The Calico Rock Progress

SUMMARY OF CROP REPORT

ABOUT THE USUAL TEN YEAR AVERAGE OF ALL CROPS IS MAINTAINED

COTTON CROP INCREASED

Acreage Increase Amounts To About 400,000 Acres Over Last Year.

Condition Is 80 Per Cent.

Two features of the July Crop Report just issued by the Federal-State Crop Reporting Service, through Charles S. Bouton, Statistician, and Jim G. Ferguson, Commissioner of Agriculture, are worthy of special attention. The corn area is approximately only 200,000 acres less than last year, which means that the 435,000 gain in cotton acreage has not been made entirely at the expense of corn. Rice acreage has increased 22 per cent over last year, 157,000 acres. Generally speaking, small grains promise better than last year, and fruits much better. Corn, sweet potatoes and sorghum have been injured by dry weather. Hay and other crops are fairly close to the ten year average. Compared to last month there has been a slight decline in the average condition of most crops.

The decline in corn acreage was heavy in the Eastern third of the State. The real loss in the State is in early planted corn, which ordinarily produces much better than the late planted. The forecast based on planting of 2,542,000 acres and a condition of 77 per cent is for a yield of 18.8 bushels per acre and a production of nearly 48,000,000 bushels, slightly less than the five year average. Reports indicate a five per cent decrease in white potato acreage. Indicated acreage 32,000; yield 71 bushels; production 2,272,000 bushels.

There has been a decided decrease in sweet potatoes. This is caused by disappointment over prices received for the past two seasons. The indicated acreage is 51,000, and the condition of 84 forecasts a total production of 5,130,000 bushels.

Rice acreage seeded this year in Arkansas is 156,000 acres, of which sixty per cent is Blue Rose. This is a pro rata increase in the variety of eight per cent. The condition figure of 84 indicates a prospective yield of 42 bushels per acre, and a total production of 6,550,000 bushels.

Two and one-half per cent of last year's wheat crop is still in the hands of farmers. This, however, amounts to only 24,000 bushels.

Winter wheat condition is 84, which indicates a yield of eleven bushels per acre.

Oats harvest is finished. Reports indicate an average yield of 24 1/2 bushels per acre for the State. Fall seeded oats were especially good.

Rye condition 87 per cent. Indicated yield 10 3/4 bushels per acre.

Tobacco condition 80 per cent. Indicated yield 502 pounds per acre.

Arkansas has increased the acreage of cotton in cultivation by 435,000 acres, or 18 per cent over that planted in 1921, according to a report just issued by the U. S. Bureau of Agriculture Economics and the State Department of Agriculture co-operating. The area in cultivation on June 25, 1922 is estimated to be 2,853,000 acres,

while one year ago we had 2,415,000 acres (revised) in cultivation at this time.

The condition of the growing crop on June 25th was 80 per cent of a normal condition at this date, as compared with 76 on May 25,1922, 78 on June 25, 1921, and 77, the average condition for the past ten years on June 25th.

A condition of 80 per cent forecasts a lint yield per acre of 184 pounds, and a total production of 1,098,200 bales. The final outturn may be larger or smaller than this amount, according as conditions are favorable or less favorable throughout the growing season. Our production last year was 796,863 bales, in 1920 it was 1,215,558, and in 1919 it was 884,473.