OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON THE Area of Fall Crops, Area and Product of Potatoes, and the Condition of Other Crops NOVEMBER 1, 1904. The following report is deduced from returns received from the regular township crop correspondents of the department. The area of fall crops is estimated by comparison with the area seeded last year, as returned by township assessors. The area of potatoes is the estimate returned by assessors, the bushels being computed by the average produced per acre, as reported by the department correspondents. WHEAT-Area sown last fall as returned by township assessors 66 66 66 Estimated area seeded for the harvest of 1905. RYE-Area sown last fall as returned by township assessors. 66 Sown this fall compared with last year Estimated area seeded for the harvest of 1905. CORN-Prospect compared with an average BUCKWHEAT-Prospect compared with an average CLOVER SEED-Prospect compared with an average. .1,901,773 acres. .99 per cent. .1,859,534 acres. .87 per cent. .September 26. 34,487 acres. .87 per cent. .29,163 acres. 88 per cent. .71 per cent. .80 per cent. .59 per cent. POTATOES-Area planted as estimated by township assessors..107,013 acres. 46 Number to be fattened compared with 1903 COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS Farmers using on wheat. .101 bushels. .10,766,707 bushels. .3 per cent. .57 per cent. .93 per cent. .88 per cent. ..55 per cent. Wheat seeding was quite generally late, partly because of weather conditions, but most generally in the hope of avoiding damage by Hessian fly, which was expected to make its appearance this season. The area of wheat seeded in the fall of 1903 for the harvest of 1904 was the lowest in ten years, and the great amount of this that was plowed up in the spring left the area for the harvest abnormally low. The present estimate of wheat arca for the harvest of next year is based by comparison with the amount originally seeded last fall, and indicates within one per cent. of the same amount, though seventeen per cent. greater than the area that was harvested. The wheat area seeded this fall is so low that even if all remains for the harvest next year, and there is an exceptionally large average produced per acre, the total crop can not reach the amount Ohio has many times produced. The continued low wheat area is not easily accounted for. The condition of the growing plant is thirteen per cent. below a good average condition. In most parts of the State it has been too dry for proper germination and strong growth. On many fields the plant is thin and a great deal has not yet made its appearance. There has been some re-seeding. If the winter sets in early there is danger that a great deal of wheat that has not attained strong set and sufficient growth will not be able to withstand very rigid weather. While there was much fear of the fly, very little complaint is heard concerning it. The area of rye shows less than last year, but in this there is no great weight, as this crop varies in area from year to year more than any of the other small grain crops. The prospect for corn indicates 71 per cent. of an average. In many parts of the State the crop is not husking out as well as was anticipated. and this has caused a slight reduction in the estimated prospect since the last report. Considerable corn was cut too green and much of it is soft and moldy. In the northern part of the State the crop was injured by the frosts that occurred in September, and while there are good and even excellent crops in many sections, the average for the State will be low. The area of potatoes is very slightly less than the area of last year, but the product per acre is considerably greater, and the total product for the State about a million and a half bushels greater than last year. Very few counties of the State are below the average in potato production, the great majority being above the average. A few localities report rot, but the extent of damage from this source is not likely to be very great. Hogs show an average condition of 93 per cent., and 88 per cent. compared with last year, as the number to be fattened. Hogs have been sent to carly markets. Cholera is reported from several counties, but the disease does not seem to be so general as last year. OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OHIO DEPARMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON THE AREA OF WHEAT AND RYE, AREA AND PRODUCTION OF Wheat. POTATOES AND THE CONDITION OF OTHER CROPS, NOVEMBER 1, 1904. 779 100 Acres. Per ct. Acres. Perct. Perct Per ct. Per ct. Acres. 779 100 Prospect compared with an average. Bus. 210 96 23,040 30 78 919 104 95,576 95 100 Bushels Pr ct Per ct Per ct Per ct Pr ct 28,000 100 100 50 OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON THE AREA OF WHEAT AND RYE, AREA AND PRODUCTION OF POTATOES AND THE CONDITION OF OTHER CROPS, NOVEMBER 1, 1904-Concluded. Com. Fert. Acres. Per ct. Acres. Perct. 250 200 92 92 erct Per ct. 93 19 14 9 4 941 80 46 1,076 103 110.828 876 95 63 459 94 43.146 179 66 48 2,170 83 180.110 98 |