sections of the
State had more acres, more bushels,
and received more money for wheat
\ than ever before. A considerable por-
ton of the crop is still in the farm
ers' hands, and a small bit still I'M
& threshed. Spring wheat proved very
disappointing, with yield of 8 IL
bushels which is the usual experience
in growing spring wheat in this State.
The 1919 corn acreage of 5,756,OOO
was the lowest for a quarter of CEN
fury, due to the large acreage Of
wheat, but the 1919 yield of 81 bush
els per acre is seven bushels better
than last year, and the final total Of
9,671 900 bushels is 25,0O0,000 more
than in 1918.
The quality is good and the yield
in the northern section of the State is
turning out bettSr than expected.
Husking delayed by weather condi-
tlons, and farmers were late in turn
ing their live stock on stalk fields.
Corn has been damaged in many sec
lions and rotting in fields of the SOU
thern portion.
The 1919 oat acreage of 1,417,0OO
was about the usual acreage in Mis-
souri,. and with yield of q totals 49,
259, 900 bushels. Yield per acre is the
5O-year average, and quality not SO
good in northern section as in SOU
thern. This is the third successive
good oats crop in Missouri.
Minor food crops, barley, buckwheat
and rye, 75,500 acres and yield OF
1885, 900 bushels. Increased interest
is shown in barley for feed, but slow
ing up in buckwheat raising except for
bee pasture. Rye more popular than
in former times.
Hay acreages reduced each year
during war period, and were at a low
point in 1919, having only 2,S09,0OO
acres but normal yield, 1875 tons per
acre totals 3,794,000 tons or a million
more than in 1918 Prairie hay slow
ly reducing in area was cut on 1885,
900 acres, and an acre yield Of l.l6
produced 1877 900 tons.
Minor forage crops, sorghum, kafir,
etc., more generally known that for
merly suffered severe drouth in sec
tions of greatest acreage. Late Sep
TENDER rains helped and a fair crop
was harvested in good condition. Cow
peas short in seed production and
forage gradually being supplanted by
soybeans with an increasing acreage
for seed and Intercepted with corn
for hogging down and fertilizer. I'm
less there is a very severe winter Mis-
souri, has enough roughage to carry
her live stock.
Grass seed production was short,
especially red clover, but blue grass
seed was one of the best crops ever
harvested and only the shortage of
stripping machines prevented a much
larger harvest A good acreage of
clover is carried over to next year.
Vegetables only fair owing to sea-
sonal changes, and Missouri will buy
outside potatoes. White or Irish po-
tatoes averaged rs bushels per acre
on 10000 acres, yielded 8250,0O0
bushels, and sweet potatoes 5000
acres yielded 104 bushels per acre to-
falling 1872, 1000 bushels. Onions good,
tomatoes poor in south, good north
east. Early cabbage good and late
poor.
Fruit was generally better than in
1918. Apples 5,773,000 bushels, or h
million and half more than 1918, is
the Missouri record of 1919. Apples |
fine in southwest, good farm crop ex-
cept in north. General peach crop,
except in north, first time in five years.
Strawberries were bumper crop,
watermelons fine, and other small
fruits good.