The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-10-29


From 1850 to 1855 the number of acres Of
corn planted increased City per cent; in the ex.
Extraordinary year OF 1855 the number of acres
planted decreased eighteen per cent, and the
average per acre fell still more. The cause was
Misunderstanding from the single fact that the
spring rains fell just month later than usual,
or we're enormous in amount. No such course
of events has occurred in Ohio for many years,
il ever. The reeult was, that great deal OF
land could not be- planted, and great deal
OF corn planted could not be ripened. The crop
was the smallest relatively, We have ever had
in Ohio But that very crop demonstrated one
thing Of great importance, that the corn crop
could not entirely fail, without miracle. In
the worst year we have had, Ohio raised City
millions Of bushels. II We turn now to the crop
Of this year, We find that the planting season
was good one, and with the exception OF the
4th OF June frost, there has been nothing extra
ordinary to interfere with it. There has been
neither drought, nor heavy rains. The frost of
thAs 4th Of June did injure cora in some parts of
Ohio, but to sno great Dextent; especially the
great corn region in the southern part Of the
state. We may therefore infer, rs indeed all
accounts agree in stating, that in sthe main, the
corn crop of the Ohio Valley is a very good one.
II We enquire what it amounts TO, We have the
means Of calculating it very nearly. We have
the population, which in some states, like Ken
lucky, has not increased as fast AZ in Ohio aud
Illinois. We have the crops Of Ohio for series
Of years, and we have the crops Of 1910 and
1850 in all of them. Taking these data as .
basis, We estipste the corr crop Of six states
Gncludinss Missouri) as follows; saFis
Ohio, bushels s-g $4,000, 900
Illinois, bushels ld l. $4,000, 900
Indiana, bushels $4,000 900
Kentucky, bushels % l5. 65,OOO,oOO
Missouri, Bushels ~ .s so, 100000
Tennessee, bushels ,4t 10 la 60 OOO 900
- stg. 80 81 buaEe azG
Aggregate ssr@ 4O5,OOO 600
Ohio has twice raised more than is set down
above. Illinois, Indiana and Missouri have in
creased rapidly in population. Tennessee and
Kentucky are Pct down at only small increase
above their crops in 1850. On the whole the
above estimate is by no means too large
o. the four hundred millions of bushels of
cora raised in these six States too hundred mil.
lions ,eiU be a surplus for the fattening OF hogs
and cattle, the manufacture of whiskey, and ex-
p0rtation TO the Atlantic and foreign markets
The marketable price Of articles made from
corn, and corn exported, estimating in this case
at New York prices, will not be under ONE Aua
dred and fifty millions of dollars This is again
the basis Of vast and profitable trade, carried
u
large portion Of that magnificent internal com
nerce which 10, at once, cause and conse quence
of the more magnificent growth Of this great
central West. = &
1t will be recolected that this is the surplus
OF one staple in these six States. Even in this
region alone, comprehending but seventh part
of the surface Of the United States, corn is of
more Importance than the entire cotton crop.
In the Ohio valley corr is the peculiar staple.
In this region there is very large extent Of
aIluvial valleys and Of limestone upIands, both
peculiarly adapted to this plant and climate
whose long summers permit its perfect ripening.
Although corn grows over . very wide zone,
it is by no means equally adapted or equally
profitable throughout that zone. In New York
the average Of corn is twenty bushels per acre,
but in Ohio it is thirty four bushels. 1t follows
that while corn may be grown in New York or
Wisconsin, Florida 6r Texas, those are not the
regions in which tits profitable staple The
section whose axis is the Ohio river is the cen
ire of corn growth, where it will be both abun-
dant and valuable. While this section is fitted
for all the cereal crops, corn will long remain
It's main source OF agricultural profit. The time
10 probably near IN which all Europe will be
obliged to receive corn, IN grain as wen Is
The present tendency of Europe-as it is in
bis country also-is to increase town popula-@|
ions while there are means Of feeding them.
London has more than two millions Of people !;
liverpool half million Paris million, while |
uch great manufacturing towns as Manchester,
Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Lyons, &c, con
ain millions more. These people must be fed
rot merely with bread, but With meat Wheat |
5 too Huctuating a crop TO depend on alto
,ether; apd even If it could be depended on |
ekn,,
ard, soap. oils, &C.: England imports cattle I
rom Holland and eggs from France. But
rance and Germany will soon have not enough |
or themselves, unless the increase of the manu-
acturing population ceases Indian corn is the
reat resource TO answer the ultimate demand
Or food, and it is not improbable that ~ shall
e called upon to supply that demand 70 an
xtent beyond anything We have anticipated