The New York herald., 1868-05-22
AGRICULTURAL.

Statement Of the Condition Of the Crops.
The following statement Is based ON information
furnished by the statistical division Of the Depart
ment OF Agricuture:-
Rarely are our winters 30 favorable to fall sown
wheat as that Of lso7-s. The New England States
are encouraged to attempt wheat culture more
largely by the nne condition Of that now
in the ground. The season was equally IA
vorabe In the Middle States, which re-
port disc0uraging facts affecting the winter
crops. In Livingston county, New York, the sowing
was later than usual on account Of the drought
causing q comparatively puny appearance at the
opening OF spring. In Erie the fields had yellow ana
ooS witnona maersi loss IRON er
freezing out and sickly appearance. Throughout
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware there Il Is
the condition Of wheat and confident
expectation Of fruitful harvest u no
casualty intervenes. In the Ohio valley and in the
Northwest the wheat generally looks well. few ex-
ceptons are noted, as In Manu. Ohio It s not look,
ing well In Hardin y % was somewhat frozen, wnlie
able, as In Ottawa there 'never was SO favorable
winter" In Erie 1t was 'smal but promising" and
IN Van Vert March passed without day detr
In West Virginia Putnam and Wood counties report
inferior condition from winter killing. Other
counties claim better stand than for many years.
From Indiana the accounts Of the crop are uni
formly favorable."Far better than usual" Better
years." While in Miami late sown wheat Ii thin, the
early sOwn looks well.
In Kentucky there is much diversity In the appear
ance, and not little complaint OF winter killing, as
In Anderson, Butler Henry, LAUREL Scott and other
counties. 1t is noticed in Livingston county that
fields with northern and eastern aspect look better
than those lying to the south and west Many fields
In Henry county have been ploughed and sown In
oats.
In Illinois, and especially In the northwest, the
crop is mainly spring wheat, but the fall sown gen.
orally looks well in all that region. Very little loss
from freezing s reported from Missouri. 1t shared
with other States In that latitude the drawback Of
drought in preventing early sowing, yet IN many
counties the returns are never better-very prom
ising or equivalent terms.
From Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee the
condition reported s more variable; more or less
winter killing resulted In the belt between the thir-
ty-siXth and thirtyninth degrees OF latitude from
alternate freezing and thawng, the covering OF snow
being general than usual, but not OF sufficient
depth for protection. few counties only make the
loss severe and many represent the prospect for
harvest unusually good. With every day OF fine
weather the frozen fields improve in appearance,
materially affecting the expectations OF their own
ers.
Further South accounts favor an abundant harvest
in proportion to acreage sOwn 1t Is worthy OF men,
ton and OF careful notice that In every locality that
has suffered from freezing, those fields that were
planted with the drill are comparatively unscathed,
while the broadcast sowing is In miserable condition;
and it is also found that thorough tage enables the
thrifty and well rooted plant TO endure the action OF
frost, while The careessly sown wheat Is ruined.