The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-15
NATIONS CROP |S
 SMALLER THIS YEAR
 BY SEVERAL BILLION
Total Is Little Over Nine BiI- lion, Compared With Over Fourteen Same Period
 Last Year
By Associated Press


 Washington, December li.-Shrnkage of placed their total worth this year at almost S5,000,0000o0 less than last year. although the 1920 harvest was one of the most abundant in the nations his tory, with half a dozen crops breaking records. The important farm crops, which comprise about 90 per cent of the value of all farms crops, were valued thi year at 4s,5ls.c0O by the department ol agriculture today in it's final estimates. Last year these crops were valued at S14, ,cS7, ,995 Oo0. Acreage devoted to the im- pcrtant crops also decreased, the total being 351, ,052, ,409 this year, as compared with 356 162, 122 last year The extraordinary character of the harvests, which have proven to be among the most abundant in the country's his tory, notwithstanding beginnings about as unpromising as ever known, is empha- sized by the December revisions of es- timates,' the department said. "The final outcome of the 1920 wheat harvest winter and spring combined, is now estimated at 1S9,S7S,0g0 bushels. com pared with 9Si, ,265,000 bushels in, 1919, this being ar increase over the earlier es- tiirates for 1920 for 39, ,230000 bushels The 1920 acreage abandoned from win ter killing was less than was expected and indicated by the very bad and un- promising conditions on May l and the increasingly favorable character of the later season prompted much wheat then considered hopeless to develop and come to harvest
 The reports of increase over early eX- pectations of winter wheat produced from almost every important winter wheat state The greatest gain. 1S.0oo,- Ooo. is in Kansas, the leading producer of winter wheat In that state the increase was helped by an area of over l,e0O,VN acres of volunteer wheat, sprouted from shattered grain in the autumn of 1919, which despite it's unpromising begin ming and doubtful prospects in the spring of 1920, came finally to harvest. "In general, it appears that the re- duction in crop acreage in 1920 below 1919 is less than was though and reported at tEe beginning of the crop season. Not withstanding the early unfavorable con ditions for farm work, the efforts or the farmers to fully seed their fields, as sisted by favoring days that came late in the planting period resulting in plant ing greater than anticipated.
 INCREASE IN CROPS 1 Increases in almost every crop were reported in the revised production figures as compared with the preliminary esti- mates announced in November Corn with record crop, shows an increase of about 33,000,000 bushels; winter wheat an increase of almost &0ooooo bushels spring wheat a. decrease of 9,co0,V bushels; oats an increase of almost TO- ooo GOO bushels; barley, increase of almost 1 Il ,O0n,0 600 bushels; potatoes, increase ol 9 OOO. GOO bushels, and tobacco increase g, OCa 600 pounds.
 The yield of corn per acre set rec ord with an average objective produc- ton of 3O9 bushels. Only once before has the average yield per acre ex- ceeded 30 bushels and that was in 1906 when 30.3 bushels was made. While the corn is record one, it's value this year is $1.622,000,000 less than last years crop which was small CT by $374.000,00o The price being paid to farmers for corn on December was announced by the department of agriculture as 67.7 cents bushel as compared with s1.34 year ago. Production of the various crops are estimated in the following terms; Bushels-Corn, winter wheat spring wheat. oats, barley rye, buckwheat,, flax seed, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, beans and peaches; tons-hay and cotton seed; pounds - tobacco, beet sugar and cane sugar; gallons sorghum syrup; bales-cotton; boxes oranges and barrels-apples.
 VALUE IN FIGURES
 Final estimates of crop production and value for this year were announced today as follows:
 Corn, 323, ,3s7 900 and g. .1S9, ,721 900.
 Winter wheat, 900 and $s66,- TAI. 900.
 Spring wheat, 2os,as5.ooo and s27s,- 465, 900.
 Oats 1.524.o55ooo and s71s,7s2,oOo.
 Barley, 202.o24.oeo and s142,931,0o0.
 Rye, 69.310s000 and ssS,609,000.
 Buckwheat 13.7s9.o0O and $17797.- 900.
 Flax seed, 1Os9o 900 and sl9,413,ooo.
 Rice, 53,710.000 and $63.S37,000
 Potatoes, 430,45S,o 900 and $500, ,974. 000.
 Sweet potatoes, 112,368,000 and s126,- 629900
 Hay, 1os. .233 600 and s1,so9, ,162,oo0
 Tobacco, 15Oe, s4.00O and s29S o01, 900. 900.
 Cotton, 12,ss7,0oO and s914,5so, 900.
 Cotton seed. 5,77S.000 and s150.237,- ooO
 Beet sugar, 2,219, 100000; value not given.
 Cane sugar. s72,ooo, poo: value not given.
 Sorghum syrup 4s.S76.ooo and s46,- 13S,OO0.
 Peanuts. 5,960,0o0 and s4S.s29.000
 Beans. 9,o75,000 and $27114,000.
 Apples, 240,646, 900 and s271 .9S4 000
 Peaches, 43,697,0O0 and 9l,S62,000
 Oranges, 27,200, 900 and S70,125,000.