Milford chronicle., 1928-12-28
CROP YIELD SHOWED
GAINS IN 1928
[Ceatiared frsn Ersr naael

! IQlS, LOS6Iu6T WlIH prospects that
the gross income will be larger,
v leads the secretary to believe there
s may be at least a proportionate in
f crease in net income.
I Latest comprehensive figures re-
e late to the crop year 1927-1928. In
4 that year the gross income of Amer
I lean agriculture from all products
e amounted to $12,253. 100000, COM
= pared with $12, 100000 for the
r. crop year, 1926-1927. 1t was lower
t than the 1925-1926 income of $12,-
: 67O,OOO,O0O gross income of 1919-192O
when the postwar boom reached its
: peak.
In the last two years the gross
= income of agriculture has changed
little but important fluctuations have
taken place in it's distribution.
In 1926-1927 the income from
grains, cotton, fruits and vegetables
was materially below that of 1926
1926. In 1927-192S, grain and cotton
growers made considerably better
earnings, but returns from hogs,
fruits, vegetables and poultry were
relatively low. Increased returns
from livestock industries will be ma
terially offset by reduced returns
from certain field crops, though the
gross income of agriculture as a
whole promises to be larger than
last year.
Last year was a season of increas-
ed acreage and production, some
times piling up embarrassing sur
pluses, despite previous warnings to
minimize on certain commodities
notably potatoes.
Expansion, however, is taken as
mark of confidence in the future of
agriculture. The increase was pretty
well distributed throughout the
country and was divided among cot
ton, spring wheat, potatoes, and !
other leading crops.
Cotton was planted on about 49, ,
100000 acres, an increase of ia per
cent over the acreage planted the
year before. Weather conditions
were unfavorable and the boil wee
vii was the heaviest since the few
years after the pest spread through
the cotton belt.
In consequence the crop in Octo-
ber was estimated at less than A. d
100000 bales compared with 1891, II
900 bales in 1926. q
Wheat production exceeded 90O,- Il
100000 bushels for the first time C
since 1919. The increase was mostly a
in hard winter and durum wheats. s
Despite the increase, greater de- n
mand abroad is expected to keep c
prices more or less favorable. Amer
ica's share in the worlds output of is
wheat, unlike cotton, does not give v
this country determining influence s.
on the price of the crop. 1t depends O.
on the total world production. a
The corn crop is estimated at Il
about 2,9OO,OOO,OOO bushels, the larg-
est crop since 1928. In proportion to S
the number of livestock on the Il
farms the output is fairly large and III
is expected to stimulate livestock a
production. Ii
A scarcity of corn and other feed T
stuffs in Europe has been a factor eC
in maintaining relatively good prices &C
for corn through the past season and m
is expected to be a factor in the W
situation for the coming season. in
Estimates for buckwheat, rice, and al
bean crops show a production less.
than last year, although sufficient co
for current needs. Fruit production de
was heavier than last year but less 10
than in 1926. Potato production made
a record. Possibly Is per cent of the an
supply will be utilized as feed for Sa
livestock or wasted. do
Sweet potatoes were a light crop. w
Other vegetables were grown on an co
acreage but gave rather
light yields. on
Tobacco, planted on an increased tn,
lcreage, was harvested in rather low
fields, so that the crop in weight is be
lot above normal requirements. on
General improvement in the live tee
tOck industry, in which all its fee
shared, was the most out tw
tanding development in the 1928 tbe
gricultural situation. inf
The outlook for cattle is consid- he,
red extremely favorable. Demand hill
or hog products of the United States :
5 increasing. The high degree of fes
which the sheep industry abl
as enjoyed since 1922 continues. Sn
favorable conditions pre-
allied this year for the dairy indus
ry. The consumption of dairy pro-
ucts increases annually.
The poultry industry mas done
better this year than it ing
id in 1927. Sis
The fruit and vegetable industry will
Ontinues to progress in specializa- fire.
on, in the technique and efficiency hay
production, in the standardiza-
on, quality, and pack of its pro- EV
1cts, and in the breadth of its mar
citing program. Little has been
One, yet however, to stabilize pro-
lction. or to prevent the :ecurrent S
utting of markets. to
Exports of agricultural products pla,
the 1927-1928 seasons declined as
with those of the preced- =
g year. -
Shipments of pork products, wheat
Id cotton dropped by an amount !
at more than outweighed in
eased shipments of certain less i'm =,
,rtant items.
In value, exports were 4 per cent
IS than those of the preceding \
ar and were the lowest in the last :
e years. The proportion of agri-
ltural exports to the total exports 1
all commodities amounted to only H.
per cent, the lowest figure on W
cord with the exception of 1916. Y
4