EEPUitT OF THE SECRETARY. 17 



and late fall pasturage and the existence of a great deal of roughage 

 to take the place of hay. The value of the crop is placed at a little 

 less than $700,000,000. and this is $50,000,000 more than the assumed 

 value of the cotton lint produced this year, and $100,000,000 more 

 than the value of the wheat crop. These comparisons emphasize the 

 importance of the hay crop, an importance that is not generally 

 recognized off the farm, 



WHEAT, 



Fourth in order of value is the wheat crop, worth about $600,000,000, 

 or a trifle below the five-year average and also below the value of the 

 wheat crop of three other years. The farm price of wheat per bushel 

 is a little above "what it was last year, but is considerably below the 

 price of 1900. 



In produc.tion, the Avheat crop of this year is 5| per cent below the 

 five-year average, and has been exceeded bv that of everv vear since 

 1897, except in five j-ears. The estimate of the department places the 

 production at 650,000,000 bushels, an amount that would have been 

 much exceeded had the weather conditions been favorable. 



This countr}' produced one-fifth of the world's wheat crop during 

 the last five years, and contributed about one-eighth of the world's 

 exports. 



OATS. 



The oats crop is invariably fifth in order of value, and this year 

 is worth about $380,000,000, or 5 per cent more than the five-j'ear 

 average. This amount has been perceptibly exceeded in only one 

 year. The farm jDrice is about 10 cents a bushel higher than it was 

 last year, on account of the deficient production. 



The yield of this crop is estimated to be 874,000,000 bushels, a low 

 amount caused by adverse weather. This was exceeded b}' the crop 

 of every year since 1901, except three years. The oats crop of 1909 

 and of 1910 was more than a billion bushels. About one-fourth of 

 the world's oats are grown in this country. 



POTATOES. 



The early prospect of an almost complete failure of the potato 

 crop was not fully realized and the crop was ascertained to be 

 282,000,000 bushels, a production that was exceeded in seven years, 

 and was 12 per cent below the five-year average. 



Although the crop was about 90 per cent of the average production, 

 the farm price increased 20 cents a bushel, or to about 75 cents, with 

 the result that the total value of the crop is the highest of record, 

 and amounts to $213,000,000. or 14 per cent above the five-year 



average. 



2310);-,°— AGRlfUl- 



