, 1864-08-05
War and Agriculture.

The influence of war on the agriculture of the
country is exhibited by the monthly reports,
for March and April, issued from the Agricultu-
raj Department at Washington, May lst. These
reports make an exhibit of the amount of farm
stock on hand in the loyal States January lst,
1864 as compared with the year 1852 Horses
have fallen off trfle so have mules. The de-
crease is doubtless owing to the wear and tear
of the war, which have used up an immense
number of these animals, and the fact of the de-
crease is an argument that stock-raisers should
not lose sight of, viz: that the breeding of
horses and mules will be most profitable
business for some time
Cattle and oxen have increased in number on
ly "a, 29l, showing that the consumption has al
most equaled the natural increase. Generally
cows and heifers are notpurchased forarmy use,
so we find that there has been an increase in
the number of this kind of stock to the amount
of 239 8O2 head but this, it is stated, is far be-
low the average rate of increase, a fact which
argues that cattle-breeders have encouragement
held out in the prospective demand for and high
price of their stock.
Sheep have increased considerably, but not
up to the average. 1t was formerly considered
to be a well established rule that sheep would
more than double in every four years. In 1859,
there numbers were ID, ,l04 ,292; January l, l864,
there were "a, ,346, ,39l-increase 9,242, ll9-a
little over 81 per cent. instead of 100 the usual
rate; showing that the war has used up about
3S5 per cent of the natural increase of mutton.
The number of sheep will be increased by the
lambs of this Spring to nearly thirty millions
almost double what it was in 1859.
Hogs have fallen off greatly; the number in
1859 being II ,099;O35, and at the beginning of
the present year, 16, ,l48 7l2-a falling off of
92O, ,323 head, or little over 81 per cent. This
indicates that of hog meat there is consumed
four times more than there is of beef and NUT
ton; fact which, when we think of triclnia sTi :
aJis, the newly discovered disease engendered
by eating pork, causes us to shudder as well as
to reflect that perhaps the immense consumption
of swine has caused as many deaths among our
soldiers as have the bullets of rebel soldiers.
1t is further stated in the reports from which
we are collating, that the number of fatteniug
cattle is 80 per cent less than last year in Penn
sylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan; % per
cent. less in New York, Iowa and Illinois, and
20 per cent. less in Missouriand Wisconsin. The
general decrease is nearly 80 per cent.
The condition of nearly all stock is below the
usual Spring average especially of hogs; but
sheep are in excellent order, having received
more than ordinary attention. Hence the yield
of wool per head will be as much as usual
The condition of wheat and other crops sown
last Fall is represented as indicating a largely
decreased product from the crop of last year.
The dryness of February and March retarded
the usual growth in these months.
Thus, while droughts have greatly diminished
the live stock in California, and have caused a
great falling off fn9Rr cereal crops war and its
,asterh producing States We aFs thus adhInIoH4n ne
shed that during the year to come, all articles
IF food viii most likely command tolerably high |
prices, and that the exports of the products of
our soil gold and silver excepted, will be but
rifle compared with former years. These facts /
caution the people to exercise the utmost econ
1my in the use of imported articles, and demon
,trate the wisdom of increasing the tariff, or
adopting any other Governmental policy calcu-
ated to check importations.- Sacramento Bee.