458 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



MISSOURI CROP REVIEW FOR 19 lo. 



(By W. L. NELSON, Assistant Secretary.) 



The total value of Missouri farm crops for the year 1910, estimated 

 at local prices prevailing December 1, is $199,546,661. This is more 

 than a dozen times as much as was paid, a little more than a century ago, 

 for all that vast territory included in what is known as the Louisiana 

 Purchase, and of which the present State of Missouri is a part. The 

 crops that go to make up two hundred million dollars' value, to put it in 

 round numbers, are corn, wheat, oats, tame hay and forage, prairie hay, 

 flax, rye, buckwheat, barley, broom corn, cotton, potatoes, tobacco, sor- 

 ghum seed, sorghum syrup, clover seed, timothy seed, kaffir corn, millet, 

 cowpeas, castor beans, and other minor crops, including vegetables. 

 Live stock, poultry and orchard products are not represented. 



Corn. — Missouri's total yield of com for the present year is placed 

 at 252,472,100 bushels, the average yield for the entire State being 32.4 

 bushels per acre, or five bushels — or to put it in Missouri measure, one 

 barrel — more than last year. This year's yield is also considerably 

 above the 10-year average of 28.8 bushels per acre. Missouri has had a 

 few somewhat more favorable seasons for corn growing, the spring be- 

 ing cold and wet, making it necessary to plant much com a second time, 

 but what was lacking in favorable conditions was more than made up by 

 careful seed selection and better cultivation — a result, in large measure, 

 of Missouri's corn campaign conducted by the State Board of Agricul- 

 ture and Agricultural College. The very favorable weather for the 

 month of March enabled farmers to make fine progress with their work, 

 it being estimated that 31 per cent, of the corn ground had been planted 

 by April 1. Early April weather was also fine and the soil was in ex- 

 cellent condition, 94 for the State, so that correspondents reported 

 46.7 per cent, of the com planted by May 1. This was twice as much 

 corn as had been planted by May 1, 1909, but the seeming advantage 

 gained was not realized. Too much rain and cool weather during the 

 month of May delayed the completion of corn planting and prevented a 

 good stand from the earlier planting. On June 1, when the condition 

 of corn was reported as 67.2, the estimated per centage of the corn plant- 

 ed throughout the State was only 80.5, as compared with 91.2 one year 

 before. Of the part planted previous to June 1, it was estimated that 

 28 per cent, had been or would have to be planted over. Complaints of 

 poor stands were general and a number of correspondents reported corn 

 to be planted over a second time. By July 1 the condition of corn had 

 advanced to 75.9, but was still below the ten-year average of 82.5. At 

 this time some corn had been laid by, and much was being given the 



