OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON THE Acreage of Wheat, Oats, Barley and Rye, and the Condition of Other Crops, October 1, 1901. This report presents the first official estimates made in bushels of the grain crops harvested this year, and which are made from the results of actual threshing reported by the regular correspondents throughout the several townships of the State. The condition or prospect of crops not given in bushels, is by percentage comparison with a full average: Wheat-Area sown last fall as returned by township assessors2,178,409 acres · Product per acre estimated from threshers' returns .... Quality compared with an average Crop of 1900 still in producers' hand Cats Area returned by township assessors Product per acre estimated from threshers' returns Quality compared with an average .2 per cent. .2,132,564 acres 14.57 bushels .31,086,184 Barley-Product per acre estimated from threshers' returns .. Quality compared with an average Rye Area as returned by township assessors Product per acre as estimated from threshers' returns Total estimated product Quality compared with an average .90 per cent. 22.86 bushels .91 per cent. 134,696 acres 15.00 bushels .2,018,670 Corn-Prospect compared with an average Cut up for fodder Average date of cutting for fodder Potatoes-Probable total yield compared with an average. Tobacco-Condition compared with an average Pastures-Condition compared with an average Apples Prospect compared with an average The area originally seeded for the wheat harvest of the present year was 2,178,409 acres, as returned by the township assessors of the State. In some localities, owing to winter killing and damage by fly, a small portion of the area was plowed up early in the spring. On July 1st the Department made an estimate of the amount that had been plowed up in each county, and the result showed 2 per cent., thus reducing the area remaining for harvest to 2,132,564 acres, upon which amount the product in bushels is figured. As the growing season advanced, wheat prospects seemed to continually improve, and prior to cutting it was quite generally conceded that the crop would result in good yield per acre and high quality, but on getting into the fields with the machines, it was found, in many localities, that the wheat heads were not all well filled, and that the grain would be light in weight, the general result, however, is fair on the area harvested, and while the product in total bushels, 31,086,184, is much below an average for the State, it is nearly three times greater than the short crop of last year. The product of oats did not reach a full average per acre. There was a fair area of oats seeded, compared with an average acreage, but as compared with the area of last year there were 214,462 acres less, which principally accounts for a difference of about ten millions of bushels in total product, as compared with last year. The increased. area in 1900 was very greatly due to the ruined wheat that was plowed up and put to oats. It is estimated by comparison with amount seeded in the spring of 1900, that of spring barley there was seeded in 1901, 34,696 acres, and of fall barley, according to returns made by the township enumerators, there was seeded 9,637 acres; this would give a total barley area for the harvest of 1901, of 44,333 acres. According to returns made by threshermen, through the correspondents of the Department, the average product per acre was 22.86 bushels, thus making a total product for the State. of 1,013,452 bushels. The average The crop A great increase is shown in the area of rye. rye area for nine years, up to 1901, was about 55,000 acres. of 1901 shows an area of about 134,000 acres. Last fall, owing to the wheat failure, a great many farmers substituted rye for fields that would otherwise have been put in wheat. The average product per acre of the rye crop is estimated to be 15 bushels, and shows a total crop of 2,018,670 bushels, which, as compared with the average product for a number of years, is more than three times greater. The long continued hot, dry weather in the latter part of July and during August and early September, was not conducive to corn growth, and the crop suffered considerably on this account. The month of September was favorable to the ripening of the crop. No killing frosts occurred up to October 1. Late rains very greatly revived fall pastures, which had suffered to the extent of being nearly dried up by the weeks of hot, dry weather. The yield of potatoes will fall far short of a good average. In many localities the early crop is almost a failure. Late potatoes generally better than the early ones, though not a good product. The apple crop shows a very low prospect as compared with an average. The fruit rotted badly and continues to fall from the trees. |