258 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



in production of corn, yet the average yield is 39 bushels of shelled 

 corn, which is higher than that of most of the great corn states. 

 There was much soft corn in some sections of the State on heavy 

 clay soils which had not been plowed in fall or early spring before 

 the dry spell began where there was not enough moisture to germ- 

 inate seed, and it did not grow till rains came in June. Greater care 

 is being taken in selecting and testing seed corn to get an even stand, 

 as advocated by the agricultural press and institute instructors. 

 There are about 17,000 silos in this State, of which 17% were built 

 last year, and farmers realize that this is one of the best ways to 

 care for this crop for either beef or milk production or for a suc- 

 culent feed for brood sows and chickens. 



OATS 



The oats crop of this country was 1,141,060,000, making an aver- 

 age of 29.7 bushels per acre or nearly the same as 1913, while the 

 price was four cents more per bushel. While this crop is not always 

 a profitable one in all section of the State, as so much depends upon 

 the weather when it is filling, yet it fits into a four-year rotation 

 nicely, and the crop can be removed in good time to prepare a good 

 seed bed for wheat, or in some sections, grass follows it well where 

 wheat is not grown largely. 



RYE 



This State ranks 4th in production of rye, with an average yield 

 of 17 bushels per acre, and it is sold at an average price of 75 cents. 

 The fact that it yields more straw and grain on thin soils than 

 wheat and can be seeded later tlian wheat, is one reason why so many 

 acres are grown and it makes a good cover crop in corn stalks which 

 otherwise would lie bare. In the production of buckwheat, Pennsyl- 

 vania ranks first, with an average yield of 18 bushels per acre, or a 

 crop of 5,180,000 bushels. The yield of our Stale was 3 bushels lower 

 than the average of the United States, due to the hot, dry weatber 

 when filling. 



HAY 



More acres are devoted to grass than any other crop in Pennsyl- 

 vania which gives us second place in production of hay, or 4,146,000 

 tons. While the hay crop was not nearly so good as the 1913 crop, 

 on account of dry weather during the growing season, yet the yield 

 for the country was better by nearly one-tenth of a ton per acre and 

 the price |1.30 a ton less. On account of the continued dry weather 

 during summer and autumn, pastures were short, and stock had to 

 be fed dry feed earlier than usual. Very little clover seed was 

 made, as the second growth of clover was short and not well filled. 

 The hay crop having been cut short by dry weather, very little tim- 

 othy was left for seed as compared with the previous year, though 

 much seed was held over on account of lower prices for the 1913 

 crop. 



POTATOES 



In the production of this crop our State stands sixth, with an 

 average yield of only 88 bushels per acre, and they sold for nearly 

 80 cents per bushel, while the average price for the country was 



