Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-14
SEPTEMBER
CROP REPORT
SHOWS CONDITION OF CROPS AS
COMPARED WITH REPORT
LAST MONTH.

The outlook for all cultivated crops
and nearly all others has dropped
from five to seven points during
August a result of unusually light
rainfall in most sections of the State.
This is the outstanding feature Of the
September report released today by
John A. Doelle, Commissioner of
Agriculture and Verne II. Church,
Agricultural Statistican. AS deter
ioration is usual in most years dur
ing August, not withstanding this de-
cline, the prospects are still up 10 or
above the ten-year average for ali
crops except sugar beets and sorghum
cane for strip which are one and two
points, respectively, below. Fruit Of
all kinds is abundant and has ripened
earlier than usual. The market is
stagnant and some fruit does not
bring enough to cover the freight
charges.
In the southern and western count
les, corn has dried up considerably
and late planted fields are ripening
prematurely and with but few ears on
the stalks. There are also many
poorly filled ears. In ether sections
the crop is doing very well. Cutting
for both grain and silage is general
in southern and central counties. The
present outlook forecasts a total crop
Of 57,634,000 bushels as compared
with 66,417,000 bushels produced last
yer.
and about completed IN southern and
central sections. Yields are fairly
good and in the best districts are eX-
cellent. The quality is also good ex
cept in some northern counties where
the crop was more or less injured by
rust. The production is placed at 3d.
$4,000 bushels as against 2S,101.000
bushels grown last year, and $780,
600 bushels in 1920.
The spring wheat crop is good in
the main producing sections of the
Upper Peninsula and northeastern
counties. The estimated production
Is 5b4,OUU DuSnelS.
The crop of barley is estimated at
5,563,OO0 bushels which is nearly one
ard one-half million more than the
light crop Of last year. Yields are
generally satisfactory and better than
anticipated earlier in the season.
The buckwheat crop has suffered
considerably from heat and dry
weather and some of the bloom has
been blasted. A little damage by
frost is reported and from two to
three weeks without frost is needed to
mature the bulk of the crop. The
present outlook is for a crop of 622,-
600 bushels, practically the same pro-
duction as recorded for last year.
Complaints from some sections are
Mrent that the wet is deficient for
potatoes, although the tubers have
attained good size to date. In other
sections the outlook is very good.
Leaf-hopper damage is severe In
few counties in the fields that have
not receive proper spraying. The
present condition as shown by the re-
ports of crop correspondents is 81 per
cent of normal, which is equivalent to
crop of 36,415,00O bushels. The
acreage is $4,000 greater than last
year.
The total production of hay, based
on the reported yield of LAO tons of
tame and 1.35 tons of wild hay, per
acre, is ASH 900 tons. The crop was
universally large throughout the
State and much of it is of excellent
quality. There was some damage
from rains in the Upper Peninsula
and the northern portion of the Lower
Peninsula during the cutting season.
The yield Of timothy is 1.35 tons per
acre as compared with 0.90 last year,
and ten-year average Of 1.20.
The acreage Of alfalfa has increas-
ed phenomenally during the last few
years. 1t is estimated that $4,000
acres were cut this year, producing a
crop of $4,000 tons. The acreage re-
ported by the Federal Census for 49,
10 was $4,000. A large amount has
been seeded this year, and probably
more than a half-million acres Of hay
will be cut next year.
n. Dry weather has reduced the pas
Sures condition from 81 to 76 per cent
nuring the past month. In some
southern counties, pastures are very
short and little feeding of stock has
been necessary in occasional localities.
The condition is good in most north
ern counties.
In the central and western counties,
the early bean crop is fairly good, but
the late crop suffered materially from