No. 5. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 257 



PAPERS READ AND ADDRESSES DELIVERED AT 

 THE THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING OF 

 THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE BOARD OE AGRI- 

 CULTURE, HELD AT HARRISBURG, PA., JANUARY 

 26, 27 AND 28, 1915. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CEREALS AND CEREAL CROPS 



By J. NEWTON GLOVER, Chairman. 



The premature reports of the enormous crops for 1914 failed to 

 materialize as fully as predicted by the authorities at Washingtou; 

 though crops yields are 9% larger than last year, but nearly 8% 

 under that of 1912. The continued wet weather in the spring de- 

 layed oats seedings, and it was followed by hot and dry weather 

 which made spring crops less than first reports promised, yet more 

 favorable weather later helped make a better yield by 2% than the 

 ten year average. Prices for grain started lower than in 1913, but 

 the war in Europe raised the price of wheat from 75 cents to ?1.30 

 in 5 months. 



WHEAT 



This crop was covered with snow a good part of the winter and 

 looked well in the spring, making a good growth of straw later and 

 filled well, giving an average yield for this State of 17 bushels, 

 while the yield for the United States was 16.7 bushels, against 14.4 

 bushels as the 10 year average, showing the seasons have been moi'e 

 favorable, or that farmers are producing more per acre. Black rust 

 did much damage in the spring wheat states, lowering the yields 

 there, and the Hessian fly was responsible for some damage in our 

 State. The average price for 1014 was 96.2 cents against 77 cents 

 for 1913 crop, and the estimated yield is 891,950,000' bushels in all. 

 On account of the increase in price due to the war, aibout one per 

 cent, more acres were needed than ever in this State, but the dry 

 weather in autumn and fear of damage by the Hessian fly, wheat 

 seeding was delayed and the soil not as well prepared for seeding as 

 usual. More acres of corn stalks were seeded to wheat than formerly, 

 since more silos were filled with corn which left ground ready for 

 disking and seeding to wheat on a seed bed favorable for a good 

 wheat crop. 



CORN 



"Corn is king of crops," and receives more attention than any 

 other crop, because of the many ways it can be used for food for 

 man and beast. The crop was 2,672,804,000 bushels for the country, 

 or an average of 25.8 bushels more per acre than last year, while 63.7 

 cents was the price on an average. Though our State stands 14th 

 17—5—1914 



