╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Page.║
║=Crop Reports= 106║
║ Condition of cotton crop on July 25. Truck crop reports. ║
║ ║
║=Live Stock and Meats= 107║
║ Nearly all classes sold at lower levels. Fresh meat markets ║
║ were slow. ║
║ ║
║=Dairy and Poultry= 110║
║ Butter markets weakened under heavy supplies. Cheese prices ║
║ were lower. Monthly report on condensed and evaporated, and ║
║ powdered milk markets. ║
║ ║
║=Fruits and Vegetables= 112║
║ Shipments continued liberal. White potato prices slumped. ║
║ Most other lines steady to firm. ║
║ ║
║=Grain= 114║
║ Wheat prices continued downward trend. Cash corn fairly ║
║ steady. ║
║ ║
║=Hay and Feed= 115║
║ Hay demand was dull. Feed prices were easier for most kinds. ║
║ ║
║=Seeds= 116║
║ Reports on Kentucky bluegrass, orchard grass, and meadow ║
║ fescue seed crops. ║
║ ║
║=Cotton= 117║
║ Prices declined slightly. Weather reports a factor. ║
║ ║
║=Weather= 118║
║ Weather favored growth of most crops. ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
COTTON CROP CONDITION 70.8 PER CENT NORMAL
Loss Amounts to 0.4 Per Cent During Past Months—Total Output Estimated
at 11,449,000 Bales.
The condition of the cotton crop on July 25 was 70.8% of normal,
according to the estimate made by the U. S. Department of Agriculture on
Aug. 1. Compared with the condition of 71.2% on June 25, this shows a
decrease in condition of 0.4% for the month. The average condition of
the cotton crop on July 25 for the past 10 years stands at 73% of
normal.
A condition of 70.8% of normal on July 25 this year forecasts a yield
per acre of about 157.2 lbs. and a total production of about 11,449,000
bales of 500 lbs. gross weight each. The final outturn may be larger or
smaller than this amount, of course, depending upon whether or not the
conditions that develop during the remainder of the season prove more or
less favorable to the crop than such conditions ordinarily prove.
Condition of the Cotton Crop on July 25, with Comparisons.
[100 = normal.]
───────────────┬───────────────────────┬───────┬───────┬───────────────
State. │ │ June │ July │
│ │ 25, │ 25, │Change, June 25
│ July 25. │ 1922. │ 1922. │ to July 25.
───────────────┼───────┬───────┬───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┬───────
│10‒yr. │ │ │ │ │10 yr. │
│ av. │ 1920 │ 1921 │ │ │ av. │ 1922
───────────────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────
Virginia │ 81│ 74│ 82│ 85│ 80│ 0│ ‒5
North Carolina │ 77│ 77│ 75│ 76│ 78│ ‒1│ +2
South Carolina │ 73│ 77│ 62│ 60│ 60│ ‒2│ 0
Georgia │ 71│ 68│ 59│ 58│ 54│ ‒3│ ‒4
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
Florida │ 71│ 64│ 60│ 75│ 65│ ‒5│ ‒10
Alabama │ 69│ 67│ 58│ 68│ 70│ ‒5│ +2
Mississippi │ 72│ 71│ 68│ 76│ 74│ ‒4│ ‒2
Louisiana │ 70│ 71│ 59│ 69│ 70│ ‒7│ +1
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
Texas │ 72│ 74│ 62│ 72│ 72│ ‒6│ 0
Arkansas │ 76│ 78│ 76│ 80│ 81│ ‒3│ +1
Tennessee │ 78│ 76│ 75│ 83│ 85│ 0│ +2
Missouri │ 80│ 81│ 80│ 92│ 90│ 0│ ‒2
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
Oklahoma │ 77│ 85│ 68│ 76│ 75│ ‒2│ ‒1
California │ 95│ 85│ 83│ 91│ 95│ +2│ +4
Arizona │ [1]90│ 85│ 89│ 85│ 86│ [1]+1│ +1
New Mexico │ │ 85│ 88│ 85│ 85│ │ 0
───────────────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────
United States │ 73.0│ 74.1│ 64.7│ 71.2│ 70.8│ ‒3.9│ ‒0.4
───────────────┴───────┴───────┴───────┴───────┴───────┴───────┴───────
Last year the production was 7,953,641 bales, two years ago 13,439,603
bales, three years ago 11,420,763 bales, four years ago 12,040,532
bales, and five years ago 11,302,375 bales.
The 1922 acreage of Egyptian type cotton is estimated at 80,000 acres in
Arizona and less than 1,000 acres in California. In 1921 Arizona had
75,000 acres and California 9,000 acres, while in 1920 the estimate for
Arizona was 200,000 acres and for California 45,000 acres.
The department’s estimate of cotton acreage in cultivation on June 25,
which was made public on July 3, remains unchanged at 34,852,000 acres
because the acreage abandoned before that date was excluded. A great
decrease in cotton acreage followed the high acreage of 1920, which was
37,043,000 acres, because of the disastrous break in prices to growers
in that year.
