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

NUMBER ID.
CmrioSilies Of 4 Agriculture.
From the New York Evening Post.
A few days ago We gave some atatiB-
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 tact, although statistics arc apt to
be dry and unattractive, the figures of
this report offer 80 many surprises
AMI curiosities, that long and
patient research would be required
t. exhaust the interest in it.
The acres Of improved farming land
in the United States in 1870 numbered
1888, 92l, O99. The woodland on farms
amounted to 1853, 80, TT acres, and the
unimproved land, not woodland, num-
bcrcd So, 500, 7G5. The estimated value
of all farming land is a little more
than &9,NO, OO0, 900, against Sc, 800
OOO, 600 in 1860. The increase Of value
in some Of the northern states IS most
extra ordinary. Illinois, for example,
has now. invested in farming land
5000, OOO, OO4 against $4,O0O,OOO in
1860; Indiana has almost doubled it's
valuation, and Michigan has added
more than 100 per cent; Minnesota
has sprung up from $27, OOO, 600 to $97,-
900, O0O, and, the most decided advance
of all, Iowa has increased it farm in
vcstmcnt from $l19, OOO,OO to almost
$4OO, 100000. All the Northern States
have made a much larger advance III
this direction than the average of the
country, while there has been an as
toniehing depreciation in valne of farm
lands in nearly all the Southern States.
In 1860, Alabama returned Il farm val
uation of $175: 600, 900, while now it is
only $67,O OO, 900; Arkansas has gone
backward more than 100 per cent. {,
Georgia las fallen from 1857, OOO, 600
to 1914, 00O, 900; Louisiana from $780,
DOC, 600 to tG4,OoO, 600; Mis-.
sissippi from $3.50, 100000 to $751;
OOO, 900; South Carolina from $780,
OOO, 900 to $44, OOO, 900; and all the
other southern states have lost heavily
except Kentucky, Maryland and Della
ware. 1t is certainly not the entertain
ment to which Davis, Toombs & 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, and 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 preserva-
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, Irish 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 49,
OOO, 600 bushels; Pennsylvania follows
with nearly 5000, 900, Ohio with H.
OOO, 900, illinois and Michigan each
with 1O,OOO,O00, Maine with nearly
6, OOO, 900, Wisconsin with 5000, OO0,
Iowa, Indiana and Vermont each with
upward Of 5000, 900, 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
this report, New York raising only
10000 bushels, Vermont 9G bushels,
New Hampshire 100 bushels, and
Maine 800 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 1,5OO, 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 85,OOO bushels.
North Carolina leads in this crop,
returning 3;0OO,O00 bushels; Georgia
follows with 2,6O0.OOO bushels, and
Texas with 9, OOO, 900 bushels. Alabama
Louisiana, Mississippi, South Caro-
lima, and Tennessee each return more
than l,OOO,O 900, while Virginia returns
only $50, OOO 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, 900 bush.
els, Georgia 6,O00, 600, Mississippi
4, OOO, 900, North Carolina 5000, 600,
South Carolina 4, 600, OOO, aud the other
Southern States in 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 the one-sided statistics of the
census are those relating to the sugar
and molasses crops. The only state.
that make returns Of sugar from, cane are
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana
Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas,
Tennessee returns only two hOgsleaus.
The only states returning more than
1000 hogshca4ls arc Louisiana 221, 200,
Texas j, 900, and FL ,rila and Gcorgi:
each but little mo1e than 1000. Ol
molasses from cane, Louisiana pro.
luccs IL, OOO, 900 gallons, and the other
states named return about the same
yield relatively to their sugar crops,
except that South Carolina makes IO
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 10.
OOO, coo pounds. The production IF
New York is somewhat larger, b,;
nothing compared with the difference
in area. The only other States when
return more than 1,Ooo,0oO pounds
are: Michigan, 1000, 600: Ohio, s.
$50, 900; Pennsylvania, nearly 3,OOO,-
600 New Hampshire, 2.25O, 600 ;
Idniana, 1,IN, 600; Massachusetts, l,
few pounds more than 1000, OGo. The
total production is IL, oOO, 900 pounds
The total production If maple molass-
SEES is $500, $50 gallons, of which Ohio
returns nearly 4(O, 900 gallous, Indiana
nearly 300, 900, kentucky lao, 900, and
the other States smaller amounts,