REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



Washington, D. C, Noveviber 15^ 1920. 



Sir: The farmers of America have again justified the faith of the 

 Nation in their ability to meet its requirements of food, feed, and 

 raw materials for clothing. They have produced this year, in 

 the face of enormous difficulties, the largest harvest in the history 

 of American agriculture, with a single exception. The combined 

 yield of the 10 principal crops is 13 per cent above the average for 

 the five years preceding the outbreak of the World War. 



The corn crop of 3,199,000,000 bushels is unprecedented, repre- 

 senting more than four-fifths of the world's production. The sweet 

 potato crop of 106,000,000 bushels is the largest ever produced and 

 far in excess of that of any other year except 1919. The rice crop 

 of 52,000,000 bushels is one-fourth greater than the largest crop 

 ever before harvested. The tobacco crop of 1,476,000,000 pounds con- 

 siderably exceeds any previous yield. The sugar-beet crop is more 

 than one-third larger than the largest ever before recorded. The 

 grain sorghum crop of 149,000,000 bushels is 18 per cent above 

 that of 1919, which was itself a record crop. The potato crop of 

 421,000,000 bushels has been exceeded only once, and then by a A'^ery 

 narrow margin. The oat crop of 1,444,000,000 bushels has been 

 exceeded only three times, and the tame hay crop of 88,000,000 

 tons only twice. The apple crop of 236,000,000 bushels has been 

 exceeded only once, in 1914. The yields of wheat, barley, buck- 

 wheat, peaches, peanuts, edible dried beans, flaxseed, and cotton 

 are slightly below the average, but they, nevertheless, represent an 

 enormous volume in the aggregate. The number of all classes of 

 live stock on farms, although less than the number in 1919, exceeds 

 by 18,214,000 the average for the five years preceding the outbreak 

 of the Eurojoean war. 



RIANY OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED. 



These remarkable results were achieved under conditions which 

 were decidedly disheartening at planting time. The farmers were 

 confronted with an unusual number of obstacles, and many of them 

 were formidable. The spring was late and cold and wet, threatening 

 to restrict the crop acreage and making it uncertain whether seed 

 would rot in the ground or whether those which germinated would 



