Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-09-21
Condition Of fiie Crops.
Commissioner SeutoB's Reports for
August.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
WASHINGTON. August, ISL.

W -hh-'A''tf ,
The recent widely extended and
severe drought has given rise TO Sc
rious apprehensions OF failure III the
fall crops. The great loss sustained
by the corn crop last year from de
structive frosts, and the injury to
the wheat crop by freezing ont der
ing last winter, estimated At 80 per
cent, presented just grounds for
alarm, should the fall crops of corn
and potatoes be cut short by the pre-
yailing drought.
The want OF old corn viii render
the farmers entirely dependent on
the new crop forfattenin@ purpose,
and the want OF fruit IN the y est
ern States would have Obliged that
section of the country to rely stu
more on their wheat for food, lnthe
event Of a short crop Of corn and
potatoes. Hence the anxiety III re
gard to the drought.
The tables found in this bilnonth-
ly report show that OF the entire
number of weeks IN all the States
reported, there were al weeks ot
favorable weather and /, I3S "f dry
in the month Of June, and still
greater disproportion in the month
Of July. But these tables were
made from>the returns Of the CORES
pondents on the first day of August.
The rains which have so generally
fallen during this month have dissi-
pated the fears previously existing,
although their effect and extent can
not vet be determined with certain
~
The tables. therefore, do not rep
resent any portion of the benefit OF
these rains, but embrace only the
dry months Of June and July. As
the wheat crop has been harvested,
the returns for II will not be mate
rally changed, although it IS be
lieved that the threshing will be
more favorable than usual 10 the
number Of shcaycs. The grain Is
reported Is very large and the heads
very full. No rust shriyelIed any
portion Of the crop, and it was I'M
affected by any other disease, except
by smut In some localities. The
chinch bug injured many fields IN
Iowa and Wisconsin of the spring
wheat. But while the injury to the
winter wheat from freezing ont was
reported to the department a about
80 per cent. the subsequent favor
able weather, as viii be seen from
the table in this report, reduced the
total loss to about ! tenth, or be
tween - and II per cent. below the
crop Of S63, one Of the largest crops
ever grown in the country. The crop
Of spring wheat viii be less than an
ordinary crop by about I OF tenth,
or d per cent. 1t is believed that
the amount of old wheat ON hand
may make mp these deficits. but
what this amount is will appear from
the returns to circulars just issued
In regard t. the corn crop, the
tables show that on the first day ot
August, IN Illinois, the great corn
producing State OF the country, It's
condition was an average one; IN
Iowa. two-tcntEs &boTc such aver
ACE; in Indiana, - tenths below
in Ohio, i tenths below; in Wis
cousin, J tenth below. But tax
ing into consideration the effect OF
the rains which have recently fallen,
there is nothing to Justify apprehcn-
sions Of scarcity in any IF the great
cereal products. II IS believed that
the LOYAL States viii have produced
enough tor abundanthome consUmp
ton, and to supply the usual foreign
demand for our cereals.
The tables show that an increased
amount Of sorghum has been plant
ell over the crop planted II 1863
and its condition IS represented Il
favorable
\ considerable decrease in the
amount planted Of tobacco Is report
ed. nor Is its condition very tayor
able. How far it Will bc benefited
bv the rains Of August cannot i,
determined now. Bat the decrease,
amount planted indicated the scar
city Of labor, and the untayorabi,
character Of the summer for setting
ont the plants.
Flax and beans have largely in
creased. and their condition was III
vorable in July.
No complaints have been made
t. the department Of any loss airs
inc from want of harvest labor
The extensive use OF labor-savin9
implements and machines, and the
dry weather, have enabled the far
mer to secure his summer crops in
excellent condition.
The hay crop IS unusually wei
secured. The grass grown in a dry
season always contains amUch great
err amount of nutrimcnt in proper
ton to its bulk, Than when grown
in wet one. and it may be regard
Ell as true that one ton Of hay OF
this year Will bc equal - a ton and