Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-07-10

[S---$2.00 per Annu1n.
NUMBER Id.
Cmriosilies of Agriculture.
From the New York Evening Post.
A few days ago We gave some statis-
tics, from the maps attached to the
Ninth Census Report, showing the
relative amount and value of some sta
pie productions of the different States.
The subject, however, is by no means
exhausted, and a further examination
of the tables proves equally instructive.
In fact, although statistics are apt to
bo dry and unattractive, the figures of
this report offer 80 many surprises
and curiOsities, that long and
patient research would be required
to exhaust the interest in it.
The acres of improved farming land
in the United States in 1870 numbered
188, 92l, O99. The woodland on farms
amounted to 1853, $40, TT acres, and the
unimproved land, not woodland, num-
OCACu OC,oVc) aOOs Liz cSt1uaGtu Vilue
of all farming land is little more
than 5000, 600, 600, against S6,5OO,-
OOO, 600 in 1860. The increase Of value
in some Of the northern states Is. most
extra ordinary. Illinois, for example,
has new invested in farming land
$900. OO0. 900, against $4,000, 600 in
1860; Indiana has almost doubled its
valuation, and Michigan has added
more than 100 per cent; Minnesota
has sprung up from $27, O00, 600 to $97,-
O0O, 600, and, the most decided advance
of all, Iowa has increased it farm in
vestment from $119, 600, 900 to almost
$500, 600, 600. All the Northern States
have made a much larger advance in
this direction than the average of the
country, while there has been an as
toniehing depreciation in value of farm
lands in nearly all the Southern States.
In 1860, Alabama returned Il farm val
nation of $175: 600, 600, while now it is
only $67, OOO, 600; Arkansas has gone
backward more than 100 per cent. i;
Georgia has fallen from 1857, 600, 600
to $94, O0O, 900; Louisiana from $780,
600, 600 to $4,000, 600; Mis-.
sissippi from $3.50, 1000 to $751;
600, 600; South Carolina from $780,
OOO, 900 to $44, 600, 900; and all the
other southern states have lost heavily
except Kentucky, Maryland and Dela-
ware. 1t is certainly not the entertain
ment to which Davis, ToOmbs l. Co,
invited the farmers of the South when
they made war on the Government, for
they predicted that while the South
would flourish, grass would grow in the
streets of Northern cities, aud the far
mers and other mudsills would have no
markets left near home. Since the
census was taken, however, many Of
the Southern States have made rapid
improvement. and, with the pres erva-
ton OF peace, they may in few years
be even more prosperous than they
where in 1860.
One of the important staples of the
! country, potatoes, is not included in
the illustrated statistics, and was not
mentioned in the former article. The
table of returns is divided into two
columns, Irisl, and sweet potatoes, and
the amount produced yearly is given in
bushels. New York leads the list in
the amount of Irish potatoes produced,
returning the enormous yield of 28.-
OO0, 600 bushels; Pennsylvania follows
with nearly IL, 600, 900, Ohio with H.
900, 600, illinois aud Michi gan each
with 10000, 600, Maine with nearly
8,OOO,OdN, Wisconsin with 5000, ono,
Iowa, Indiana and Vermont each with
upward of 5000, 600, and New Jersey
and New Hampshire with more than
4, 500, 600 bushels. The particular parts
of the country which yield the most
according to the area cultivated are
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and
Northern New York. The best pota:
toes also come from those states, as the
millions of bushels shipped to the
Southern States each year will attest
But the states which yield the best
and most profitable crops of Irish
potatoes do not find the sweet potatoes
ut all profitable, if we may Judge from
10000 bushels, Vermont sc bushels,
New Hampshire 100 bushels, and
Maine $50 bushels. New Jersey, how
ever, proves that the sweet potato may
be raised pro6tably farther north than
was supposed before the war. That
state returned an annual production
of l, 500, 600 bushels, which is about
the average yield Of the Southern
States. It is singular that Maryland
and Delaware do not cultivate this
vegetable more extensively, their
returns being respectively only
100000 and $1,000 bushels.
North Carolina leads in this crop,
returning 1900, 600 bushels; Georgia
follows with 1900. 900 bushels, and
Texas with 2, COX, 900 bushels. Alabama
Louisiana, Mississippi, South Caro-
lima, and Tennessee each return more
than 1000, 900, while Virginia returns
only $50, 900 bushels. Turning now to
the eighth census, We find that the
Southern States raised enormous crops
of sweet potatoes before the war, Ala.
bama having returned 5000, 600 bush.
els, Georgia 6,OOO, 900, Mississippi
4, 0OO, COO, North Carolina 5000, 600,
South Carolina 4, OOO, 00O, and the other
Southern States i'll proportion. Such
a great reduction as this in one of the
principal crops Of the South seems
almost of itself enough to cripple, il
not to bankrupt the States.
Among tho one. sided statistics of the
census are those relating to the suga1
and molasses crops. The only state.
that make returns Of sugarirom;c cane ar,
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana
Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas
Tennessee returns only two hogsheads
The only states returning more than
], 600 h0gshcads arc Louisiana 22l, 900,
Texas 5000, and Fl ,rida and Georgia
each but little more than 1000. Ol
molasses from cane, Louisiana pro.
duces IL, OOO, 600 gallons, and the other
states named return about the same
yield relatively to their sugar crops,
except that South Carolina makes n0
return.
The returns of maple sugar reverse
the scale, few Of these Southern States
making any account of this crop Yer.
mont is the banner State for maple
sugar, reporting yield of almost IL.
900, 600 pounds. The production Of
New York is somewhat larger, bu;
nothing compared with the difference
i'll area. The only other States when
return more than 100000 pounds
are: Michigan, 1000 900; Ohio, s.
$50, 900; Pennsylvania, nearly 3,ODO,-
600; New Hampshire, 1850, 900 ;
Idniana, 1900, 600; Massachusetts, Il
few pounds more than l,OOO,O0o The
total production is IL, OWl, 900 pounds
The total production IF maple mol:.ss-
ses is l, 500, O50 gallons, Of which Ohio
returns nearly 4OO, 900 gallous, Indiana
nearly 3OO, 900. Kentucky lao, 900, and
H.