The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-03
New Jerseys Agriculture and Industry.

II the Commonwealth OF New Jersey lay
outside of the limits of the United States,
there might be some excuse for the gro
tesque misconception Of its natural resources
which obtains III some parts of this country.
III view of the curious fallacies current on
this subject it may be well to glance at
seine statistics recently compiled by the Cen
tennial Commissioners, and point out, once
for all, what the rank of New Jersey really
Is in the scale of productive and industrial
importance.
There is no doubt that New Jersey is one
OF the smallest States in the Union, being, in
fact, the thirty-thlrd in the list as regards
area. Her soil. thus limited in extent, is not
infrequently alleged to be worthless in quail
ity, made up for the most part of red shale
and barren sands. Now, IL this be true, We
ought TO find the proof Of 1t in the agricul~
tural record OF this region as compared with
other sections of the country. What are the
facts BY the census OF 1870 the average
value of farming lands throughout the
United States was twenty-three dollars per
acre 1t appears that Pennsylvania ranked
highest but one, with mean value Of fifty
eight dollars. Then came New York with
fifty-seven, Connecticut with fifty-two, Ohio
with forty-eght. Illinois and Indiana with
thirty-iive dollars. Highest of all, however
and more than thirty-three per cent above
her nearest rival, we find the disparaged
State Of New Jersey with the surprising av-
erage value of eighty-six dollars to the acre.
Here we should mention that more than half
her area is engrossed by farms, the other
moety being chiefly wood land. Let US turn
TO the mean annual product, and here again
We find that while this was six dollars an
acre for all the farming lands Of the United
States, in New Jerseyit was upward Of four
teen dollars, or more than double the gen
eral average.
1t may Toe said that the exceptionally high
value of Jersey produce is explained by the
accident Of proximity to the great markets
of New York city and Philadelphia. This
remark, however, is equally pertinent TO
large sections Of Pennsylvania, OF Connect-
cut, and Of the State OF New York But let
us conine our glance to grain statistics,
throwing out such extraordinary exhibits as
the return from the market gardens Of Hud-
son county, which showed an average yield
Of Sl77 to the acre. Let Us compare the sand
barrens Of New Jersey, rs to quantity as
well as price Of product, with the great
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more satisfactory peiiig' Indeed from 'hlr-
" 10 nlty per cent hlghcr IMAM III elthef OF
,iie other 'hie' states named, Dut the guam