The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-16 00:00:00

AGRICULTURE IN AMERICA.

The Agricultural Department at Washington has just
issued a report embracing a summary of intelligence in
relation to the growing crops from its agents and observers
in all parts of the country. The Times' Philadelphia
correspondent gives .a compendium of this report. It is
dated June 71, and states with reference to the wheat
crop that in 1869 the increase of acreage of wheat over
1868 was estimated at more than a million acres, making
the aggregate 19,098,000 acres. In 1870 the natural
tendency of low prices has been apparent in a reduced
acreage, though not to the extent threatened. The reduc-
tion of 1870, compared with 1869, is estimated at
900,000 acres, or about 5 per cent. The reduc-
tion is greatest in Illinois, 15 per cent. in winter
wheat and 18 per cent. in spring wheat ; in Indiana,
6 per cent. in winter and 20 per cent. in spring; Ohio, 4
per cent in winter and 7 per cent. in spring ; Wisconsin
and lowa, 8 per cent. reduction, chiefly in spring wheat ;
and Missouri 7 per cent. In Minnesota, on the other
hand, 2 per cent. increase of acreage is claimed; Kansas,
16 per cent increase, and California, 5 per cent. There is
also a gain in West Virginia and Kentucky. The South
generally falls off, some of the cotton States to the extent
of 20 per cent, although North Carolina claims a slight
increase. New England has fallen off 2 per cent, and.
New York 4 per cent. The season has been mode-
rately propitious. There have been few showers and
much sunshine, pushing the crop into early maturity,
but promising a yield not equal to the 13 or 14
bushels per acre average of 1869, and scarcely
equal to 1868. The average is estimated at
11 bushels per acre. In many places, however, the pro-
pect was never better. Some localities complain of too
little rain ; others of too much. In May the rainfall was
quite small in New England, New York, the West, and
the cotton States ; but, on the contrary, in the Atlantic
States, south of New York, the rains have been excessive.
In New York much of the winter grain is not in average
condition. In New Jersey the crop is fine; in Penn-
sylvania it is excellent ; Maryland promises well ; and
Virginia and North Carolina promises a good average
crop. In the South the crop is generally good, though
light in some places in consequence of drought. In
the Red River region of Texas the weather has been
cool, so that the crop is late, but unusually fine.
In Illinois a reduction is feared of about 15 per
cent. in the yield. The West generally reports
more discouragement from feeble growth, drought,
hail, rain, and rust than for two years past, and the
general result shown is that there will be a much smaller
aggregate production than that of 1869, and very likely
a smaller yield than in 1868. There has everywhere been
an increase of oats acreage. The acreage of cotton is also
materially increased in every cotton State, and the report
says the cotton growers seem determined this year to
reduce the price to 15c., with every prospect of doing so.
Of Indian corn the acreage is decreased. In North Caro-
lina the growing cotton crop is in good condition ; in
South Carolina cotton is looking well, excepting that some
complaints of bad stands is made. In Georgia it is later
and smaller than usual, from the effects of a five weeks'
drought, which terminated on the 25th of May, but it is
growing vigorously now. In Florida and Alabama the
dry term was of shorter duration, and cotton is generally
in good condition. Mississippi sends still more favour-
able reports. In Tencas parish, Louisiana, where the
greatest cotton yield of 1869 was made, the condition of
the crop. is 20 per cent. better than last year, and the
acreage increased one-fifth. Texas reports a backward
spring, with cotton late, but thrifty and promising, and
no State makes more favourable returns than Arkansas.
in this connection it may be mentioned that the first
cotton bloom of the season opened on the 9th of June at
Point Coupee, Louisiana. It is said that the crop may
be dated from the bloom 40 days, and, if so, the crop may
be expected in market by the Ist of August. On the 15th
of June stacks of cotton in bloom were brought from the
neighbourhood of Mobile.

THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT ROCHDALE.—The
Rev. G. H. Wells, Mr. N. Little, Mr. John Bartram,
Mr. Nathaniel Elliott, and Mr. Patchet, the gentlemen
who were injured in the railway accident on Wednesday,
at Rochdale, are going on favourably ; but are still con-
fined to their bedrooms in Rochdale.

CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE THAMES.—The entries
for the Wingfield Sculls closed on Thursday night at
Messrs. Searle s, the following being the challengers :
Mr. A. C. Yarborough, Oxford University ; Mr. W. Chil-
lingworth, Twickenham ; Mr. J. Ross, Greenock Boat
Club. The above will row on Monday next, at six o'clock,
from Putney to Mortlake, and the winner will have to
contend on the following Wednesday, at seven, against
the present holder of the Sculls, Mr. A. Long, of the
London Rowing Club.

THE FATAL MARCH.—KINGSTON MEMORIAL.—
The memorial of the inhabitants of Kingston-upon-
Thames to the Government, praying that a thorough and
searching investigation may be instituted relative to the
fatal march of the 9th Regiment through Kingston to Al-
dershot, has been duly prepared and duly signed by the
Mayor, on behalf of the inhabitants, and the matter
referred to the county members (Messrs. Brodrick and
Peek) to arrange an appointment for the deputation
elected at the late public meeting, to attend with the me-
morial.

WOMAN IN VER➢SONT.-11l the Vermont Consti-
tutional Convention the Woman Suffrage Amendment
received only one vote. The gallant champion who cast it
was Mr. Harvey Howes, Delegate from West Haven. We
fear that West Haven has been exposed to unmerited
obloquy in consequence of the heroism of her represen-
tative ; for Mr. Howes, with characteristic courage,
writes us that the deed was all his own, that
he did it " deliberately and understandingly, although
solitary and alone," and that nobody put him up to it.
"If any scandal," he continues, "is likely to rest upon
my constituents in consequence of my acts in the Conven-
tion, I freely assume the whole responsibility ; and I have
strong hopes and some evidence that induces me to believe
that I shall be able to meet it." This is noble on the part
of Mr. Howes, but we are inexpressibly shocked to learn
that the Woman Cause in Vermont is so desperately
down. —Tribune.