Evening star., 1940-08-11
Dry July Weather
Cuts I Per Cent Off
Corn Prospects
Loss Largely Offset
By Conditions Favorable
To Small Grain
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Hot, dry weather in July cut an
estimated per cent of the probable
corn production, but this was largely
offset by conditions favorable to
small grain, the Agriculture Depart
ment reported yesterday.
Corn production was indicated
August 1 at 2,24s ,246 900 bushels, a
reduction of 167, ,742 900 bushels from
an earlier estimate, under July's
blighting sun and soaring winds.
The August / estimate was 371,-
600 900 bushels below last years pro-
duction and 81 ,OO0, 900 bushels under
the 1929-38 average.
In contrast with the July / out
look, when prospects were good
throughout most of the corn belt,
the area of good to excellent pros
poets" was reported yesterday to
comprise only Northern Iowa,
Southeastern Minnesota, Southern
Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.
Even in this area prospects were
uneven.
Pair July / prospects in North
Central Kansas and South Central
Nebraska" the department said,
were reduced to near failure from
a grain production standpoint by
high temperatures during the last
two weeks of the month. Deteriora-
ton in South Dakota has been
temporarily checked by recent rains,
but grasshoppers still threaten the
crop there"
Winter Wheat Is average"
Good weather early in July in
creased winter wheat and oats esti-
mates and resulted in an indicated
aggregate crop production about
average"
considering stocks on hand" the
department observed. supplies of
most crops will be ample"
Winter wheat prospects were
markedly above earlier expectations
and August / conditions indicated
a crop of about 556,000,000 bushels.
With spring wheat prospects sub
stantially unchanged during the
month, total wheat production was
estimated at 761. ZOO, 900 bushels-an
average crop. Production of durum
wheat was estimated at 34,l79 900
bushels.
Oat prospects improved in July
with the August condition pointing
to crop of 1921 ,6l9 900 bushels as
against 937,213,000 last year and
10-year average of 1,024 ,852 900. Bar
ley prospects were substantially un-
changed at 289, ,812,0 900 bushels, rye
production was estimated at 81 ,452.-
600 bushels, rice at SIS, OIL 900 bushels
and flaxseed at 9,279 900 bushels.
Local Hay Shortages.
Reports on feed grains, hay, pas
lures and ranges showed some local
shortages-acute in parts of Ne
braska and Kansas-but feed sup
plies in the country as a whole were
ample.
Oats and barley matured in many
areas before the drought conditions
became serious. Grain sorgums
were planted on greatly increased
acreages but up to August had not
received adequate rain and were not
expected to give quite an average
yield. Adding these crops to corn,
a feed grain crop of 81 900 900 tons
was indicated. If allowance were
made for a nearly per cent de-
crease during the year of grain con-
Stunning livestock on the farms, this
production would be about per
cent less than the average pre-
drought production per unit of live
stock.
The department pointed out,
however, that stocks of feed grains
on farms July l were equal to about
80 per cent of this years production;
so total feed grain supplies. includ-
ing sealed corn, were unusually
large.
Hay production estimated at 92,-
100000 tons would permit rather
liberal feeding and still leave more
than the usual spring carryover, the
department said.