• 490 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



per cent. In the dairy districts corn is used mainly for silage while in the 

 grain districts it is husked from the stalk and stored for feeding purposes. 

 A greater part of the corn is grown on heavy land, the average yield thereon 

 being 40 to 55 (72 lbs. ear corn) bushels per acre. On sandy land the yield 

 is rather light being about 25 bushels per acre. There is a tendency to sub- 

 stitute rye and barley for corn as sources of grain for livestock. 



Oats are quite extensively grown on both hght and heavy land. Approxi- 

 mately 14 per cent of the improved land is seeded to this crop. In more 

 recent years the oat crop is being replaced to an appreciable extent by wheat. 

 The heavy land yields as an average about 50 bushels per acre while the sandy 

 lands yield only about half this amount. Only a small per cent of the oats 

 raised are fed on the farm. 



The Wheat acreage is gradually increasing throughout the area. Fall 

 sown wheat has not been winter killed to any great extent, for a number of 

 years; this together with the high price accounts for the increased acreage. 

 Practically all of this crop is grown on heavy land, the average yield being 

 about 25 bushels per acre. 



Barley has recently become an important crop and its acreage is gradually 

 increasing. Its production is confined to the heavier soils, the average yield 

 being about 40 bushels per acre. Most of this crop is grown for feeding 

 purposes taldng the place of corn when the supply of the latter is limited. 



On sandy land, which is becoming depleted of its fertility, rye is one of 

 the main crops. Most of the rye produced is marketed. The yields ob- 

 tained are quite variable depending upon the fertihty of the land. Potatoes 

 is another important sandy land crop. The yield averages approximately 

 100 bushels per acre. 



The Hay Crop consists mainly of a mixture of timothy and clover and 

 occupies quite a large acreage throughout this area. The need of growing 

 clover in order to maintain the fertility of the soil is generally recognized 

 and for this reason the acreage of clear timothy is rapidly decreasing. While 

 most of the hay crop is fed some is put on the market and shipped to 

 eastern points. 



Other Crops of minor importance which thrive when properly managed 

 are buckwheat on poor sandy land, sugar beets on heavy land near beet 

 factories or where they can be easily shipped, and alfalfa which is just begin- 

 ning to be grown extensively in the area. 



Truck Gardening occupies a very prominent position in the agriculture of 

 this area. Along the lake front and in much of Wayne county truck farming 

 predominates. Good transportation facilities in these districts make it 

 quite easy to reach such excellent markets as Detroit, Toledo and Monroe. 

 Most of the produce marketed is consumed in these cities yet some is shipped 

 by rail and water to eastern markets such as Cleveland and Buffalo. 



Fruit. Very little tree or bush fruits are grown other than for the farmers' 

 individual needs. 



Live Stock. The fattening of live stock is an important industry in most 

 of the grain growing sections. The two principal classes of stock fed are 

 hogs and beef cattle. In some sections lambs are fed with profit but as yet 

 the number fattened is relatively small. Practically all of the hogs fitted 

 for market are raised in this area but the reverse is true of the beef cattle 

 and sheep. A large per cent of the live stock is put on the markets in Detroit, 

 Toledo, Cleveland and Buffalo by the farmers who have fattened them. 



The horses of this area are above the average of the State in quality. The 