The accompanying table gives detailed information on the condition of
the cotton crop on July 25, by States, together with comparisons.
Paradox in Forecast Yield of Crop per Acre as Indicated by Condition.
A crop may deteriorate in condition during a growing month and yet its
yield per acre as forecast by a computation based on the lowered
condition may increase. In the average of crop experiences during the
growing period a certain crop declines in condition during a certain
month by a certain percentage of a normal condition.
For instance, the cotton crop has a record of a deterioration of 3.9% of
a normal condition from June 25 to July 25 in the average of the last 10
years. As a matter of fact, however, during this period in 1922 the
deterioration in the condition of the cotton crop was only 0.4%. This is
clearly a relative improvement because it is less than the usual
deterioration of 3.9%. Hence the yield per acre in the forecast for July
25 must be greater than in the forecast made a month earlier,
notwithstanding the absolute decline in condition.
* * * * *
=Apple-tree tent caterpillars= are very numerous in New England and New
York this year. Farther south these pests are noticeably less numerous
than usual.
Report on Cabbage, Celery, and Onions in Michigan.
Reports from the field service of the U. S. Department of Agriculture
for the date of July 25 concerning commercial cabbage, celery, and
onions in Michigan contain the following information:
_Cabbage._—Five counties in southern Michigan have about 1,285 acres of
commercial cabbage compared with last year’s area of 590 acres, or an
increase of 118%. The counties and their cabbage areas are: Ingham 160
acres, Eaton 225 acres, Jackson 67 acres, Hillsdale 233 acres, and
Branch 600 acres. The principal increases over 1921 are in Hillsdale and
Branch Counties. The crop is generally in excellent condition.
In Hillsdale County, Jonesville has 200 acres, of which 130 acres are
under contract; Mosherville has 13 acres for kraut; and Litchfield has
20 acres. In Branch County, Quincy has approximately 250 acres of
commercial cabbage, of which 170 acres are under contract: and Coldwater
has about 350 acres, with 60% under contract. The kraut plant in
Coldwater will be in operation this year. Baroda, in Berrien County, has
60 acres of cabbage and Niles, in the same county, 40 acres for kraut.
In northern Michigan, Saginaw County has 1,400 acres of commercial
cabbage, 300 acres of which are under contract.
_Celery._—The combined area of commercial celery in Lenawee, Cass,
Allegan, and Kent counties is 1,005 acres, an increase of 450 acres over
1921. Lenawee County has 117 acres, Cass 118 acres, Allegan 170 acres,
and Kent 600 acres. The crop is in excellent condition.
_Onions._—Allegan County has about 603 acres of commercial onions, or
88% more than in 1921. The Gull Swamp section (Martin, Gull Plain,
Shelbyville, Hooper) has approximately 550 acres. Other acreages are:
Wayland 8 acres, Dorr 25 acres, Herps 20 acres. The condition of the
crop in Allegan County is above average. Kent County has an onion
acreage about the same as last year’s.
* * * * *
=Florida watermelons= were widely distributed this season. Some
shipments went as far as San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, B.
C., and other Canadian points.
[Illustration: CONDITION OF THE COTTON CROP, JULY 25, 1922]
INTERMEDIATE ONION CROP ESTIMATED AT 6,753 CARS
Early and Intermediate Crops Forecast at 13,605 Cars—Acreage Increased
in Late States.
The production of commercial onions in the seven intermediate shipping
States is forecast at 6,753 cars of 500 bus. each, compared with a
production in 1921 of 4,472 cars, according to estimates of the U. S.
Department of Agriculture for July 15. These intermediate States are:
New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Iowa, Texas, and Washington.
New Jersey leads the intermediate States with an indicated production of
1.613 cars, and following in order are Washington with 1,566 cars, Texas
with 1,092 cars, Iowa with 1,062 cars, Kentucky with 600 cars, Virginia,
with 560 cars, and Maryland with 260 cars.
The commercial onion crop in the intermediate and early States combined
is forecast at 13,605 cars, each car of the early crop containing 530
bus. and of the intermediate crop 500 bus. In 1921 the harvest of early
and intermediate onions totaled 10,287 cars.
About 38,000 acres have been planted to late commercial onions, compared
with about 35,000 acres in 1921, according to the department’s
estimates. The condition of the late commercial onion crop was 83% of
normal on July 15. This condition is about average.
The accompanying tables give detailed information, by States, on the
early and intermediate crops and the late crop.
Acreage and Forecast of Production of Commercial Onions in Intermediate and
Early States.
──────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────────
State. │ Acreage. │ Yield per acre. │ Production.
