No. 6. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE, 9 



HAY AND OTHER FORAGE CROPS 



Hay and other forage crops are, as usual, this vear again the 

 most valuable farm crops of the State. With an acreage, according 

 to the Crop Reporter, of 3,148,000 acres, which is about (54,000 acres 

 less than that of 1910, and with a decrease in yield <m account of 

 the dry weather during the growing season, the crop which amounts 

 to 3,148,000 tons, or a ton per acre, is worth 102,960,000, or only 

 $3,535,000 less than the crop of 1910 which was 1,285,000 tons larger 

 than the crop of 1911. 



The census of 1910 gives an acreage of all forage crops for the 

 year 1909 of 3.088,105. with a yield of 3,077,307 tons valued at |35,- 

 023,573.00. It must be remembered here that the yield of hay in 

 1909 was less than that of any year from 1899 to 1909, so that the 

 census report gives less than a normal crop for the State. 



POTATOES 



According to the Crop Reporter, 270,000 acres were planted with 

 potatoes in 1911, yielding 15.120.000 bushels, valued at |14.062.000, 

 or .1?1,478,000.00 more than the 24,200,000 bushel crop of 1910. This 

 increase in value was due to the decrease in yield on account of the 

 dry season of 1911. The census report of 1910 gives an acreage for 

 1909 of 202,013 acres and a vield of 21,740.011 bushels, valued at 

 $14,131,000.00, or only |G9,000.00 more than the crop of 1911. 



The crop of 1911 of 15,120.000 bushels would furnish for the 

 7,665,111 people of the State 1.97 bushels per individual, about one- 

 lialf the amount consumed, which does not 'take into consideration 

 the seed potatoes needed for planting the crop of 1912 which will 

 approximately mean 2,000,000 bushels more. From this it is evident 

 that the State will expend from |8,000,000.00 to |10,000,000.00 for 

 potatoes during the years 1911 and 1912. 



This Department has issued a bulletin on potato raising, giving 

 definite instruction for seed selection, cutting, planting, cultivating 

 and spraying potatoes, which has been tried by many farmers of 

 the State and found to be correct in methods recommended, which 

 is available for all who desire copies as long as the issue lasts. 



TOBACCO 



The tobacco croyj for 1911 amounted to 65,320,000 pounds from 

 46.000 acres, or at the rate of 1,420 pounds per acre, worth .fG.205,- 

 400.00, or at the rate of |135.00 per acre ; the most valuable, per acre 

 crop, in the State. The census for 1910 gives an acreage for 1909 

 of 41,742, with a yield of ^6. 164.800 pounds, or an average yield of 

 1,106 pounds per acre as against 1,420 pounds per acre in 1911. 



ANIMAL, DAIRY AND FRUIT EXHlRiTS AT THE MIDWINTER 

 FAIR HELD AT DUQUESNE GARDEN, PITTSBURG, PA. 



The corn exhibits at this midwinter exposition have already been 

 referred to and commented on, and for this reason it would only 

 be right to commend the fruit and dairy displays, but a more gratify- 

 ing reason both to this Department and the State is the magnificence 



