The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-12-22
CROP VALUES SLUMP
FIVE BILLION IN YEAA

Washington, December 2l-Shrink-
age Of values Of the country's Farm
crops has placed their total worth
this year at almost $4,000 200 900 less
than last year, although the 1920
harvest was one of the most album
dant in the nations history, with half
dozen crops breaking records
The important farm crops, which
comprise about 80 per cent. Of the
value OF all farm crops, were valued
TINS year at S9,l4S,5l9,000 bv the
Department Of Agriculture TODAY in
lts maj estimates. Last year the
crops We're valued at $l4,087 1896 900.
Acreage devoted to the important
crops also decreased, the total being
3bl ,062, 409 this year as compared
with S56, 1922 last year
The extraordinary character of
TIE ARRESTS, which have proven to
be among the most abundant in the
,country's history, Notwithstanding
beginnings about as unpromising as
ever known, is emphasized BY the De-
cember revisions of estimates" the
department said in statement, COM
menting on today's report. "The final
outcome of the 1920 wheat harvest,
winter ana spring combined. is now
estimated at 789,87S,000 bushels,
compared with 934,265, 900 bushels in
1919, this being an increase over the
carrier estimates for 1920 of 39,230,-
600 bushels. The 1920 acreage aban-
doned from winter killing was no less
than was expected and indicated by
the very bad and unpromising con-
ditions on May /, and the increas-
ingly favorable character Of the later
seasoR- permitted much wheat then
considered hopeless to devotion and
come to harvest. The report OF In
crease over earlier expectations of
winter wheat produced some from al
most every important winter wheat
state. The greatest gain, l5,00O,000,
Is IN Kansas, the leading producer of
winter wheat, In that state the in
crease was helped by an area OF over
100000 acres Of volunteer wheat
sprouted from shattered glain 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-
duetlon In crop acreage in 1920 below
1919 is less than was thought and re-
ported at the beginning of the crop
season. Notwithstanding the early
unfavorable conditions for farm work.
the efforts of the farmers to fully
seed their fields, assisted by favor
ing days that came late in the plant
ing period, resulted in paintings
greater than anticipated"
Increases in almost every crop were
reported. in the revised production
figures as compared with the pre-
liminary estimates announced in No
vember.
Corn with a record crop shows an
increase of about 33,000,000 bushels;
winter wheat, an increase Of almost
48,000,000 bushels; spring wheat, a
decrease of 100000 bushels: oats,
an increase Of almost 70,00O,00O bush
els; barley, increase Of almost H.
100000 bushels; potatoes, increase of
100000 bushels, and tobacco in-
creased 32,OOO,000 pounds.
The yield Of corn per acre set
record with an average production
of 800 bushels. Only once before
has the average yield per acre ex-
ceeded 30 bushels and that was in
1906, when 3O.3 bushels were made
While the corn crop is a record
one, its value this year is 81 1862 ,OO0,-
900 less than last years crop, which
was smaller by 100000 bushels.
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
$1,349 year ago.
Production of the various crops
are estimated in the following terms:
Bushels, corn, winter wheat, spring
wheat, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat,
flaxseed, rice, potatoes, sweet pota-
toes, peanuts, beans and peaches;
tons, hay and cotton seed; pounds,
tobacco, beet sugar and cane sugar;
gallons, sorghum, syrup; bales, cot
ton; boxes, cigars, oranges, and bar
rels, apples,