Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1935-10-25
will
.k11 In. 1885
Figures On IL Money
Crops Indicate Slight
Drop In Production,
But More Cash

Raleigh North 'Carolina's II.
leading money crops netted farm
ers in the state a total of $685.
in 1884, a gain of al
most 100 per cent. over 1888, and
indications based on price trends
Of early 1885 are for a further in
crease this year.
The figures were shown in sta
compiled for the North Ca
rolina Farm Forecaster, publication
Of the State Department of Agri-
culture. A review of agriculture
1884 showed North Carolina
had II crops exceeding the mil
lion-dollar mark and a twelfth
crop only a few thousand dollars
short of that total.
The forecaster Estimated total
production Of a majority of lead
ing crops in North Carolina will
be below hat of 1884, but if pri-
ces continue Improvement mani
Tested last year and early in 1885
the states total farm income
should be virtually as much, if
not more, than in 1884.
The Federal-State crop report
ing service, through which the
figures are obtained, estimated de-
creased production ii corn. cotton,
Irish potatoes, wheat, oats and
sweet potatoes. a slight increase
was expected for tame hay with
a slight drop in peanut production.
Tobacco was the only crop for
which a substantial increase was
noted. No estimates were given
for cowpeas and soy beans.
Chances for the state exceeding
its 1884 total crop income rested
largely on the price of tobacco,
figures indicated. Through Septem-
Der, the crop reporting services
official report showed, tobacco pro-
ducers had taken in something
more than $4,000 900 for the 50
per cent of the crop sold at prices
far down in comparison with 1884
levels to October l.
Improvement in price coupled
with the fact that 90 per cent of
the crop remained to be sold after
October l indicated the possible
increase for this year.
With no further increase in price
averages, it was indicated the crop
would bring in excess of $780,
100000. The 1884 income from
tobacco was $116,o49,oo5, the
largest of any crop in the state.
In regard to the two other 'big-
money crops, the forecaster esti-
mated a production of 45,9o4,ooO
bushels of corn, a decrease of about
100000 bushels under 1884 but
rising prices again were expected
to counterfeit the loss in produc-
ton.
The estimated drop in cotton
was only 10000 bales, leaving the
production figure at $4,000 bales
for the state in 1885.
Corn last year Melted $780,
900 to growers, while cotton
brought in $37,eo6,799.
Other ranking crops in 1884, in
order of amount they brought pro-
ducers, were listed as follows:
tame hay, $12,293,736; peanuts,
$S,169,922; Irish potatoes, So
764,o06; sweet potatoes, $6,617,-
$50; wheat, $5,794,2S7; oats, 3d.
6o7,25o; soybeans, $3,349,271;
cowpeas, $2,557,199; and rye,
$958,576.
The state ranked third in the
nation in value Of all crops in
1884, being exceeded only by Tex
as and California.
For the current year, the fore
caster indicated, soybeans and cow
peas cannot be estimated either as
to production or price due to their
complicated planting systems.
Wheat, although under govern
ment control, is difficult to esti-
mate from the income standpoint,
because of the condition of world
markets which is such that prices
are problematical. <