The Pulaskian., 1921-04-14
REPORT ON CROPS
 |S ENCOURAGING
FARM LABOR PLENTIFUL THIS YEAR ACCORDING TO THE
 REPORTS GIVEN.
CONDITION OF WHEAT GOOD
Report Of the Bureau of Crop Eetl- mates Shows Wheat Acreage Re- Gaced derably-condition
 Is e1 Per Cent.

Little Rock.-The April report of the Bureau of Crop Estimates just re- leased by the Cooperative Crop Re- porting Service for Arkansas, through Charles s. Bouton, Statistician, and Jim c. Ferguson, Commissioner of Az. riculture, shows the wheat crop of the state, though much reduced in acre>-ge, promising well with a condi- tfon of 91 per cent, which is fifteen points higher than on the same date year ago. The most significant feat ure of the report isthat concerning farm labor supply, which shows the supply as compared to last year to be l9 per cent higher, and the demand 25 per cent lower.
 Reports and comments on special topics follow:
 Wheat-The winter wheat eondi- tion of 91 is points higher than the ten year average for the state and is identical with the average wheat condition for the United States of 91. The United States figure, however, is seven points higher than the ten year average for the country.
 Rye-Condition figure fo- the state is 92, as compared with 84 a year ago and a ten year average of S9 The U. s. condition is 90.3, which com pares favorably with last years fig ure of 86.S and ten year average of 89.
 Breeding Sows-The number in Arkansas compared to year ago is 96 per cent. In 1920 the state had had two short crops of corn with high prices, but heavy drop in the price of hogs from 22c to 13c per pound, and these factors had caused very heavy shrinkage in the number of hogs, including brood sows During the last year the reduction in the to- tai number of hogs continued but far mers nearly reached the minimum in reduction in the number of brood sows. From April, 1919, to April, 1920, there was a loss or per cent in the number of brood sows. During the past year the loss has been only four per cent, so that today the state has 96 per cent of the number on farms one year ago. which was then estimated to be 128,000 In total num- Der of hows, though, the percentage number would run considerably lower. s,, 1o n a whole, the loss has been only 2.2 per cent in number of broow sows during the past year, as against a shrink of 9.9 per cent during the previous year. The estimated number of brood sows during the past year, as against q shrink of 9.9 per cent during the prev ious year. The estimated number or brood sows on farms in the country as a whole today is S,1S6,000
 Farm Labor Supply-Reports from all over the state indicate that the supply of hired farm labor at the cur rent rate of wages is IS per cent above that of year ago. The remarks of the reporters indicate that the available supply is considerably larg- CT. but many are not ready or willing to work at the rate of wages offered. This year there is no severe compe- tition with the lumber interests or with public roads, and about the only counties in which competition exists are a few in South Arkansas, where the oil elds are demanding an extra amount of labor. The gures presented by the reporters indicate also that In their judgment the supply Is up to the former normal supply of labor in the state.
 In the United States, however, the supply is nearly five per cent short or the normal supply, but this in all prob ability is accounteG for by the les sened rate of payment, many iaborers being unwilling to accept this smaller compensation offered at the present time.
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