South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-01
WHEAT ACREAGE
IS DECREASED
IN INDIANA
Extraordinary Reductions Are
Made in Northern Part
of State.

ties the wheat acreage mas Deen
greatly reduced compared with last
year, and the preceding years, Wien
the acreage was at an abnormally
high figure on account OF the world
war. according TO reports just is
sued In some of the southern
counties a slight increase Is mani
Tested. but the acreage in these
counties is hardly up 10 normal be
cause Of the extraordinary reduc-
tiOns last year. when farmers were
unable 20 plant because OF weather
conditions. In the middle section
OF the state the acreage seems 10 be
slightly below the pre-war average
and is due principally TO weather
conditions at the time for seeding,
although in practically all sections
the unsettled market conditions.
poor crop the past season and the
labor situation Influenced farmers in
planning their acreage.
The total estimated acreage sOwn
this fall for the state is 1858. 900
acres. Last year il was 2.24O, 900
acres and for 1913 it was 2,S56.0 900
acres, a decrease for the two years
Of 10000 acres from the record
acreage OF 1915, or approximately
81 percent The condition is esti-
mated at 50 percent Of normal and
is accounted for by the fact that it
was extremely dry in nearly all sec
lions OF the state at the time the
crop was planted and much OF the
seed did not terminate. HesS!an fly
also is quite numerous in many
places. The cool, cloudy weather
during the past month has been
favorable, however, but the plants
are not vigorous and a severe winter
would do serious damage. Fields
that were we'll fortified 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 is much increased over last
year. In other parts of the state the
crop has suffered in much the same
way as wheat. Unsettled markets,
the labor situation and weather
conditions being the principal fac
tors for decreasing the acreage. The
estimate this year is 335, 900 acres,
or three percent less than last year.
but 13 percent under the 1918 acre
age. The condition is SO percent OF
normal. Weather conditions during
the past month have been favorable
and some fields are now being pas
tured.
Good Apple Crop.
The portion of the apple crop
shipped out of the counties where
grown amounted to 10 percent for
the whole state, while last year only
four percent was shipped out. Prac-
tically all the commercial orchards
had fair TO good crops this year,
but many Of the farm orchards
were nearly a failure. The largest
shipping centers are in the south
part Of the state.
The yield of straw per acre gener-
ally was light. Hessian fly was the
principal cause for a small yield OF
wheat straw. oats and barely
headed out on q short straw and
rye was pastured too heavily in
some localities. The yields per acre
are estimated as follows Wheat
straw. one ton; oats straw IL ton;
rye straw. IL ton; barley straw,
3 ton.
The labor situation and dry sol,
condition has delayed fall blowing
for spring planting very materially.
II Is estimated that only 10 percent
was completed on the first Of the
month. With corn husking and
shredding nearing completion and
continued favorable weather this
work Will be pushed very rapidly.
Wages of farm labor made an
other gain Of Is percent during the
year; the average on the first of De-
cember being $40 per month with
board and $50 per month without
board. In 1915 the average wage
was $50 per month with board and
$50 per month without board. The
average for day labor for harvest
work during the past season received
50 per day with board and Sass
without board; for other than har-
vest work the average was $3.50
with board and 1885 without board
In 1915 the average for harvest work
was $1.75 and sails: for other than
harvest work it was 1925 and $1.55.
The average amount Of four foot
wood used on a farm during the
year is estimated at Is cords and
the value at $5.SS per cord. This
does not mean that every farm con-
sumes that amount. but includes all
those which burn wood for heating
purposes.
St Joseph county shows a percen-
tage of 90 percent OF last years
wheat crop and the condition IS Civ
en- as So percent.