Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-20

Winter wheat acreage sown tnlS LaIl
Is reduced 10 per cent compared with last
year, according to tine report Of the Co
operative crop reporting service for In
diana, issued today.
Auded 10 the reduction made last year,
q total of UOJ acres Is shown, COM
pared to the record acreage OF 1918, which
WAS 2,s56,0OO acres.
The rye acreage Is practically the same
"a last year, but is Is per cent under
the 1918 acreage.
Farm wages advanced Is per cent dur
ing the year aud have more than doubled
since 1915. The report follows:
In many Of the northern counties the
whest acreage has been greatly reduced
compared with last year, and the preced 10
ing years, when the acreage was at an
abnormally high ngure on account OF
the World War.
In some OF the southern counties Il
slight increase % manifested, but the
acreage In these counties Is hardly up TO
normal because Of the extraordinary re-
ductions last ye.r. when farmers were
unable to plant because Of weather con-
dit 0Hs.
Ia the middle section Of the State the
acreage seems to De slightly below the
pre-var average and is Cue principally to
weather conditions al the time for seed
Ing. although In practically all sections
the unsettled market GO editions, poor crop
the past season and tho labor situation.
Influenced farmers in planning their
acreage
The total estimated acreage sown this
fan FOR the State 8 I,9H3,eo0 acres. Last
year It was 100000 acres and for 1918
80 was 2 $50 0Oo acres, a decrease for the
two years Of 3O3 900 acres from the record
acreage OF 1918. or approximately 81 per
cent
The condition is estimated at 50 per
cent Of normal and is accounted for by
"a 81 " al = al ~ ira
nearly all sections u the State ut the
time the crop was planted and much OF
the seed did not terminate.
HCssiau fy also, is quite numerous In
many places The cool, cloudy weather
during the past month has been favor.
able. however, but the plants are not Wig
orpus and severe winter would do Sc
rIous damage
Fields that were well fertilized show a
much better condition than those where
no fertilizer was used
Rye has taken the place Of wheat to
a great extent IN the north third OF the
State. and for this section the acreage
10 much increased over last year.
In other parts OF the State the crop
has suffered In much the same way as
wheat.
Unsettled markets. 3he labor situation
and weather conditions are the principal
factors for decreasing the acreage
The estimate this year is 335.OoO acres.
or per cent less than last year. but 10
per cent under tho 1919 acreage. The
condition is 50 per cent az normal
Weather conditions during the past month
have been favorable and some fields are
now being pRstured
The portion Of the apple crop shipped
out OF the counties where grown amount
ed to 10 per cent for the whole State
while last year only 1 per cent was
shipped out. Practically all the CONNER
Cial orchards had fair to good crops this
year. but many Of the farm orchards
were nearly n failure. The largest ship
ping centers are in the south part Of the
State
The yield Of straw per acre generals
was | CHIT Hessian fly was the principal
cause for small yield of wheat straw
Oats and barley headed out on short
straw and rye was pastured too heavily
in some localities
Wages OF farm labor made another
gain Of - per cent during the year: the
average on the hrst OF December being
S6 per month with board and SG2 per
month without board. In 1918 the aver
age wage Was go per month with board
and $50 per month without board The
average for day labor for harvest work
during the past season was 81 per
day with board and S4S5 without board ::
for other than harvest work the average
was $500 with board and $3.65 without
board. In 1915 the average for harvest
work was Si.75 and S215: for other than
harvest work IL was 81 % and Sis
The average amount OF four-f foot wood
used on farm during the year is esti-
mated at fifteen cords and the value at
SS.SS per cord This does not mean that
every farm consumes that amount but
includes all those which burn wood for
heating purposes.