Principal Crop Acreage Shows Decrease for ’57 Virginia farmers’ planting inten tions for spring crops, as reported to the Cooperative Crop Reporting Service as of March 1. indicate that about three per cent fewer acres will be planted to principal crops than in 1956. Acreages for all crops are lower except for total hays, potatoes, bur ley tobacco and sweet potatoes. The greatest reduction in acreage as a percentage of last year is ex pected for flue-cured tobacco. This is mostly a result of a 20 per cent cut in acreage allotments for this type. Fire-cured and sun-cured will also be lower, but a slight increase is indicated for burley tobacco. "Soil Banking” of some tobacco acreage places the expected acreage under what would be indicated by allotment changes. The long-t i m e downward trend in corn acreage continues. Smaller acreages of oats and barley are indicated. Surprisingly, plantings of soy beans are expected to be eight per cent lower than the record large acreage of last year. This would be second to 1956, however.

78.1%