Evening star., 1946-01-05
Cash Farm Income Up
In Maryland in 1916,
u. 5. Report Indicates
By the Associated Press.

Maryland farmers, given good
weather and continuing favorable
market, can look forward to 1916
hopefully.
For despite a general decline in
the amount of land devoted to farm
crops and an unusually short to-
bacco crop last year, the States
farmers received considerably more
cash for their 1945 crops than they
did in 1914.
A year-end review published by
the Department of Agriculture gives
actual cash receipts for farm and
livestock products for only the first
nine months of 1945, but those fig
ures indicate considerably higher
cash return.
.. S145,981, 900 Received.
Through September OF last year
Maryland farmers received $145 1881,
600 for their crops and livestock and
livestock products, as against only
$133,205,0 900 in the same period of
1914.
The cash return from crops was
up sharply, while that from live
stock and related products dropped
slightly. The States farmers re-
ceived ST. ,993, 900 from crops in the
first three quarters of l945, as COM
pared with $58,963 900 in the same
portion of the previous year. But
the return from livestock and It's
products declined from $74,242, 600
in the first nine months of 1914 to-
$73,0S8,000 through September Of
last year.
The increase in cash return came
despite slight decline in the acre
age devoted to So major field crops
tabulated by the department. The
amount of land devoted to these
crops last year was 1886, ,00Q acres,
as compared with 1,714,000 the pre-
vious year and an average of 1,64I,-
600 during the 10-year period 1884,
43. -.-. =.
Unfavorable Weather.
Fruit and tobacco, two of the
States principal growing crops, !
showed sizaple declines in produce
ton last year-principally because
of unfavorable growing weather and
help shortages.
Apple production, for example, /
was only 689, 900 bushels in I945, as
compared with 10-year average of |
1925, 900 bashels and 1914 produc-
ton of 1853 900 bushels.
The 1914 crop in the Nation as a
whole was only about half that of
1914, with most of the decline COM
ing in the Eastern and Midwestern
States, where weather was unfavor-
able for pollination and spring
freezes killed many blossoms.
The States peach crop also
dropped from a 10-year (1934-43)
average of 391 900 bushels and 1914
production of 602,000 bushels to
$4,000 last year. Pears dropped
from $4,000 bushels in 1914 to $4,000
last year and grapes from $50 tons
to 100.
Tobacco Yield Down.
The tobacco yield was down 28,-
325 900 pounds over the 10-year pc
riod and a 1914 crop of 38,250,OO0
pounds to 21,600,000 pounds in 1945.
This decline came in a year when
the Nation as whole was produc-
ing more tobacco than ever before
with most of the increase coming in
cigarette types.
Unsatisfactory weather and
shortage of workers in Southern |
Maryland brought sharp reduc-
tion in acreage in 1914" the depart
ment reported. This years total
was $4,000 acres, compared with
$4,000 in 1914"
Maryland production of most field
crops remained about stable or de-
clined slightly, with, yields per acre
generally increasing in the face of
smaller planted acreages.
16,872,0 Bushels of Corn.
The corn crop last year totaled
1892 900 bushels, as compared with
a 10-year average of 1888 900 BUSH
els; wheat production declined from
7,465, 600 bushels over 10 years to
1854, 900 last year; the oats crop
was down from 1852 900 bushels to
100000, and the May crop gained
from $4,000 tons over the 1884 -1943
period to $4,000 tons in 1945.
Production of such lesser field
crops as rye, buckwheat and soy
beans increased. The principal gain
was in soybeams, with 1945 produc-
tion Of 100000 bushels against 10
year average of 229, 900 bushels.
Potato production declined from
a 10-year average of 2,612 900 BUSH
els to 2,108,0 900 bushels in 1945.