The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-11-02
Report of the Department of Agriculture

WANHINGTON, Oct. 30.-Ihe department
of agriculture has issued u report upon the
condition OF the crops in October. II says :
| The full promise of the early summer has
| not been realized in the wheat harvest. The
| increase Of the area over that Of last year.
in its effect upon the aggregate production,
is nearly neuualized by the small diminu.
ton in some Of the principal wheat growing
states in yield, per acre so that the increase
in the total quantity, as shown by the Octo
Der returns, is scarcely more than 3 per
cent, and that is obtained mainly from the
Pacific coast. The average from October
appear to show decrease in the production
in Maine New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Connecticut New Jersey, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and
Texas, the latter having only half crop.
The other states indicate an increase in
most of those east Of the Mississippi, which
is very slight in Minnesota ll3 per cent.
in Iowa, per cent. in Missouri, per
cent in Nebraska, IL per cent. in Kan
sas %, and California. % per cent. Many
states in different parts Of the country, espe
cislly in Maryland and Wisconsin, report
disappointment in the yield Of grain in
threshing.
The oats crop is light in the eastern, mid.
die, southern, and Atlantic states. There
is not full average in Michigan, Wiscon.
| SIN, or Iowa. In the other states, the prod.
net is above the sverage,-the largest in.
crease being q per cent, in Nebraska In
Wisconsin the deficiency is 8 per cent.
Considerable injury from the frost to the
corn crop is reported from Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa, and the more northern ATTITUDES. In
some parts Of Iowa an estimate of two.6fths
of soft corn is made. From southern Hi
nois, southern Ohio, West Virginia, and
Pennsyl vania come complaints Of immatu.
rity, in consequence of the wet weather, and
accounts Of injury from drouth are also re-
ceived. No general or very severe drouth
has been reported. The total product will
not be what was hoped in the early season,
or what Is needed for the country, with its
rapidly increasing population but the crop
is somewhat larger in quantity than last
year, which was season peculiarly adverse
to corn.
The productive area of cotton is some.
what less than last year, although the eul.
ture has been better, and the preparation of
planting more complete, and labor more
regular and reliable, as a general rule
Ear y in the season, the promise was fine.
Serious losses have, Of late, been incurred,
principally from depredations Of the cotton
caterpillar, or army worm, which have prov.
ed more general and severe in Georgia than
elsewhere The worm was troublesome in a
portion of Alabama and Mississippi; and
somewhat prevalent in the Carolinas and
Arkansas. Heavy rains in Tennessee and
the southwest have caused anxiety; but
have done less damage than was expected.
The returns indicate smaller crop-possi-
bly, by ID or 20 per cent.--than last year
but complete estimate will not be made
till the crop is gathered
Peas and beans will be nearly an average
crop.
Buckwheat is very generally deficient
Connecticut, New York, Minnesota, CaIifor.
MIA, and some Of the southern states, furn.
sh favorable exceptions.
Sorghum has been more successful than
last year in southern New England, New
Jersey, Delaware, the gulf states, and Cali
fornia
Potatoes are reported full average crop,
with deficiency of 10 per cent. in New
York and Pennsylvania, and from to per
cent in the southern Atlantic states and |
Tennessee; 20 per cent. in Illinois 10 per
cent in Iowa; IL per cent. in Indiana Is |
per cent in Ohio; l6 per cent. in Michigan,
and a greater or less reduction in the other |
western states.
Returns from Louisiana indicate an in. |
crease of % per cent. over last year in the
sugar cane.
The amount Of old wheat in hand is |
somewhat less than usual throughout the
country, with the exception of the cotton
states, which have higher average than
last year. This remark will not apply to |
Texas, where the granaries are uniformly |
empty. The quantity left over in Wiscon.
sin is relatively somewhat lower than in the
neighboring states,
The stock of besves in preparation for
market is larger than last year west and
south of New Jersey, except in Indiana and
Illinois, which states constitute the import
ant beef producing section. The deficiency
in Illinois is placed at per cent. in Indi.
ana at 5 per cent. The condition Of the fat.
tening cattle is almost universally of a su.
perior character, giving promise Of better
and larger meat supplies than usual