The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-01-24
LAST YEARS CROPS.


The Onicial Agricultural Report for Decen
ber-Enonnous Yield of Corn, Oats, AN
Bariey-The Potato and Fruit Crops Badi
Damaged.
The report of the Department of Ap
riculture at Washington, for December
just issued, says:
The corn season closed with marke,
improvement in the condition of tn
crop. The condition returned Oct.
was 96.1-not quite so high as October
1877. The acreage as found by tn
June returns shows no material change
being, in round numbers, 51,0O0,OO'
acres in 1878, and 50,300,000 for 1877
Compared with 1877. the South Allan
tic States show falling off III produc
ton and the Gulf States slight in
crease. The States of Kentucky, Hi
nois, Missouri, and Kansas, four of the
largest producing States, decline con
siderably, while all the other States nortl
of the Ohio river and in the Northwes
make q decided increase, thus making
the aggregate crop for 1873 larger than
that of 1877 by some 10000, 900 bushels
This result is the more remarkable as il
is the fourth of an unbroken series oi
large crops.
The oats crop is somewhat in excess
of the very large crop of 1877, consti'
tuting it the largest crop ever raised in
this country. The rate of increase
however. is less than that of the acre
age, showing that the average yield per
acre on the whole is somewhat less than
last year.
There is no material change in the
barley crop for the year 1878, compared
with that of 1877, except the great
product of California, which will be
double that of it's predecessor. The
large-producing States of New York,
Wisconsin and Illinois each show de-
crease in the number of acres sowed,
and slight decrease in yield per acre,
while Michigan, Minnesota and Kansas
show an increase in both acres and
yield. The total product. for the year 1873
will be, in round numbers, 42,000,000
bushels, while in 1877 the crop was a..
100000 bushels.
The rye crop turns out about one
sixth larger yield than in 1877. The
Atlantic slope, north of the Potomac
river, shows an increase of nearly 1,O00,-
600 bushels. The small crop of the
Southern States shows tendency TO
decline, though West Virginia and
Tennessee report increased yields. The
other sections of the country report in
creased yields. The total yield amount
ed to nearly 100000 bushels.
The returns of December of the po-
tato crop show no change from the esti-
mates made in November, and there is
a large decline in the product for this
year as compared with with 1877. The
leading complaint was the extreme heat,
which especially affected the late plant
ings: in some places it WAS combined
with drought, ana in others with ex~
cessive moisture, causing rot The
average yield of the whole country will
be 60 bushels per acre, against "a bush
els in 1877, thus making total prod
uct, in round numbers, of 124, 100000
bushels for 1878, against 170,000,000 in
1877.
The hay crop is 20 per cent. greater
than last year.
Sorghum is receiving increased atten-
ton, especially in the trans Mississippi
States and Territories, where the re-
suits of the years culture are noted by
different correspondents as very salts
factory.
The tobacco crop of 1878 has been
secured under exceptionally suspicious
of weather, the bright days
of September favoring the growth,
while the unusual delay of severe frost
enabled the plant TO mature thoroughly
before the knife was applied.
The conditions of fruit growth dur
ing 1873 were quite unfavorable. The
grape culture of the Atlantic slope was
very unsuccessful. In the South, even
the hardy Scuppernong succumbed to
adverse climatic conditions and with
held its usual abundant product.
The apple crop shows an increased
yield in all of the New England States,
New York, Texas, and the Pacific States.
In all other States it shows falling off,
Missouri reporting less than half of last
years crop.
Pears-All the States yield less than
last year, except Kansas, Nebraska. and
California. The crop suffered most Sc
verely in the Middle Atlantic region,
where the yield ranges from half to
two-thirds of last years.