2 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE CROPS OF THE YE^AR. 



The wheat crop for 1923 is estimated at 782,000,000 bushels, com- 

 pared with 815,000,000 bushels in 1921 and 862,000,000 bushels in 

 1922. The quality of wheat this year is somewhat below the aver- 

 age, owing to weather conditions and the ravages of plant diseases. 



The corn crop is estimated at 3,029,000,000 bushels, as compared 

 with 3,069,000,000 bushels in 1921 and 2,891,000,000 in 1922. The 

 quality of corn in some regions has been materially injured by early 

 frosts. 



The cotton crop gives promise of being a half million bales greater 

 than that of last year, the October 25 estimate being 10,248,000 bales, 

 compared with 7,954,000 bales in 1921 and 9,672,000 bales in 1922. 

 The cotton acreage was larger this year than last, and the cotton 

 production would have been appreciably above the October estimate 

 had it not been for unfavorable weather and heavy rains, excep- 

 tional damage to grown bolls by the weevil, and the heaviest aban- 

 donment on record. 



An estimate based upon the first nine months of the present year 

 indicates a slight increase in the number of cattle and calves slaugh- 

 tered, and that a total of perhaps 78,000,000 hogs will be slaughtered 

 in 1923, compared with 62,000,000 in 1921 and 67,000,000 in 1922. 



In some lines of production prices have been fairlj^ satisfactory, 

 while in other lines low prices have added to the accumulating 

 financial difficulties of the farmers. 



The farm price of wool is more than twice the pre-war level. The 

 farm price of wool in August, 1921, was but 15.4 cents per pound and 

 in September, 1923, was 37.1 cents. The reduction in the number 

 of sheep, the diminution of stocks of wool and woolen goods during 

 the post-war adjustment, and last, but not the least, the resumption 

 of a protective tariff have stimulated prices of wool. 



Cotton prices continue at a relatively high level. The farm price 

 is now two and a quarter times the pre-war level. The huge surplus 

 of cotton which was carried over at the end of the crop year, July 

 31, 1921, has been reduced to a point verging upon an actual short- 

 age and the quantity carried into the new season was the smallest 

 in a number of years. The world consumption of American cotton 

 during the year (1922-23) was over 12,500,000 bales and American 

 production was less than 10,000,000 bales. The present status of 



