Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-11-03
Agricultural Report.
WASHINGTON. October. q


The Department of Agriculture has pre-
pared digest Of the reports upon the
condition of the crops from October,
from which the following is extracted:
The wheat crop of 1870, in majority
of States, and especially in those in
which this cereal is paramount, Is less In
quantity than the crop of 1869, which was
very large one, Notwithstanding the
assertion by some croakers to the con-
trary. The reduction is due first, 70 the
loss of plants by an unpropitious season
for termination and early growth Of the
winter variety, followed by an open and
somewhat variable winter, and second, to
the drought which prevailed with great
severity in the Northern and Eastern
States. This reduction, as averaged from
our local returns. appears to be about IA
per cent. The average quality Of the crop
Is better than that of 1869. The Pacific
coast reports are variable. Some counties
in California make the quality superior,
while others report injury from rust, and
inferiOrity from the maturity of grain
blighted by drought. The early sown
fall and spring grain of Oregon is good,
while that late sown was injured by the
excessive heat of summer Among the
winter varieties which have succeeded
best, the Tappahanock is prominently
named 1t is favorably mentioned
throughout the South aud West, and has
done well among the mountains of Utah.
The corn crop of 1870 unlike those OF
the two years preceding, is full one, and
the best one of the past ten years. The
States of the great corn region, including
those bordering on the great lakes, and on
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, have, with
out exception, made a rather fuller crop
Intelligent men estimate the total product
at $4,000, 900 bushels.
In Illinois, rye gives somewhat smaller
Weld than in 1869. Oats are not generally
50 productive as last year, except in the
South
In Michigan and New Jersey, the aggre.
gate product of barley appears less than in
1869. The only States yielding full crops
al buckwheat are Tennessee, Kentucky
Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Kan
sas and Nebraska. The aggregates are less
than usual.
Reports about beans and peas indicate ar
average production in quantity and in quad
ity, with some local variability. The pea
crop, which is one of great importance Il
the South, has occupied larger acreage
than formerly in North Carolina, Georgis
and Tennessee, but has been somewhat
neglected in the other Cotton States. Pc
tatoes exhibit considerable reduction in
Weld, which is below an average in all the
Atlantic States to Virginia, inclusive, and
in all the Western States north Of the Ohio
River, the depreciation ranging from ID te
Al per cent.
The sweet potato crop is comparatively
large one, while the average OF sorghum
is not very large. The crop is in superior
condition, and promises a yield of syrup o
fine quality. The increase in the breadth
of cotton was estimated in July al II pc
cent. Combining the elements OF acreage
planted and its condition on the first o
October, the natural expectation, othel
circumstances being eqnal, would lead IL
an increase by comparison with last yea
as follows: North Carolina Is per cent.
South Carolina, 8; Georgia, 8; Florida, .
AlahaIna, 8; Mississippi, 10; Louisiana, 10
Texas, 30; Arkansas, Is; Tennessee, l
. This would give a crop exceeding three
and half million bales. But the indica
tons of the season thus far since October
/, and the probabilities of a favorable au
tumn for maturing and picking the TOT
crop" do not prognosticate return OF tho
remarkably favorable experience of thu
season The present crop, vigorous II
early growth, running to weed rather thar
boil, then burned with the drought in Au
gust, and subsequently flooded with rain il
September has endured yicissitudes unta
vorable to continued fruitfulness, rs ,
general shedding Of forms and occasional
rotting of the boil at Last. The boil
worms and army worm have been at work
in places, and rust is more or less prevalen
in all the cotton States. The opening o
the later bolls is usually well adj
vanced i'm most places, and the las
picking promises to be light. Thes'
indications, instead of pointing to an in
crease Of third Of a million bales, rem
der it probable that the present crop viii
be no larger than the last, and, if the re
mainder Of the season should be very un
propiticus, a reduction Of a quarter of /
million bales might result Another mont
or two will determine whether the pres
ent crop shall be limited 10 three mil
lion bales, or rise to three and hal
millions, as predicted early in the season
The present area i'm cultivation has re
duced the price to fifteen cents per pound
or to the very verge of profitable cuItiva
ton and correspondents are already re
porting the ruin of planters, who grow
cotton exclusively, and buy all their ag
ricultural supplies.
A large increase in the produce Of cane
sugar is regarded rs certain.
There is, comparatively, a large surplus
of early wheat in Tennessee, Missouri
Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, and as much
as usual in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky
and the small States. There Is no evi
dence of any large surplus to add mate
rally to the supplies of the year
The supply Of fattening cattle Is some
what in excess of former years, with great
local variation