The New York herald., 1874-08-03
CONDITILN OF THE CROPS.
Digest OF the Monthly Report OF the De-
partmcnt OF Agriculture.


WASHINGTON, August 2, 1874.
The report or the Department OF Agriculture for
July shows that the average condition OF winter
wheat iOr the whole country is 1O4 The most IA
vorable conditions OF growth are found In several
OF the States IN which other crops suffered most
severely. Arkansas, the maximum, I44; Tennes-
see, 1l9; West Virginia. 11S; Kentucky, III. In
these States severe and destructive drought
commencing shortly before wheat harvest gave to
this grain fine opportunity for rpening thor
oughly, bat told fearfuly upon all spring ana sum-
mer crops. In the Middle States the crop was
generally above average. and In the States
north or the Ohio nearly or quite average. ohio,
/ where drought has most prevailed, shows the
highest average 105. West OF the Mississippi the
crop was generally very good and above average
except where late sowings were caught by chinch
bugs, which, with other causes, reduced the aver
age OF Kansas TO 80. This plague was also 1elt in
a Jew localities in Virginia and North Carolina, but
the crop in the southern wheat States generally
showed considerable margin above average
though Texas reached only s4. In New England
the small acreage OF winter wheat was somewhat
injured by winter killing. The Futz wheat, from
seed furnished by this department. is favoraby
reported from Chester, Pa, but rusted badly and
yielded lightly in Talbot and Calvert, Md. In Buck
lngham, Va, 1t eXcelled all other varieties. In
Augusta 1t rlpened several days before any other.
In Madison 1t retained It's prestige, as also IN
a half crop, and rustea badly in Dinwiddie.
In Stanly, North Carolina binders complain OF the
weight s OF the saeaves' In Fannln, Georgia 1t is
vigorous and productive, excelllng all other va
rletIes. TappanannocK wheat is also reported as
very successful IN several portions OF the country
Its occasional failures being generally traced to
special abnormal cond tlons.
shows general average OF nInety-six. In New
England 1t was, on the whole, considerably above
average though backward In several counties
de states 1t Is below average In the North
western States 1t especially suffered rom the raw
ages OF the chinch bugs and other insects. In Ohio
Nebraska and on the Pacific Coast the crop was
above average. In several counties in Indiana the
chlnch bug was demonstrating seriously. In Morgan
several fields were destroyed and were pl ugned
up TO be put IN other crops. illinois reports
those districts OF Wisconsin where drOughts pre-
vailed the same mis- ortune is noted. In several
insects and saved the crops from their ravages,
but not until alter considerable damage had been
done. In missouri the chncn nuisance was quite
serious. In Csid wen county the injury to the crop
was estimated varionsly from thirty-fve to fifty
per cent. IL is noticed in Benton that while the
crop was badly injured prairie soils
on timber land it reached full average. Pettis
reports the insects as reducing the crop from
twenty-five TO thir ty per cent In other counties,
however, the pest is hardly noticeable and tue
crops are uncommonly promising. The chino
also iniests the spring wheat Of Kansas; IN Ander
son they nearly ruined The crop. In Franklin and
Wilson farmers propose to SOW no more wheat till
ssSufe1 aaanss r1 as fsH in some countess as IN
affected, especially the drliled wheat; but broad.
cast crops were badly affected In Nebraska,
where the pest did not appear the crop was above
average. In one or two counties an aversion to
IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR HARVESTING
is noted. Farmers preferred having extra labor
to purchasing reapers and mowers. In some locali.
ties OF California the crop was affected by hOt, dry
weather and north winds. In some counties IN
Oregon heavy rains produced a heavy growth,
winch % 1t was feared might prove excessive. In
Utah the crop was injured by cut-wOrms.
THE SORGHUM CROP
Alabama has increased her acreage Of sorghum
il per cent. Minnesota, per cent; Texas 4 per
cent. Mississippi and Arkansas, per cent; Kan
sas, per cent. Delaware reports the same aver
age as last year. In other States there is q de-
cine. the minimum, u per cent, being IN |
Maryland. New England, New York, New Jersey, !
PENNSYLVANIA, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana,
California and oregon make no returns OF |
the CROP The condition is one per cent above aver.
age in Texas; full average IN Delaware, Michigan
Kentucky showing the greatest dechne-43 per |
cent below average. Several counties in
different parts OF the country report declining |
interest In sorghum culture.
SUGAR CANE
SIX states report the cultivation Of sugar cane,
IN an OF winch the e., average has been Increased,
Georgia, l0s; Louisiana, 104 Florida, I03. The
condition in all these States is above average, |
Florida, lO4; Alabama. 1O2, and Georgia. l0I. Il IS
the prevalent opinion tnat the Louisiana sugar
product will be equal TO that of 1873, notwith
THE WOOL CLIP
was larger than last year In Nebraska ISL: Ore
aud Indiana, 103 Arkansas and Missouri, IO2:
south Carolina, 10l. 1t was equal to last year In
crease II per cent, was in Vermont. Among the
larger wool-producing States OHIO decreases her
clip per cent; Illinois, per cent; New York ana
Kentucky, 9per cent. There is very marked IN
crease OF wool production in the States west Of the
and on the Pacific Coast.