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tures and iinfavorable veather in most of the important dairy states. For January 

 through April milk production was Just slightly more than for the same months in 19U3. 



P Qialtry . Illinois commercial hatcheries indicate 11 percent fewer eggs set 

 and 12 peixTent fewer chicks hatched during April this year than in April 19U5, accord- 

 ing to VAq Crop Reporting Service, There was also a 69 percent reduction in the nunbe: 

 of chicles booked on May 1 compared to the same date a year ago. For the country as a 

 whole, /there were I8 percent fewer eggs hatched in April than a year ago, and chickens 

 hooked on May 1 were down more than 50 percent. There has been an extra strong demand 

 for sexed pullets. Thousands of sexed cockerels have been reported destroyed this 

 year, whereas last year very few were destroyed. 



Fruit and vegetable prospects . According to May 1 estimates of the Crop Re- 

 porting Service, prospects are generally good for tree fruits in Illinois this year. 

 That applies especially to apples, pears, cherries and plums. Total fruit production 

 this season is indicated to be larger than average and considerably larger than in 

 19i^5 . 



As of mid-May, conditions were very favorable for most truck crops. As the 

 temperature warmed up, asparagus grew so rapidly that it was difficult for the canners 

 to harvest and process it fast enough. Strawberry production prospects were reduced 

 by the frosts that occurred early in May. In some of the southern counties, more than 

 one-third of the crop was reported destroyed. The Emergency Farm Labor Office reports 

 that the short crops in southern Illinois brought ceiling prices. Temperatures have 

 been generally favorable for rapid growth of transplanted tomatoes. Considerable 

 watermelon acreage is reported planted in central Illinois. The Office of Price Ad- 

 ministration has annoimced price ceilings for watermelons this year at levels sub- 

 stantially below the extreme high prices received last year. In fact, they expect 

 to keep the prices of watermelons at near parity levels. This may discourage some 

 acreage not already planted. 



Soybean loan and purchase program . The base support price to all farmers 

 was announced sometime ago for soybeans at $2. Oil a bushel for green and yellow soy- 

 beans, grade Iftiited States No. 2 with moisture content of "^k percent delivered by 

 farmers to country elevators, processing plants or other normal delivery points. 

 During the past week additional details were announced as follows: A premium of one 

 cent a bushel will be paid for each one -half percent under lU percent moisture con- 

 tent down to and including 11 percent, A discount of one and one-half cents will be 

 made for each one-half percent in excess of l4 percent moisture content, up to and 

 including I8 percent. Thereafter, the discount will be two cents for each one-half 

 percent. There will also be a discount of one-half cent per bushel for each pound 

 under 5^ pounds test weight. There are also discounts for green damage in excess of 

 three percent total damage, for other types of damage and for foreign material and 

 dockage. The base support price for brown, black and mixed soybeans will be 20 cents 

 per bushel lower than for green and yellow soybeans. 



Farmers will either be able to sell their beans at the support price or ob- 

 tain loans from the Commodity Credit Corporation. If loans are secured, a storage 

 advance of seven cents a bushel will be made at the time the loan is made. Loans 

 will be available through January 3I, 19^5 > and will mature on demand but not later 

 than April 30, 19^5. 