──────────────┼──────────┬────────┼────────┬──────────┼──────────┬──────────
│Harvested,│Planted,│Average,│Indicated,│Harvested,│Forecast,
│ 1921 │ 1922 │ 1921 │ 1922 │ 1921 │ 1922
──────────────┼──────────┼────────┼────────┼──────────┼──────────┼──────────
│ _Acres._ │_Acres._│ _Bu._ │ _Bu._ │_Cars._[2]│_Cars._[2]
Iowa │ 1,200│ 1,600│ 202│ 332│ 485│ 1,082
Ky. │ 1,000│ 1,000│ 324│ 300│ 648│ 600
Md. │ 500│ 500│ 250│ 260│ 250│ 260
N.J. │ 2,400│ 2,400│ 239│ 336│ 1,147│ 1,613
Tex. │ 1,000│ 1,500│ 275│ 304│ 550│ 1,092
Va. │ 800│ 1,000│ 280│ 280│ 448│ 560
Wash. │ 1,300│ 1,500│ 363│ 522│ 944│ 1,566
──────────────┼──────────┼────────┼────────┼──────────┼──────────┼──────────
Total │ │ │ │ │ │
intermediate│ │ │ │ │ │
States │ 8,200│ 9,500│ 273│ 355│ 4,472│ 6,733
Early States │ │ │ │ │ │
previously │ │ │ │ │ │
reported[3] │ 13,500│ 16,000│ 228│ 227│ 5,815│ 6,852
──────────────┼──────────┼────────┼────────┼──────────┼──────────┼──────────
Total, │ │ │ │ │ │
intermediate│ │ │ │ │ │
and early │ │ │ │ │ │
States │ 21,700│ 25,500│ 245│ 275│ 10,287│ 13,605
──────────────┴──────────┴────────┴────────┴──────────┴──────────┴──────────
Acreage and Condition of Commercial Onions in Late States.
───────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────
State. │ Acreage. │ Condition (100=normal).
───────────┼──────────┬────────┼───────┬───────┬───────┬───────┬───────
│ │ │July 1,│ │ │ │ July
│Harvested,│Planted,│ 7‒yr. │July 1,│June 1,│July 1,│ 15,
│ 1921. │ 1922. │ av. │ 1921. │ 1922. │ 1922. │ 1922.
───────────┼──────────┼────────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────
│ _Acres._│_Acres._│_P.ct._│_P.ct._│_P.ct._│_P.ct._│_P.ct._
Calif., │ │ │ │ │ │ │
central │ │ │ │ │ │ │
dist. │ 7,800│ 6,500│ 90│ 89│ 100│ 90│ 95
Colo. │ 800│ 1,500│ 80│ 91│ 90│ 88│ 91
Idaho. │ 100│ 300│ 89│ 94│ 88│ 94│ 98
Ill. │ 1,100│ 1,300│ 89│ 79│ 75│ 82│ 79
Ind. │ 3,698│ 1,600│ 78│ 73│ 77│ 73│ 83
Mass. │ 4,500│ 4,600│ 83│ 73│ 78│ 79│ 75
Mich. │ 1,300│ 1,700│ 79│ 65│ 86│ 89│ 88
Minn. │ 1,300│ 1,300│ 88│ 89│ 85│ 95│ 90
N. Y. │ 7,300│ 8,300│ 75│ 78│ 86│ 74│ 68
Ohio │ 5,100│ 5,800│ 79│ 73│ 98│ 88│ 88
Oreg. │ 900│ 900│ 78│ 80│ 100│ 73│ 79
Pa. │ 300│ 400│ 81│ 93│ 100│ 95│ 95
Utah │ 100│ 100│ 93│ 94│ 96│ 91│ 90
Wis. │ 1,000│ 1,000│ 81│ 82│ 96│ 90│ 86
───────────┼──────────┼────────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────┼───────
Total │ 35,200│ 38,300│ 82│ 80│ 89│ 82│ 83
───────────┴──────────┴────────┴───────┴───────┴───────┴───────┴───────
_Live Stock ^{and} Meats_
NEARLY ALL CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK SELL AT LOWER LEVELS
Price Ranges on Beef Steers Widen—Heavy Hogs Break Sharply—Sheep Prices
Irregular.
Practically all classes of live stock sold lower during the week ending
July 29. In beef steer trade the general decline was assisted materially
by the heaviest run of native, western, and Canadian grassers of the
season. Downturns of mostly 25¢ at Chicago and of 50¢-$l at some
Missouri River markets were apparent on the more common descriptions. As
supplies of western grassers increased, the supply of long-fed bullocks
decreased and as the latter were sought by all interests, the widest
price range of the season on beef steers was created at all markets.
Hog prices fluctuated sharply, closing Chicago values being 25¢‒50¢
lower on mixed grades and heavy packers, and 40¢‒55¢ on good butcher
hogs compared with the close of the previous week. Much of the supply at
Omaha and a good percentage of the run at Chicago and some other markets
consisted of heavy sows and mixed packing grades, and these pulled the
general average down to the lowest levels since early in February.