The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-01-06

| That Idahos crops for the year
i 1919 were worth the: enormous sum
of $114,O00, 900 is the statement OF
julius H. Jacobson, agent Of the
Idaho crop reporting service Ex-s
tracts from his report, which will be
of great interest to every citizen OF:
Idaho, follow;
According to the final report, just
released, the total value of Idaho's
II principal field crops-wheat, oats,
barley, corn, rye, potatoes, hay,
sugar beets, clover seed, alfalfa seed,
timothy seed, sugar beet seed, beans,
peas, apples, peaches and pears
fproduced in 1919 is $114,684 ,285. It
is a splendid record made by the
farmers in spite of the most severe
drouth in 80 years. Higher prices re-
ceived for practically all crops were
offset by the failure of large acre
age of the spring grains and sugar
beets, so that the above aggregate
value is less than the revised total
of $115, 1928, ,281 reported for the same
crops grown in 1918.
Wheat has ranked first in total
value for the two years, with $685.
345,000 in 1919 and $38,928,000 in
1918, while the hay crop ranks a
close second, being credited with
$38,312,000 and $37, ,423,000 for 1919
and 1918, respectively.
In 1919 potatoes rank highest in
value per acre, with $226.50, while
sugar beet seed runs a close second
with 1925. In 1918 sugar beet seed
outclassed all other crops in point
of acre value, returning a total of
$305.90. Potatoes occupy second
second place, with an acre value of
$14985.
The total acreage devoted to Ia
principal crops (fruit omitted) was
2,320,111 in 1919 and 2,379,135 in
1918 The 1918 acreage would have
been larger if a considerable area of
sugar beets and nonirrigated spring
wheat had not been abandoned. In
1919 the average value per acre of
all the Ia principal crops was $45.90,
while in 1918 the average acre value
was $47.52.
The figures for 1919 represent re-
visions of preliminary estimates and
those for the last year represent re-
visions of the 1918 final estimates.
These revisions are based on addi-
tional information obtained through
assessors agricultural surveys,
threshermen's returns, railroad ship
ments and through the cooperation
of thousands of public-spirited farm
ers in furnishing data relative to-
their farming operations. Their as
sistance is greatly appreciated by
the Idaho crop reporting service.
Values assigned are based on the
average price received by farmers
December 1.
Wheat
There was the largest wheat acre
age in the history of the state but
due to an average yield of 3.3 bushels
below 1918 the 100000 acres pro-
duced only 18,705,000 bushels, com
pared with 20,275,0O0 bushels from
100000 acres last year. A large
acreage of spring wheat seeded on
spring plowed, non-irrigated land,
was a failure Such is the worst
kind of gamble, even in an average
year.
No revision was made in the esti-
mate of oats production, it being T.
100000 bushels from 100000 acres,
against 9,480,000 from $4,000 acres
in 1918. The acreage of this crop
has steadily declined the last few
years, due to the fixed price of
wheat. The total value is $7,546,OO0
with $8,911,O in 1918.
Barley.
This crop has suffered more in
acreage reduction than oats. There
were only 100000 acres, 10000 less
than last year, but the average yield
per acre was % bushels, equaling
that of 1918. The value was $4,-
704 900 for 1919 and $6,188,0OO for
1918.
With more attention being paid
each year to seed selection, the re-
suit is a steadily increasing acreage
each year $4,000 acres, compared
with $4,000 acres last year. Produc-
ton and value are based on bushels
of grain for the total acreage. How
ever, probably 5000 acres were cut
for silos this year with ar average
yield of 10.4 tons per acre.
Rye.
The area seeded to this crop the
last few years has been increasing
faster than that of any other crop.
1t has done well on nonirrigated land
where most of the crop is grown, and
is credited with value per acre of
S26.25 this year. There were 5000
acres in 1919 and 5000 acres in 1918.
Potatoes.
The crop got off to a poor start
this year. A cold, dry spring re-
tarded termination and caused un-
even stands. Later shortage and
irregular irrigation water supply
development so that the
average state yield for the total or
agricultural crop was only $50
bushels per acre, compared with 1876
bushels last year. However, the De-
,ember price is about double that of
! year ago, so that the total value
# the crop is $8,154 900 and the acre
yalue $226.50. A total value of S5,-
$4,000 is credited in 1918, with an
lcre value Of $149.85.
In the commercial districts it is