The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-19

SlAlE GRUPSA Ak |
GOOD UNDER FEW |
HARD HANDICAPS
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. 10. (Spk-l
A final review of Tennessee's agricul- |
tural resources, in acreages, yields and |
general conditions Tor 1919, by G. L, |
Morris. field agent bureau of crop es-
Inmates, United States department of
agriculture, shows this to have been
a trying year on the Tennessee farmer
Handicapped by scarcity OF farm Ia
Dor, and at the highest prices ever pald,
late spring, with the months or May
and June among the WetJest on record,
serious trouble was experienced IN all
spring paintings and ali vegetation SUI
fered for cultivation in the greater part
of the state. The drought that FOL
lowed covered all parts of the state,
and serious damage was done most all
crops; this in turn was followed by
an extremely wet October and NoVem-
Der, and heavy damage resulted TO near
ly all matured crops. AS whole the
state can boast of only TWO crops that
did real we'll One or the best crops
of tobacco In its history has been housed
and Is In fine shape; the sweet potato
crop in acreage is the largest ever
grown, with yield and quality in keep
ing.
December Estimates.
The final December estimates with
comments are as follows: The wheat
crop which emerged from the winter
of 1888 in fine shape, and from Its
early growth bid fair to make fun
| crop, had all hopes blasted, when the
freeze of April 20, and rust that fol-
| lowed, cut, what had looked like a
| bumper yield to 8 bushels per acre,
| one of the lowest yields known, and on
| $4,000 acres harvested the total yield
was 100000 bushels and that OF a
poor quality; nearly 1900, 900 bushels
less than the bumper crop grown in
| 1914 on 100000 fewer acres.
The corn crop in acreage was $780,
| 900 acres, the same as last year the
very wet spring cut the acreage in the
| middle and western parts of the state,
| though the eastern, with fine seasons
| for planting showed an increase; fields
| planted early in the middle and west
| suffered for cultivation, many becom-
| ing so foul as to require planting over,
| and a great deal of the crop In these
sections was planted late; the drought
| that followed cut the crop in all parts
| quality was further lowered by the
heavy fall rains, hundreds OF acres
along rivers and streams being entirely
| destroyed; the final estimated yield Is
20 bushels per acre, several bushels
below the average, the total yield is
4 A boIg
| pared with rs, 900, 900 bushels last year;
fully 40 per cent of the crop Is still in
the field with weather against it.
The oat, barley and rye crops were all
affected by the April freeze, large
proportion of the oat crop OF the state
Is used as hay, only IL limited amount
Is threshed, the Yield being % BUSH
els per acre; small amount Of bar
ley, about 5000 acres, is grown in the
state, the yield Is % bushels per acre;
the great majority ofrye sown Is for
winter cover and pasture; $1,000 acres
for grain made an average OF DuSnels
per acre.
The buckwheat crop of 5000 acres is
confined chiefly to johnson and ad-
Joining counties, shows fair yield OF
IL bushels per acre.
Irish potatoes, $4,000 acres, compared
with $4,000 acres last year, show
very low yield of 65 bushels or tota
Of 3,120,00O bushels, compared with Il
bushels and a total Of $500, coo last year
also poor year. Sweet potatoes, 40,0Ol
acres, a decided increase over last year
yielded an average Of ITO bushels, OF
o total of 100000 bushels, compared
with SO bushels and a total of 3,42O,O0|
bushels in 1918,
There was 10000 acres OF tobacco
set this year, compared with II, 500 las
year. and while the yield is practically
the same, on account of many ba(
/ -Ar al 10 n1 of
pounds per acre, the quality Is In gen
eral better, the total yield for this yea
Is 600 pounds, compared witt
80 ,240, 900 pounds last year; the average
price paid the grower on Dec. ], thi
year, was 25 cents, compared with 81.
cents per pound last December, ant
the market Is not fully opened.
Hay Yield Heavy.
The acreage of hay this year wai
1880, 600 with a yield of lao tons PEI
acre, compared with 1,24O, 900 acres anC
yield of 1,35 tons last season, blu
much Of the spring and fall crops
this year were damaged and some en-
tirely ruined by rains,
The cotton crop declined In acreage
from $1,000 In 1918 to 730, 900 this year
the result OF an effort to curtail pro
6uction and extremely wet weather a
planting time, the crop had many hard
ships in the way Of bad cultivation
drought and excessive rains at maturi
ty though a late frost allowed the lat
ana top crop to mature, with the re
suit that while the estimated yield il
29S, 900 bales compared with 100000 las
! year, the yield per acre is 1876 pounds
!. compared with 11apounds in 1918; Their
was IS per cent Of the crop still un
/ picked Dec. l, and final ginnings vii
be determined by the amount of thi
| that can or will be picked.
rf11HF a a q ran q
| 1000 acres, was there red clover see
: saved this year. with an average yiel
. Of 1.5 bushels per acre. A fair Gro
of crimson clover seed was harvested
the estimated acreage being 1000 wit
, | about 5000 of this in Franklin county
, the average Weld being bushels pc
r acre, The April freeze did damage t
| this crop also,
! The acreage Of sorghum for syru
' was heavily cut this year, there bein
, only about $4,000 acres, some troubl
was experienced by the continued rains
1 in making Of the syrup, consderabl
4 quantity of cane being lost by becom
ing sour and freezing; the yield
a estimated at 81 gallons per acre
= There was $4,000 acres grown to pea
! nuts in the state in 1918; but this yea
farmers being discouraged with prices
n and the rainy weather at planting tim
reduced this acreage fully one hal
= and being unable to harvest many {
II these on account of rains, nearly
| per cent of the crop was hogged of
an unusual practice in this state; tn
estimated yield per acre is 35 bushel
Dry edible beans for the market too
on quite a boost, on account OF tn
war in 1917, but an early frost thf
fail seemed to put damper on thu
industry, and since as before they al
only grown for home use, with a yer
small surplus for market,
A new industry, winter turnips f.
seed has sprung up in Williamson coul
ty in the past few years last yci
there was marketed over 49, 600 pount
at an average price of so cents p'
pound; much larger acreage was SOW
last fall, but the April freeze reduce
the yield far below last season; tn
| county, is tho banner millet seed coun