Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-08-09
ravo,o,,le Reports of the crops.

The following is a condensation of the
oron returns for July received at the De-
,,artment of Agriculture Never has the
| Department been able to report so favorable
| prospect for unimformly good crops since
he establishment of the statistical division,
while exaggerated statements have been
| made in influential papers, especially Of the
so-called failure of the wheat crop OF last
wear. and the importation OF wheat IN the
lace az the fact that $4,000, 900 worth OF
breadstufTs were exported in the hrst four
months of 1867, immense numbers OF emil
grants were fed, much larger amount OF
wheat used as seed than usual, with sur
nIu~ still remaining over sufficient to break
p,,merous speculators and banks. It is graf
| ifvinc 10 know that we shall have surplu
to more than make good the deficiency, not
the failure. for there never was failure of
the wheat crop in this country. OF the
| last three crops Of wheat, three or four
States-West Virginia, Kentucky Ohio and,
Indiana made but half crop No other
States were in that category, and Iowa,
Missouri and Kansas made a good crop.
Instead of a deduction of fifty per cent, on
| ninety millions of bushels of wheat, which
! would at least have threatened famine,
scarcely more than third of that deduction
should be made For three years past the
product has been but about FIVE bushels to
each inhabitant The crop of 1859, if the
census returns are correct, was but FIVE and
a half bushels to each person. The prom
ise for the present year is about SIX bushels.
WHEAT. The statistical returns for July
show an Improvement in the condition Of
winter wheat over last year in every State
| but Texas, Nebraska and Minnesota, the
diminution in the latter case being but four
per cent. The highest improvement is in
Ohio, l60 per cent West Virginia, rs ;
Georgia, 96; Tennessee, u; Indiana, 81;
| Kentucky, So; Michigan, 35; Vermont, %;
| New Jersey, IS; New York, IT, Spring
| wheat was far less variable product than
last year, consequently less variation in the
| figures used in the present comparison.
| All the States, however, except Vermont,
| New ork and Pennsylvania, shows an in
crease on last year.
CoRN.-The average in corn is unusually
large, every State showing a material in
| crease, except in Maine, New Hampshire,
| New York and South Carolina In the
| Southern States the increase ranges upwards
| of lO2 per cent, as in Arkansas. The
| condition, as reported, is little deficient in
the Northern and Western States on ac-
count of the lateness of the spring. With
| the continuance of the present weather
is ample opportunity to make up the entire
| deficiency, in which case the yield will be
unprecedented.
RYE.-A glance at the tables will show
the fine condition of this grain, and re-
markable uniformity of the improvement.
BARLEY. The condition Of this grain
| promises an increase of from ten to twenty
per cent. in Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
| Connecticut, New Jersey, West Virginia,
Kentucky and Indiana, and forty-four per
cent. in Ohio. Most of the other States
show some increase.
OATS. The condition of oats points to a
| full average in the West, particularly in
! Wisconsin and Minnesota, also in Massa-
| chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
Jersey and the South; slightly less than last
year in Maine, Vermont, New York aud
| Kentucky.
| PASTURES AND HAY,-These crops are
almost universally large, from an average up
to fifteen, twenty and even thirty per cent
| POTATOES. The report of acreage Of po-
| tatoes indicates a larger area planted in
every State except Maine and New York.
| The condition is also above an average, with
few exceptions, among which are New
| York, Ohio and Indiana.
| FRUTs.-Peaches are so exceptional in
| their successful seasona and localities that
| estimates for States can scarcely be made
with accuracy. New Jersey, as indicated
| by very general returns, shows 63 PEE cent
improvement over last year: Maryland, %;
Delaware, $50; Virginia, 35i Michigan, l2I.
In other States estimates are given upon
whatever data was received, generally show
ing considerable increase over last year
Apples are promising in portions OF New
England, the Allegheny region and the
West. Grapes are more uniform IN the
average of States, and generally appearing
unusually WE'LL 1t has been a more sue
cessful year for Strawberries than usual, as
a study Of the tables viii show.
SORGHUM sorgkam crop is gener-
ally returned as in a comparatively poor
condition, with lower figures than any other
crop. Ohio and Indiana indicate dehei-
ency in average of fourteen per cent and 10
condition of ten per cent. All the principal
sorghum growing States show similar state
of facts.
CoTToN. N.-Thcre is an increase of average
in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and
Arkansas; Texas 10 40; Mississippi, 4
| 10; Louisiana s l-l0. The average is
about the same as last year. There is a
slight difference, as reported, in favor of the
present crop. The department estimates,
made last October, Of ], 1886, 600 bales proved
to be singularly accurate for approximate
calculations of so early a date, though they
were severely criticised by Northern aud
Southern spectators, some Of whom publicly
acknowledged their error after the crop was
sold 1t is too early to predict the success
ful avoidance of all the numerous enemies
of cotton Had the last crop been good
one, it would have yielded ,, 100000 bales.
A very good one would have realized 5000,
000 Such results are possible this year.
WooL-An examination of this item Of
the tables will show that losses of sheep, un-
thrifty condition and wet spring have had
an influence both upon numbers and weight
of fleece, and will lead to the conclusion that
our wool clip of the present year is not ma
teriaIly larger than that of last year.
The Campaign.
As soon as Mr.. H. w. Williams was
made the Republican candidate for Supreme
Judge, a considerable proportion Of the
Democratic newspapers of this Common
wealth opened upon him their batteries of
personal abuse. They even proceeded So
far as to denounce him as unworthy Of pub
lie confidence because he happened not to
be born in Pennsylvania, thus eyidenciug;
whatever they may profess to the contrary,
that they surpass in their inmost feelings
the exclusiveness of the defunct Know
Nothing organization,
So far not one Republican journal has
been found to assail the personal character
of Mr. Sharswood. But number Of them
L I