The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-01
INDIANA FARM
LEVELS LOWER
IN PAST YEAR
Drought and Depression Hit
Agriculture, Purdue
Director Says.
BY T. r. JOHNSTON
Publicity Director. Purdue University
written for the United Press


LAFAYETTE, Ind, Jan. l.
Drought combined with economic
depression served to lower agricul-
tural levels in Indiana during 1880,
according to j. H. Skinner, director
of the Purdue university department
of agricultural extension.
The number of sheep in sIndiana
during the past year was the great
est of the last ten years, and prices
were low. A cycular liquidation IN
the sheep business may be expected
to continue, making the outlook
none too favorable. The demand
for both lambs and wool was af-
fected greatly by the depression of
the past year.
During the year, the number of
beef cattle was 2 per cent below the
ten-year average. The reason for
the drop in cattle prices must be
explained in terms of demand,
rather than supply, and should not
be construed as indicating long
I4Iile drop IN prices.
Pig Iron Below 1929
AS long as the general industrial
depression continues, the decreased
demand for meat associated with it
will continue to influence depres-
sion Of cattle prices.
The spring pig crop in Indiana
was about IL per cent below that of
1929. The succession of unfavorable
corn crops harvested in Indiana in
recent years has resulted in con-.
siderable curtailment in hog pro-
duction.
Although hog prices are not as
sensitive to changes in industrial
conditions as prices for other classes
of livestock, the depression has
brought on lower hog prices than
would be expected normally.
Indiana dairy products producers,
particularly those in the southern
part of the state, are somewhat dis
couraged as result of year of low
butter-fat prices, small hay crop
in 1880, an almost complete pasture
failure during the latter part of the
summer, and very small corn crop.
In northern Indiana the outlook is
more optimistic.
Butterfat Prices Lower
Low prices of butterfat in 1880
have been the result, partly of low
demand accompanying the depres-
sion, and partly Of large production.
The drought has curtailed produc-
ton Of dairy products in recent
months and will be depressing in
f1uence on production until new feed
supplies are available in 1881.
The number of milk COWS was
slightly larger at the beginning of
1880 than a year earlier. In June,
1880, production Of milk per COW
was higher than at any correspond
ing season in recent years. The
drought, however, together with low
prices which discouraged heavy
feeding, decreased the production
per COW late in the summer.
Less milk was produced in July
than in any July of the three years
preceding. Butter production in
June, July and August was consid-
erably lower than in the correspond
ing months of 1929.
Egg Production Less
The number of laying chickens in
Indiana farm flockS increased 6
per cent from Jan. /, 1929, to Jan.
l, 1880. BY Sept L, 1880, the num-
Der Of laying hens in Indiana had
decreased to 1 per cent below Sept.
l, 1929.
Hot weather reduced egg produc-
ton to a point where it was per
cent less per farm flock on Sept l,
1880, than on Sept. !, 1929 The
average weighted price drop in the
state from 1929 to 1880 was SO cents
per dozen, or 80 per cent.
The prices of eggs and poultry
will tend to rise when business
shows signs of improving.