The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-09-28
Onr AgrieuIturaI Growth.

From the Independent we t2ke the
following article on the agricultural
growth of the United States: The in
crease and progressive growth Of all
articles Of agricultural production
within the last twenty years is really q
marvel. II any reader will take the
patience to scan this article, he will find
many items fairly enormous.
Wine has increased fourteen fold
eince 1850, and nearly doubled in the
last decade, California being its chief
producer.
Hops have increased seven fold in the
same time, and more than doubled in
the last ten years, New York growing
two thirds of the whole crop.
Barley has increased six fold.
Flax six fold, and fax seed trebled.
Wheat trebled, and oats doubled.
Irish potatoes have only increased
one-third, and sweet decreased one-hslf.
Live stock has trebled in value, and
now amounts to the handsome total OF
one thousand five hundred and twenty
five millions Of dollars, or an average
of nearly two hundred dollars for every
fsmily in the nation.
Animals slaughtered have nearly
auadrupled in value, now amounting to
four hundred millions Of dollars annu.
ally.
Wool ha, increased from sixty to one
hundred millions Of pounds.
Cotton is half million OF bales
above what it was in 1850. and three>
fifths OF its amount in 1860
In only one instance is there 9 de-
crease OF an important product and that
is indian corn, which fell short Of the
amount reported in 1860 by seventy-eight
millions OF bushels. or ten per cent OF
the whole.
In come OF the lesser products, how
ever, the downcome is considerable.
Silk cocoons are only third OF their
former amount; hemp q sixth; peas
and beans and rice about third each;
Buckwheat has decreased from seventeen
millions OF bushels to nine. and rye
twentv.one millions OF bushels to SIX
teen.
The farms themselves, as may be ex'
pected from this great increase of prod
net, have risen in value from thrse to
nine millions OF dollars while farming
implements valued in 1850 at $l5l $751;
638, now foot up 1886, ,S7S. 429-an an
nual increase OF nine millions Of dollars.
Few minds can form even the remotest
conc sption OF what these numbers inn
ply. The value OF these farms IN dol
lar bills would take an expert account
ant, capable OF getting over one hundred
a minute, five hundred years to count
them; or, il Communists and lnterna-
tionals had their way, and their value
was divided among the whole people, it
would afford $1,000 to each family, in
addition to million or two which would
be sure to stick in the hands Of the d.
yiders.
The farms have considerably increased
in number, but diminished in size, from
1879 to l53 acres, being on an average
fifty acres less than in 1850. This de.
crease extends 10 every State In the
Union save four-Arksusas, Massachu-
sets, New Hampshire. and New Mex
leo. OF the present number OF farms
(2,659,4S5) 6,S75 are under three acres:
Those with more than ten acres and
less than 500 have increased; those with
less than ten acres have decreased in
rumber; one sixth ofthe whole are over
100 acres and under 50G but the larg-
est number (S476l4) contain between
twenty and fifty acres.