Grains At 791.000 acres, the corn acreage for 1957 will be four per cent under last year, thus continuing the long time downward trend for this crop. This would be 20 per cent less than the ten-year (1946-55• average and historically would be only 39 per cent of the State's, record large acreage of 1917. Higher yields and sharply reduced workstock numbers have combined to lower the acreage needs for this crop. The acreage of oats, at 234,000 ac.es. will be five per cent less than last year but will be 21 per cent greaetr than the ten-year aveiage. Barley acreage, which had been steadily increasing since 1952 until last year, again shows a decline in acreage. Sorgnums. used mostly for silage, forage and grain, will be planted on 18*4)00 acres, a decline of 10 per cent from 1956. Tobacco Prospective acreage of tobacco for 1957 reflects changes in acreage al lotments and participation in the Soil Bank Reserve. Flue-cured grower^ report inten tions of planting 66,000 \aeres, a drop of 24 per cent from last year and 35 per cent below the' teiivyear aver age. Thus will be the smallest acre age for Virginia since records were begun in 1919. Flue-cured allotments are 20 per cent smaller than last year and growers placed about 4.000 acres in the Soil Bank. Prospective acreage of fire-cured tobacco is placed at 7.100 acres, a reduction of 17 per cent from last year. Allotments were reduced 10 per cent from 1956, about 15 per cent of the allotment, went into the Soil Bank. Sun-cured growers put 41 per cent of their 1957 allotment in the Soil Bank and intend to plant only 2,900 acres. This would be nine per cent below last year and 18 per cent under the ten-year average.

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