New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-11
sletv Orleaus Republican.
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nFFlelAL JOURNAL or THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
Report of the Commissioner Of AErieHl-
DEPARTMENT or AGRICULTURE.
washington. August 6, 1872. {


The report of the Commissioner of Agri-
culture for 1871 will be ready for distribu-
ton during the latter part of the present
month This volume will be issued
gome three or four months in advance
of the usual time Of publication. One
of the leading features of the report
Is the digest of the ninth report of
the Superintendent Of the Census, with the
addition of material facts from sources at
tainable only through the correspondence
of the department. Ofthe agricultural pro
ductions Of 1871, the report says:
The agricultural production OF 1871 has
been less, both in quantity and value, than
that of 1870. The heaviest decline 10 pro
duetiOu Ia seen in corn, which fails to reach
the quantity of the previous year by l00,-
100000 of bushels, while it exceeds that
produced In 1869 by difference still great
er. The amount of wheat harvested has
apparently come very near the product Of
1870; the quantity of oats grown slightly
surDasses that of the previous year; and
barley, rye and buckwheat always present
ing moderate figures, differ in their aggre-
gate Of the two years by very slight de-
grees. The difference in the quantity of
cereals is therefore mainly due to the re-
duction in the yield of corn, which showed,
relatively, a decrease Of nine per cent, yet
actually leaving more than an average crop.
The total quantity of cereals, as estimated,
IS, 100000; their values, respectively, in
round numbers, 81 900 600, 900 and 100000,
900. AS compared with other grain-pro-
-ducing countries, ours now stands abreast
with Russia, in some years slightly ahead,
while the two together equal, in cereal pro-
duction, all the countries in Europe west Of
Russia.
= The area in cereals, so far as we have
been able to determine 1t without the help
of the ceusus-a singular omission IN the
National enumeration, to which this depart
snent in vain called the attention of the law
makers prior to the census Of l87O-Was
B4,000,000 acres last year, and 100000 in
1870 More than half Of this total area, as
also larger proportion Of the aggregate
value, is attributed to the maize crop, which
is, and must be, for many years, the prin-
cipal cereal crop of the country.
A series of tables, occupying eight pages,
shows the product of each principal crop
in the several States In 1871, acreage and
Weld per acre, and the total valuation of
the same at the ruling market price. These
crops are corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley,
buckwheat, potatoes, tobacco and hay. The
greatest valuation of the crops named is
given to New York, the valuation being
$3.50, 290,57S Illinois stands next, the valu-
alton of its principal crops being $l33O7,-
749 The acreage in these crops, in New
York, was 6,l69,Oll, against lO,25o, l39 IN
Illinois.
series of tables shows the estimated
total number and value of each kind OF live
stock, and the average price in February,
1872, in the several States and Territories.
The production of wool is shown to have
decreased during the past five or six years,
notwithstanding the Increased demand on
the part of home manufacturers.
On the subject of the area of farm lands
the statistician says
The total area in woodland is l593l0,17
acres, or 80 per cent of the aggregate of
40,7735, 04l acres in farms. The Southern
States are remarkably well wooded, the
twelve States from Maryland to Tennessee,
averaging 81 per cent; the New England
States have 80 per cent of their farm area
in forest; the Middle States % per cent; and
the Central States, from West Virginia to
Nebraska, averaging 80 per cent. West
Virginia has 81 per cent; Kentucky, 4S;
Ohio, 81; Indiana, 49, Illinois, 49, Iowa, l6;
Kansas, IL; Nebraska, To- California, a.
The Territories are not rich in FORESTS, ex
cept Washington, which has A per cent Of
its farm area in woodland.
The report of the investigations of the
microscopist on the fungoid diseases of
plants is a new. feature in the annual re-
ports of the department. The subject is
one that for some years past has attracted
much attention among the scientists Of the
Old World. This report is accompanied by
numerous well executed engravings, as is
also that of the entOmOlOgist. The reports
of the heads of the several divisions of the
department are very full, and contain
many interesting facts and suggestions, en-
bracing an analysis by the chemist, of
several of the more prominent super-phOs-
pilates and fertilizers. Experiments with
department seeds give satisfactory results.
Under the title of !SOuthern fruitgrOw-
ing for market is furnished information
relating to fruit culture in the South. The
article discusses the subject as it relates to
the States of Delaware, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina Georgia, Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, louisiana Texas,
Arkansas and Tennessee, and shows the
progress making in fruit culture in these
States.
"a Few Facts from Florida" gives many
interesting and valuable facts concerning
the topography, climate, soil, rainfall, pop
nlaton, area, Improvements to facilitate
transportation, value of land, ETC., in this
semi-trOpical State.
The introduction Of the iute-plant and its
successful cultivation promise a new source
of trade and wealth to the South. An arti-
Gle is devoted to the result of experiments
with seeds furnished by the depart
ment, the proper mode of cultivation, pre-
pairing the fibre for market, etc. The i'm
portations of jute and similar fbres for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1871, were as
follows:
Raw, $3.50 tons, valued at...........s2l3 l 056
Manufactures Of, 229, 1913 square yards val.
Gunny cloth and other baggne, 56i24i66 ''O
pounds; valued at. .,,:......"...... SOP
Other manufactures, valued at........,.. l,734474
Il Total. SIS 1852 1888
=. A mass of statistics relating to the dairy,
collected through correspondents and com
piled from reliable published statements,
appears under the head Of Statistics of the
Dairy"
The writer of "The Woods Of the United
States" shows that all grades of sheep and
wool can be successfully and proftably
grown in this country. Referring to the
deficiency in the supply of domestic. woods,
the writer says:
Nine out of ten of the wool manufac-
turers of the United States, if asked the
question, what is the most pressing neces-
slty Of your manufacture ~ would answer
we want more domestic wool" The en-
hghtened governments of all manufacturing
nations have seen that the supply of do
mestlc wool is the first and chief depend
ence OF their manufacture Seeing this,
scareely IUO years ago, the ruling SOW
erelgns oil western Europe, by introducing
merlnO sheep into their respective countrips
did more to immortalize themselves than nv !
any teats of arms. The King of Saxony |
introduced merinOs from Spain, into his |
kingdom in I06,. and Frederick IL. about |
the same time, introduced them info |
Prussia. Merinos were dOmesticated in
Hungary by the great Maria Theresa, and |
in France by Louis XVI, in 1856, and.with
what result
The influence of the SaxOny breed is seen
in all fine German .brOadcloths. In Prussia
eighteen per cent of her exports are merino
wooden goods. Hungary furnishes the sup
W n fprs nv cd