The spectator., 1919-07-29
NEW oROP REPORT
 |S ENCOURAGING
LATEST ESTIMATE GIVES STATE FAIR ACREAGE IN SPITE OF
 COTTON ACREAGE.
FRUIT CROPS ARE B0uNTlFUl
Prices For Apples and Peaches Best In Years-Rice Crop Lacks Small Per Cent of Being
 Full Yield.
tBy Arkansas Cooperative Crop Re
 Dortiny SarVice

tBy Arkansas Cooperative Crop Re
 porting Service)
 In contrast to the depressing report Of June 25th, which placed the con ttion of Arkansas cotton crop at only 64 per cent of normal, the fig ures of the Arkansas Cooperative Crop Reporting Service. just issued, show the acreage and condition of all other crops in Arkansas on July are distinctly encouraging. Corn Is almost the same as last ears acreage ia spite of the loss of much Of the May planting occasioned by the OK treme wet weather. Sweet potatoes and peanuts show a very substantial increase Apples and peaches promise bountiful crops, with the prices the best in years. Rice. while suffering loss of ' per cent of last years acre age, Is constantly improving and now has a condition figure which promises se per cent of full crop. Hay, clov- CT. alfalfa and timothy are giving full yields per acre. Blackberries have She largest production in years, and sorghum cane for syrup has increased over last years planting.
 Corn-Reports from all counties in She state indicate that. had weather permitted. there would have been a very substantial increase In corn ac- reage this ear There was an in crease in the number of acres plant ed. but wet weather. as with cot ton. hes caused abandonment espe- cially in low grounds. Corn is still s,aing planted. and it Is possible tbat the revised figures to be issued late" in the year, will show an actual in crease over last year At 1t is in rreases have been made in Mississip- pi, St. Francis. Phillips. Chicot. Crit tenden and Lee counties. and also in the southwestern counties or the state. Slight increases have been made in the central and central western counties. and moderate in rtreases in the central-southern aud southern counties. The northwestern mnd northeastern counties. with the exception of Mississippi county, snow marked reductions, partly on accour, of the large areas seeded 10 wheat and oats in those districts. The cen traleastern counties show recuc- ton. mainly because of the impossl- hility of working the ground
 Ccndition-Condition is very spo'-
 loIl ,y, the uplands being unusually fine while Tn the lowlands the growth of the crop was greatly checked. Cult'- vation was insufficient and the conse- cuent yield of these poorly cultivated lands will be small. Those in the southwestern part of the state have the best prospect. Production is es- timated at 55,O40000 bushels. which Indicates an excess of 20000.00O bushels over last years short crop.
 Irish Potatoes-Potato acreage Is much reduced, except in White Union. Ouachita and adjoining coun ties. Many counties, which last year had a commercial crop will have no surplus this year. but will be forced 70 buy. Growing conditions have been unusually fine. however, and the yield is estimated to equal S3 busheis per acre.
 Sweet Potatoes-Contrasting with the reduced planting of Irish pota,oc' is the substantial increase in sweet potatoes, and the story is not yet full ly told, as several thousand acres will probably be added after July 1st. The most marked increases are in Wash ington county, in Pope and Yell anc other counties bordering the Arkansas river. and in all the counties in the southern third of the state. especial Iy those in the southwestern corner where the character of the soil Is par ticularly suited to this crop and whert the natural tendency is toward truck ing. The condition figure of 90 indi cates q yield of 10S bushels per acre
 Rice-Erumeration of the ric' areas at the time this report was ~-----~---~-~---~~->~