The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-03-19
MISSOURI CROPS
FOR MARCH, 1920

FOR MARCH, 1920
jefferson City, Mo-, March To-
That Missouri farmers have now on
hands nine millions more bushels of
corn and four millions fewer bushels
of oats than last March to begin the
crop season was reported today by E.
A. Logan and Jewell Mayes of the u.
s. Bureau of Crop Estimates and
State Board of Agriculture. Corn on
hand, 45,069,999 bushels, oats, H.
100000 bushels, and 6,946,000 bushels
of wheat. In the United States there
are 200 million bushels more corn,
160 million less oats and SO million
more bushels 70 wheat on hand now
than last March.
In st. Francois county the per cent
of last years corn crop on farms is
t3 and oats 10 per cent; the condition
of wheat, II per cent; soil, 80 per
cent; apple buds, so per cent; peach
buds, $50 per cent; price per bushel
received by farmers for corn, $3.50,
and oats, S1.00.
Missouri grain stocks on farms at
this time is about the same as the US
ual year. Corn, % per cent of last
years crop which is the siX-year av-
erage, oats 81 per cent and points be-
low siX-year average, wheat II per
cent against Il siX-year average of 10
per Cent. The usual proportion of
grain has been shipped out of the
counties where produced, corn, 8 per
cent; wheat, 60 per cent; oats, 16 per
cent, with barley only II per cent.
Land prices have shown decided up
ward tendencies during the past year
with a large number of transfers
Changing of farms on March 1st was
unusually numerous in nearly all sec
tions of the State and advances scored
early last summer are fully main
tanned. The average price of poor
pillow lands is $50 per acre, good pillow
lands Sli0, average Of all pillow lands
$87, land with improvements $l04 PEI
acre, and without improvements $40,
an increase Of about $40 per acre
above the prices prevailing five years
ago. The average price of raw and
wholly undeveloped land is S36, with
range Of from $50 to SIS in various
sections, depending on quality.
Condition of growing wheat, 68 per
cent against 90 per cent last March,
The crop got off to a bad start in the
fall with but little opportunity to i'm
prove, having had only light snow COW
Cring and a small amount of moisture.
Wheat is looking as well as could be
expected at this time. Improvement
can be expected with seasonal wealth
err. Soil condition is SO per cent nor
nal with the ground dry and ready to
work as soon as the season opens.
Some ploying has been done and fell
! plowed ground will be in good condi-
ton as soon as warmer weather ar
rives.
Fruits prospects are good with lit
tie winter killing reported. Apple
buds 80 per cent normal, and peach
buds, SO, poorest in the northern sec
ton and best in the southern. Farm
orchards where poorly cared for, give
but little promise.
Live stock are in good condition
Prices for mules exceedingly good
General tendency to lessen the mum.
Der of brood sows and cut down or
cattle feeding, also to breed fewer
mares for horse colts buff or more
mules. Average number of hogs kill
ed per farm the past season 45 against
A last year. No serious live stock ep-
idemics present and winter pasturage
has been good in the blue grass sec.
tons.
The average price Of corn on the
farm is $1.54, with very differences ir
the price paid in adjoining counties
In few counties corn is as high pric,
ed as wheat, with some feeding Of
wheat in consequence. The State av.
erage price of wheat is $2.19 per bush
ell, oats 80 cents, with seed oats 81 pei
bushel and above. The average price
of hay is $24 ton with better grades
higher. Red clover seed is S34 PEI
bushel, timothy seed $3.50 and egg!
42c per dozen.
Acreage of clever being sown, 10 pc,
cent more than last year, but with higf
prices farmers are holding off from
seeding the desired acreage. Farmers
intention at present time is to increase
their corn acreage Is per cent ovel
last year, oats per cent and hay
per cent, which increases would ado
$4,000 acres to the corn and 113,00(
to oats and 1880 to the hay with ;
total increase in these crops of l.,
144,000 acres, but with these increase!
Missouri fields would be shy of the MS
ual acreage, 100000 acres for corn ant
100000 acres for hay, 100000 acres