PROCEEDINGS STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION 123 



considerably delayed by rains, especially in the southwest district, but by 

 September 1, 94 per cent of the thrashing had been completed, which is 

 17 per cent more than normal and the greatest of record. Shocked grain 

 was considerably damaged by wind and rain storms. Much of it sprouted. 

 These wind and rain storms tangled and prostrated much of the corn in 

 the south and east portions of the State. 



This made fodder cutting and silo filling difficult and in some cases im- 

 possible. More wind and heavy rain in September added to the difficulty 

 of husking later. During the third week in September the warm, humid, 

 cloudy weather caused much down corn to sprout, mold and rot. The 

 warm season matured the corn early. Excellent samples of mature corn 

 were gathered as early as August 23. There were no frosts of importance 

 till the first week in October. Only about two per cent of the corn was 

 immature at that time. 



Generous and timely rains in August and September made soil condi- 

 tions generally excellent for fall plowing and preparation for winter wheat 

 seeding and a considerable increase in acreage has been reported. 



October and November were mostly favorable for com husking and other 

 fall work. Corn dried out well. Reports from elevators having moisture 

 testers showed that corn averaged to contain 16 per cent of moisture during 

 the last week in October and the same in the last week in November. By 

 November 1, 50 per cent of the corn was husked and by December 1, 90 

 per cent. Nearly 8 per cent of the crop was "hogged down." 



Winter wheat is entering the winter in excellent condition. On Decem- 

 ber 1, 92 per cent of the acreage seeded had made good growth and become 

 well established; 7 per cent had germinated but made little showing; and 

 only one per cent had not germinated. 



As a whole the crop season was favorable for corn and hot weather crops 

 and unfavorable for spring grain, potatoes and other cool weather crops. 

 Prices have been discouraging, resembling those of twenty or more years 

 ago. The gross return per acre of corn, based on December 1 price is 

 only $12.90, while oats is less than half that. Three large corn crops in 

 succession have greatly overdone corn production, especially in view of 

 the decreased live stock production. On two other occasions, 1898-1900 and 

 1904-1906, three big yields per acre of corn have occurred in succession 

 and in each case a low yield followed. It may follow this time and might 

 be a blessing in disguise. The total value of Iowa crops in 1921, based on 

 December 1 prices, is $305,459,429, which is more than a quarter billion 

 less than in 1920 and less than one-third of 1919. 



FINAL CROP REPORT OF THE STATE, 1921. 



The following estimates of acreage, yield and value of the crops of the 

 State, derived from the reports of hundreds of correspondents well dis- 

 tributed in each county, are the result of the joint effort of the U. S. Bureau 

 of Markets and Crop Estimates, of which Mr. Frank S. Pinney is Agricul- 

 tural Statistician, and the Iowa Weather and Crop Service, The table 

 showing the total value of crops does not include or take into account live 

 stock products. 



