The Portland daily press., 1868-08-17
Condition of the Crops.

The Monthly Report of Agriculture for last
month gives us some valuable information.
The most remarkable feature in the report is
that in relation to the corn crop which may
be fairly considered the handspring of Am
erican agriculture. In the Southern States
the increase over last year is upwards of two
millions and half of acres. The increase
for all the States amounts to three millions OF
acres, making the whole amount planted in
the United States thirty-six millions of acres.
This an immense area to be planted
with corn and must make the inhab-
itants of the Old World open their
eyes wide. This will give to each man,
woman and child over one acre of corn. The
The average production will be large accord
ing to present appearances, as rains have fall
en- in season TO save that threatened by
drought.
A careful estimate of the average shows
decrease of 49,609 acres in eight States, and
an increase of 3, Jos, ,215 acres in the remain
ing States. Maine has decreased in acres
$500. New Hampshire 3,IS4; Massachu-
sets 1885; Rhode Island 1. .7l9; Connecticut
9,511; New York 12,S8S; New Jersey S,S13;
and Maryland s,2O4. The largest increase is
in Missouri which is 407 ,942 acres The next
highest is Louisiana, being 397, ,297 acres All
the Southern States have largely increased
their number OF acres.
The drouth in the South has somewhat re-
tarded the growth OF corn, but its condition
in that region is generally good, and heavy
crop may be expected at harvest time. in
our section of the country on the last of June
the growth was small and the prospects for
large crop were not very brilliant, but the
weather since that time has been exceedingly
favorable and all the cultivator of corn could
reasonably ask for. Never in any past sea-
son has corn grown more rapidly, and the
prospect now is that Maine will produce
large crop for the number of acres planted
True, if we have early frosts, the case will be
changed, but we hope for the best.
The July returns show very favorable
account of the wheat crop over the country.
Our own State will probably produce more
wheat this year than in any past season, and
yet our farmers might quadruple the quanti-
ty and then there would be room for further
improvement and enlargement in this di-
rection. There are so many favorable re-
ports of abundant crops of wheat from
all sections of the United States that we
have not space to enumerate them. The
general tenor of them is that "winter wheat
bids fair to be the largest crop we have had
for many years. "the yield will be immense;"
'the crop will be the largest ever grown in
this country" &c. Such language is quite
satisfactory without going into details. 1t
seems that the mdge is much less destruc-
tive than in past years. We hope this pest
of wheat fields is about to bid farewell to
this country.
in some sections fields have been destroyed
by floods. In the Miami valley thousands
of acres just ripening have been thus des-
troyed. Other localities have suffered, but
with successful harvesting of the spring
wheat it may be safely declared in summing
up the local reports that a larger number of
bushels of wheat, by many thousands, will
be grown in the United States in 1868 than
in any previous season.
Rye, oats and barley promise abundant
crops. No serious drawbacks are reported
and few reports OF bad condition are received
Potatoes, so unproductive last year, are in
| unusually fine condition, and the average is
increased in every State except Rhode Island.
| The vines in our State have very luxuriant
growth and from the specimens brought to
our market we should Judge the tubers are
excellent. We have not seen any signs OF
disease, but the weather has been such for a
few weeks past that rot or rust may Injure
them. If they should escape these diseases
our crop must be very abundant.
Fruit is variable, apples ana pears less
promising than usual. Vermont, New Jersey
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Arkansas
Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky
and West Virginia make worse record as tc
apples than other States. We believe Maine
will make better record than she did last
year. The report shows that peaches win bC
less abundant than apples. But fair prom
ise of grapes is indicated.