The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-12-17
VALUES SHRINK
FOR FARM CROPS
HARVEST OF YEAR PROVES
ABUNDANT.
Records Are Broken-Tosal Worth
Placed at Five Billion Dollars j,
Less Than Last Year.


year although the 1920 harvest was
one of the most abundant in the ma
tons history with half a dozen crop
breaking records.
The important farm crops which
comprise about 80 per cent. of the
value of all farm crops, were valued
this year at s9,14s,519,000 by the
department Of agriculture today in
its final estimates. Last year these
crops were valued at $14,087, 1885,
600. Acreage devoted to the i'm
portant crops also decreased, the to-
tai being 351,o62,409 this year as
compared with 356,162,122 last year.
'sThe extraordinary character of
the harvests, which have proven to
be among the most abundant in the
icountry,s history Notwithstanding
beginnings about as unpromising as
ever known is emphasized by the
December revisions Of estimates"
the department said in a statement
commenting on today's report. "The
final outcome of the 1920 wheat har-
vest, winter and spring combined, is
now estimated with 789, 1878, 900
bushels, compared with 934,S65,000
bushels in 1919, this being an in
crease over the earlier estimates for
1929 Of 39,230,0o0 bushels.
Development of, Wheat.
The 1920 acreage abandoned from
winter killing was less than was ex-
peeted and indicated by the very bad
and vnpromising conditions on May
i, and thc increasingly favorable
character of the later season per-
nitted much wheat then considered
hopeless to develop and come to har-
vest. The report Of increase over ex-
pectations eof winter wheat produced
come. from almost every important
winter wheat. state. The greatest
gain, 1s,000,000, is in Kansas. the
leading producer of winter wheat.
In that state the increase was helps
ed byan- area of over 100000 acres
Of volunteer wheat spreuted from
shattered grain in the autumn of
1919 which despite its unpromising
beginning and doubtful prospects in
the spring of 1920, came finally to
harvest.
"In general it appears that the re-
duction in, crop acreage in 1926 be-
low 1919 is less than was thought
and reported at the beginning of the
crop season. Notwithstanding the
early unfavorable condition for farm
work the efforts of the farmers to
fully seed their fields assisted by
favoring days that came late in the
planting period, resulted in paintings
greater than anticipated"
Increases in almost every crop
Were reported in the revised produc-
ton figures, as compared with the
preliminary estimate announced in
November. Corn, with record
crop, shows an increase Of about 49,
00e, 900 bushels; winter wheat, an in
crease of almost 4S,000,000 bushels;
spring wheat, decrease of 100000
bushelsA oats, an increase of almost
70,000,000 bushels; barley, an in
crease of almost 100000 bushels;
potatoes, increase Of 100000 bush
els, and tobacco, increase Of 32,000,-
900 pounds.
The yield of corn per acre set
record with an average production of
500 bushels. Only once before has
the average yield per acre exceeded
80 bushels, and that was in 1905,
when sos bushels was made.
Record Corn Crop.
While the corn crop is a record
one, its value this year is $1,662,-
100000 less than last years crop,
which was smaller by 374,ooo,ooo
bushels. The price being paid to
farmers for corn on December was
announced by the department as 67.7
cents buslel, as compared with
$1.349 yea: ago.
Final estimates of crop production
and value for this year were an
ncnnced as. fellows:
Corn, 3.232,3s7, 900 bushels and
s2,1S9,s0l 600
Winter wheat, 5S0,513,G00, and