Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-04-15

| Iy-and tnlS Is low average. Ohio has
lO,836,000 of acres of land actually cult
waited by the pillow 5,225, 5,O09; in grass A.
81, 600; in orchards, gardens, and yard.
100000; woods, attached to farms s,54O,
900; wild lands 5,776,96O. The number
Of land owners is 277,O0O. The smallest
farms are in grain growing counties of den
sest population. Each human being con-
sumes the products ofless than an acre and
quarter of arabic land, therefore, if the
whole State were reduced to cultivation, we
could feed as many animals as we do now,
leave sufficient woodland, and maintain ten
millions of people in food as easily as we
now do our present population. The Re-
port says: =
ain Great Britain, two-thirds of the cul-
tivated land is arabic, or plowed land, and
nearly all residue in meadows and pastur-
age. In France, one-half is arabic, one
seventh woodland, and six millions of acres
in vines; in the same country, two acres of
arabic land support human being, and
give their portion of grain to animals, of
which France has about fifty Millions
The comparison of the agricultural products
of equal surfaces, will show that the capac-
ity of Ohio soil to support'a dense popula-
ton, is equal to that of the best producing
countries of Europe-even with our present
amount of labor" 81
From returns made to the Auditor of
State for seven consecutive years, of the
product of wheat and corn, and from the U.
S. returns as made in the census of 1910
and 1850 an estimate has been made of
the amount of these great staple grain
crops in Ohio. The years extend from
1889 to 1856 inclusive. Sixty-seven mil
lions of bushels of corn is fair crop, and
is an advance of 100 per cent. on the crop
of 1889, eighteen years ago, showing that
the growth of maize is still increasing at
q much more rapid rate than the popula-
tion. The counties which produce the
largest average per acre, are in the Miami
and Sciota vallies: the least averages per
acre in the counties of the northwest
Ross, Pickaway, Butler, Franklin, Fairfield,
Warren, Highland and Fayetts COUNTIES
produced the largest amounts-each rais-
ing more than two millions of bushels. In
the remarkable year 1855, the counties of
Ross and Piqaway, comprehended 1000
square miles, produced 100000 bushels
of Indian Corn. There are twelve States
in this Union, no one of which produced as
much corn in 1850 as these two counties.
The corn crop varies from year to year &C
cording to the amount of rain; being the
least in the dryest season. 1855 raised
the largest crop known; 1856 the least
according to the land planted. Th,
difference between those two years was
SO,O0O,O0O bushels. In the first year as
much rain fell in may, June, July, August
and September, as in the whole Of the next
year. In 1857 much rain fell in May, June,
July and August, and the crop was about
equal to 1855. Much of it was seriously
injured for want of sufficient ripening, an
injury which never occurred before. Ia
king the whole State, all kinds of soil, and
all seasons, the general average for corn
seems to be 35 bushels per acre.
The quantity of land sown to wheat in
this State has been regularly diminished
during the last seven years-in the last
two or three, however, this movement has
been partially arrested. The cause of this
decrease is found in the diminished crops of
this staple, owing to ravages of the midge
or red weavil. The same years in estima-
ting the yield of wheat, are taking as above,
to wit: 1889 to 1856, inclusive, in which
most remarkable variations are shown
The wheat crop of 'S9 WAS larger than that
of 40, ten years later, and the crop of so
nearly double that of '54. The wheat crod
reached its greatest decline in 1851, and is |
now increasing; the crop of 1857 being
greater than any year since 1852. To all
appearances the weavil is disappearing and
the seasons more propitions. Ohio was
and probably is the first wheat State in
The Union. The average production of
wheat for seven years past is fourteen
bushels per acre. For the years 1850
md 81 the average was sixteen bushels
Der acre.
The oat crop is estimated at 2O,0O0,c00,
md the same estimate may be made for
we. barley and buckwheat. Next to corn
,he most valuable crop is hay. Between
1910 and 1850 the increase of hay was A
per cent, and since then the increase has
oeen as great.
But we must close for this time and re-
lew the notice of this interesting Report
mother day. 1t is study for all inter
'sted in the growth and prosperity of our
loble State