Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-12
THE CROPS.
Unusually Full Returns from Every Part
OF Tennessee Give Assurance OF
General Average, Taking
One Thing
With AnOther-From Georgia and Flor.
ida the same Good News is Heralded
The Cotton Crop Promises a
Faic Yield.
state Crops and Statistical Reports for

state Crops and Statistical Reports for
June, 1875.
STATE BuREkU OF AGRICULTURE. STATIsTICsl
AND MINES AND IMMIGRATION, :
NASHVILLE, TENN, July 10, 1878.
l have unexceptionalIy full returns from
sixty three counties; twenty from East Ten
nessee, twenty-eight from Middle Tennessee,
and fifteen from West Tennessee.
WEATHER.
The weather has been, in the main, highly
propitious for growing crops. During the
past month showers have been frequent, but
in some localities there we're heavy and long
continued rains, which have thrown the
farmers back In their work and caused con-
siderable injury to the hay and wheat crops.
In East Tennessee Is counties report season
able weather, and 2, Hamblen and Loudon,
dry. In Middle Tennessee "a seasonable and
wet viz: Franklin. Humphreys, Maury
and Irousdae. In West Tennessee 9 sea-
sonabie and 6 wet
WHEAT.
Information enough has been obtained 10
Justify the conclusion that previous estimates
of this crop were not too iGTsI In the report
for Nav, the estimate was put at tSsosthlrds
of an ordinary crop. Since the threshlDg has
begun, even this may appear too large, mas
much as the average yield so far i5 about four
and a half bushels per acre. Assuming the
acreage of wheat sown the past fall to have
been 800, 600 acres, this will give an aggre-
gate for the wheat crop of 5, $50, 900 bushels,
which is about half of that last year The
heavy rains which have prevailed IN some
sections of the State have seriously damaged
the white whests. The red varieties, where
we'll stacked, have so far been unipJured, ex-
cept a little discoleratlou of the grain In the
exposed bundles. few eounties-notably,
Cl.ibsrne, Hawkins and Scott--stil report
heavy crops Of wheat; but these are excep-
tional, and it is possible that the estimates
may prove too high when the thresher shall
have done its work. More than halt the
counties In the State report only half crop,
many one-thlrd, and few three-fourths.
OATS
Though the wheat crop has proved almost
failure in the State, it Is gratifying 10 know
that the oat crop is the best that has been
raised for several years. Every variety APP
pears to have done we'll, and but few cases of
rust appeared up to the first OF July. Some
damage was done the crop IN many counties
from severe and long continued rains. In
loH places, where the oats were rank, The oats
have fallen down and have been materially
injured The weather for harvesting this
crop has been bad, and the harvest in the
northern parts of the State is not over at the
date of this report The facts justify me in
putting the crop at ITO.
TOBACCO.
Though the seasons in the tobacco gtowlng
been exceedingly scarce. When set oat they
have, in a majority of instances, been scafd-
ed by the intolerable heat of a summers sun.
All fields planted after the thirteenth of June
are badly missing. That planted previously
stands well, but the growth has by no means
! been uniform or healthy. Early buttoning is
complained of, as we'll as splndiing and
sickly growth. In fact, the season has not
| been the most favorable for the growth OF
this plant Too much ram Injuries the crop,
causing it to french and to grow badly. In
many places the crop has suffered for want OF
proper cultivation. Weeds and grass are
| painfully conspicuous in many tobacco fields,
! and the continued wet weather In the
| GAINESVILLE tobacco district gives but little
opportunity to work it. The first planting is
now coming in top, but the leaves are narrow
and poorly developed have heard no COM
| plant of the horn worm (sphynr CarOlina)
and it ia to be hoped we shall have a sur
cease OF its ravages during the season. I'm
der all the circumstances ] do not anticipate
that more than a two-thlrds crop will be
housed. The average In Middle Tennessee Is
| 70 SIP; in West Tennessee, 10 40. Sew
| eral counties heretofore raising it have
| abandoned its culture for market.
| HAY.
The crop of clover has been exceedingly
| luxuriant and those who took advantage OF
the favorable weather in early June saved
| large amount of excellent hay. Timothy and
| herds grass have also had a fine growth, but
| unfortunately the harvest began just as the
wet weather set in. a large amount Of hay
| has Leen ruined or seriously damaged, and
| though the growth of the grass was every
| thing that could be desired | am not pre-
| pared, with the information before me, to
| give more than an ordinary average OF this
| crop.
Never in the history of the State have there
| hao,, hattar ror0SDpcts for this great cereal.
| Everywhere the fields are waving In the beau
| ty of a luxuriant growth. 1t has now ar
| rived at the period of silking and tasselIng,
and without some unforeseen calamity the
crop will be heavy one. Usually 1t has
been well titled, but in a few counties the
grass and weeds have damaged it to some ex-
tent. 1 feel justified in putting the crop at
ITO.
COTTON.
Too much rain is complained of in many
of the counties. Lice are also affecting the
plant In West Tennessee, Benton reports
the crop at 80. Crockett at 80, Decatur at
from Is to 80, Dyer at ITO, Fayette at 100,
Hardeman at 100, Henderson at from Is to
80, Henry at rs, Lake at from rs to 80,
Lauderdale at from 80 to 100, Madison at ITO,
Obion at from Is to 80, Shelby at from So to
100, Upton at from 20 to 80, being on an av-
erage of 92 for West Tennessee. For Middle
Tennessee, Dickson county reports for cotton
so. Franklin go TO IS, Giles So Marshall rs,
Maury rs, Rutherford 100, Wayne so and
Wilson so, being an average OF % for this
division. East Tennessee raises cotton only
for domestic consumption.
PEANUTS.
The planting has been considerably reduced
in consequence of the low prices which pre-
vailed in early spring. | have not full re-
turns from all the peanut growing counties,
but the crop as reported Is 70.
LABOR.
Its fact upon which the people of the
State may we'll congratulate themselves that
fewer complaints as to the efficiency of labor
has reached this department than usual:
When the laborers have been well and
promptly paid, and managed with decision
and frmness, very little trouble has been ex-
periepced. On the other hand, where there
has been slack discipline and payments Tor
wages deferred, compla nts have been COM
mon on both sides. The system
of cropping has also about
run its course Landowners now know that
The fertility of the soil and the Improvement
of the farm cannot be kept up under such a
pernicious and miserable system. The only
profitable way to employ labor on the farm or
In the workshop is to pay promptly and exact
| obedience in all matters relating to the per-
Torrance of the duties for which the laoorer
| is employed. There cannot be Two masters
on one farm or in one workshop. 1t Is as
necessary to success to have controlling
head as to have center to the solar system.
The price of farm hands in East Tennessee,
with board, varies from 81 to Sl2; without
hoard. from SII to $16; in Middle Tennessee
from IS to $l5 with board, and from $l2 to
800 without board. The same prices peevall
in West Tennessee. Generally the highest
prices are paid in the tobacco growing coun-
ties.
IMMIGRATION.
Immigration to a southern State invariably
falls off in the summer months. During the
month of June only eighty seven reported to
this Office as having made the State their
permanent abode Notwithstanding this
falling off. it is believed that the State never
has had a better outlook in this regard.