Official Report

OF THE

Ohio Department of Agriculture

ON THE

Condition of Crops and Area of Oats, May 1, 1913

The following report, reference to wheat, fruit and other crops, is compiled from returns received from official correspondents of this Department:

WHEAT-Condition compared with an average_.

OATS-Area for 1912 as returned by township assessors..

66

-Area sown this year compared with 1912_

66 -Estimated area for the harvest of 1913_.

SPRING BARLEY-Area sown compared with last year_

WINTER BARLEY-Condition compared with an average_-_-
BARLEY-Total area:

93 per cent. 1,865,449 acres.

87 per cent. 1,615,151 acres.

91 per cent.

89 per cent.

24 per cent.

76 per cent.

93 per cent.

March 28.

95 per cent.

90 per cent.

93 per cent.

Horses

Cattle

Sheep

Hogs

Loss of live stock by recent floods---

AVERAGE PRICES.

2 per cent.

1 per cent.

3 per cent. 3 per cent. $174,403.

Flattering indeed, is Ohio's present wheat prospect. The growing condition of the plant is estimated at 93 per cent. compared with the

average. On corresponding date one year ago its condition was estimated at but 44 per cent. 1912 wheat harvest was a failure, resulting in a production of approximately only ten million bushels. Should the present plant suffer no material damage between now and harvest, the total production should double, if not treble, that of last year. The wheat suffered but small damage by recent floods. While here and there, in the flooded districts, a field was ruined, the damage was not serious enough to affect the general average condition for the state as a whole.

The area seeded to oats is but 87 per cent. in comparison with 1912 average. Last year an unusually large area was sown, owing to failure of wheat. Last spring practically one-half of the wheat area was abandoned and the greater part of this ground was put to oats. The present acreage is well up to an average. Seeding generally was late, due to wet weather.

In some sections corn plowing is in progress. Rain is needed for ⚫this work.

While fruit bloom of all kinds has been unusually abundant this spring, the general crop will probably not be as heavy as the bloom would indicate. A close examination of buds shows considerable injury. Cherries seem to have been hurt most, suffering principally from winter injury. The freeze of April 20 was fatal to some varieties of apple and a large percentage of peach buds in lower elevations of southern Ohio. Farm apple orchards, which show a heavy bloom the state over, will bring this crop above the preceding one. Notwithstanding the injury noted, present indications are for a larger fruit crop than that of 1912.

The report shows that Ohio farmers suffered a loss of $174,400 to live stock by recent high waters.

SOUTHEAST SECTION.