Middletown transcript., 1869-10-23
OUR AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
The seventb annual renort of the Con

panyiug report of the Statistician of the |
Department, have been completed. They
are valuable and interesting papers, con-
tanning important suggestions and recon-
mendations and useful statistics Of pro-
duction, exports, markets, &c.
General Capron, the Commissioner says
that hitherto this country has been char
acterized by random farming, for imme-
diate results, with no reference to future
advantages, and no persistent following of
any prescribed course |; but there are evil
dences that more stable views and more
systematic practices are beginning to pre-
vail. In the central settlements of the
| West, farm animals, the basis of syste-
matte farming, are held in higher esteem
than formerly, and a preparation at least
is made for some simple rotation of crops
More stability exists. under adversely, as
to the case of wool-growers, many of
whom, far-seeing and wise, are confident
of future profit in the midst of present
encouragement. There is disposition
in the South to produce their own bread
and meat, and hold their cotton as sur
plus, bearing better price when the
quantity does not suffice to glut the mark
ct. These and many other signs of
thoughtfulness and growing wisdom are
apparent.
1t is gratifying to observe the eviden-
ces of vitality in Southern agriculture,
which is progressively and successfully
marshalling the forces of recuperation,
and gradually dispelling the dependency
resulting from the losses of civil war, the
change in the labor system, the disruption
| of families and the impoverishment of
: estates. An impetus has been given to
! business by the introduction of Northern
capital, and in the future more rapid pro-
gress may be expected from the same
cause. Money, population and skill in
! special industries are the requisites for sue
cess in developing the resources and ex-
pending and perfecting the agriculture of
the South. In view of all the circum-
f stances affecting cotton culture, it may be
deemed a remarkable fact that the yield
has attained an equality with that of 1850,
= and is half as great as the excessive pro-
Z duct of 1859 and 1869, which glutted the
i markets of the world, and would have
2 caused discouraging depression in prices
3 but for the cessation of cotton production
. = in the years that followed The cash re-
> cepts for the crop of 1867 were larger
: than those of 1859, though of less actual
4 value as reckoned in a deprecated cur
}. rency. The sugar interest is rapidly at
4 tanning prominence, the product having
n doubled in the last two years. The total
product of rice is also increasing.
: After referring to the great benefit to
the agricultural interests of the country
1 of the system of internal exchanges, the
s Commissioner refers at length to the pre-
; valence of fatal maladies among all va
J rieties of farm animals, resulting in the
s annual loss Of not less than fifty million
= dollars, which demands, he SAYS, the
Il prompt attention of this department, the
" vigilance of the agricultural associa.
tions, and national and State legislation
\ The report of Professor John Gamgee or
Q the Texas cattle disease, will, he says, be
y presented to Congress at an early day.
e The production of grapes for table use
+ and for wine making has become an in
:. terest of great importance. General Cap
i ron says that vast sums of money, and
d much valuable time and labor, have been
!. expended in the endeavor to make the
l. foreign grape success, but, without al
70 exception, it has proved failure in open
air culture. These failures, however
/ have had salutary effect in directing at
y tention to the improvement of our indgi
!, enous Species and the progress of anne
l. Iteration is both marked and rapid. Th
a fact will be learned, sooner or later. tha
u ., east of the range of the Rocky Mountain
e. no climate has yet been found suitable fo
pc the continued healthy growth of the for
10 eign grape. On the Pacific coast tn
ID ID plant seems to find perfectly congenia
climate.
w The crop statistics of the present yea
he indicate more than average condition O
on agricultural prosperity The wheat GRO
h is somewhat larger than last year, the in
a de crease being about equal to that Of tn
he population, and may be estimated at no
lr- less than two hundred and twenty million
OF bushels. The corn crop is much large
Ie than last year, but may not be placed a
ng more than nine hundred million bushels
IRE The cotton crop, although of slightly re
duced acreage, would have been excessiv
r. but for the damage from army and bo
I'D worms, yet the result will exceed two mil
o- lion three hundred thousand hales.
nd The report of the statistcian says In 1899 IL
pt. wheat crop was "a, 1923, 272 bushels, or 4.76
Ill. each inhabitant; in l849 loo, 485 994, or A. 80
M each individua in 1859, ia, 100, 924 bushels
$50 per c4pitd in 1863 by estimates of this d.
partment, 23O, 900, 900 bushels, including Orego
al and the Territories, which are not found in Ii
,h- tables. As the increase of population thirty
nm five per cent. from 1910 to 1850, and also froi
on 1850 to 1860, similar pro rata increase frol
the 1860 to 1868, would make our population 3d. 900
gs, 000 If the same ratio of increase could be e.
'h pected through this decade, viz: thirty-fve p,
cent. in population, and twenty-five per cent.
,ot the wheat YIELD in proportion to population, Il
on crop of 1869 would be 292, ,O00, 900 bushels, an
nv that Of 1867 should have been more than 2eO 600
na 900 bushels. Though far better than two pr'
ng probably did hot exceed 224 o36, 900 bushels e.
% elusive of that produced by Oregon and the Te
ritories. 1t would be short weat crop in 1st
in that should not aggregate 270, ,O00, 900 bushels
I'd, The drought and other causes have reduced Il