The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-14
THE CROPS.
REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOR DECEMBER LAST.

REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT. OF AGRICULTURE
FOR DECEMBER LAST.
WASHINGTON, JAN IS, 1879.
The report Of the Department of Agriculture for
December. just issued, shows the following condi-
ton of crops:-
The season closed with marked improve
turned October / was 96-not quite SO high
October, 1877. The average, found by the June
numbers acres in is and
for 1877 Compared with 1877 the South Atlantic
States show falling of in production, the Guf
illinois, Missouri and Kansas four of the largest pro-
ducing States, declined considerably while all the
other States north Of the Ohio River and in the
Northwest make decided increase. thus making the
aggregate crop for 1873 larger than that Of 1877
30.000,000 bushels.
This result is the more remarkable as it is the
fourth OF an unbroken series of large crops.
The oat crop is somewhat in excess of the very
large Of 1877 constituting it the largest crop
raised in this country. The rate of increase
showing that the average yield per acre
on the whole is somewhat less than last year.
the Atlantic s sGs pspn f the
oat producing region Of the Middle states
The Southern coast States. from North Carolina
to Texas. uniformly increase their product but the
Southern Inland States, as whole. fell OF. The
West Northwest and Pacific States show marked
increase. The Territories also indicate an enlarged
product. The quality of the gram in most of the
States is INTERIOR only Vermont Massachusetts
Rhrde Island Connecticit Alabama Tennessee. Ken.
lucky, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas reporting full
average. The minimum quality appears in the neigh
borhood Of Chesapeake Bay. though portions Of the
Northwest also note deficiency OF weight and other
understandable qualities.
BARLEY.
There is material change in the barley crop for
the year 1873 compared with that OF 1877 except the
great product of California, which will be double
that OF its predecessor The large producing States
of New York, Wisconsin aud Illinois each show q de-
in the number OF acres sowed and slight de-
crease in yield per while Michigan Minnesota
and Kansas show increase in both and yield.
The State of California. which Is the largest produc
ing state. increased her acreage from 100000 to
%hs prodnc for the 1873 will be round
numbers AZ 10000 bushels, while in 1877 the crop
was 81. 100000 bushels. a~ re-
The rye crop turns about onc-sixth larger yield
than in 1877 The Atlantic slope. north of the Poto
bushels The small crop of the Southern States
shows a tendency to decline. though West Virginia
sections of the country report increased yields The
total yield amounted to nearly sixteen million bush
els The quality OF the crop Is below average in
New England except Connecticut and above average
in all the Middle States except Delaware. The crop
OF the SoIth the whole, Il inferior, while in all
the States OF the West Northwest and Pacific slope
the quality is superior except in Illinois ana Ne
braska. The crop shows very little change from last
year. In many parts OF the country there were COM
plants of injury from the extreme heat and drought
POTATOES.
The returns OF December OF the potato crop show
and there is large decline in the product for this
year compared with 1877. The acreage planted was,
within u small percentage the last year. the
difference being less than per cent. The New
England and Middle States fell OFF III production
nearly onethrd; the Sou.h Atlantic States increased
their small yield of 1875 the states north
of the Ohio River declined about one-quar-
ter; the States west of the Mississippi
River show decided increase in production. Tho
leading complaint the extreme heat which
especially affected the late paintings; in places
it was combined with drought and in others with ex
lrsip rot lr al of
the whole country will be 80 bushels per acre,
against % bushels in 1877, thus making q total
product in round numbers OF l24 10000 bushels for
1915. against lT0,0O0,0OO in 1877.
The hay crop 20 per cent greater than last year.
SORGHUM.
Sorghum is receiving increased attention especially
In the Mississippi States and Territories where
the results OF the years culture arc noted by the diff
farent correspondents as very satisfactory On the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts there Is, the whole,
siderable Increase Virginia reports product forty
per cent greater than in 1877. The eastern slope
OF the Mississippi valley shows decline. variety.
called the ',Rethcad." is growing Ia favor with tho
sota amber cane hss .radcod ,hs most saiis;act"ry
results. In Stcarrs county Mimi, this variety is
ported yielding high as 300 gallons of syrup per
acre. Delaware county. Iowa. manufactured 100000
gallons of sorghum syrup during the year aud found
steady home demand tor tho whole.
TOBACCO.
The tobacco crop of 1873 has been secured under
exceptionally suspicious conditions of weather. the
bright days OF September favoring the growth.
while tho unusual delay of severe frost enabled
the plant to mature thoroughly before the
knife applied. OF the large producing
States Virginia. Maryland. Connecticut and Massa-
sets report improvement I'm quality. Twelve
States representing the bulk of the total production
the country. report the production compared with
last year a. folows:-kentucky, 60: Virginia, 49,
Missouri 56 Tennessee. 50; Ohio, 30; Maryland. 81
Indiana. Sd; North Carolina 80; Pcnnsy lvania. 3d.
Illinois, co. Connecticut. 50; Massachusetts, IS.
The conditions Of fruit growth during 1873 were
quite unavorablc The grape culture of the Atlantic
sope very unsucccssi nj, especially In tho region
of the Delaware aud Chesapeake bays. Many whole
vineyards In this section failed to yield anything
that might be called crop. In the South
the hardy Scuppernong succumbcd to
adverse climatic conditions and withheld its
usual abundant product south Carolina. Florida
aud Texas report increased production, but
this branch OF culture s very limited those
states All the States OF the Mississippi Valley re-
port reduced production except Nebraska. where
vine culture Is still In its infancy. California. how.
reports greatly increased Yield OF her peculiar
production. which embraces mostly the European
varieties OF the grape.
The apple crop shows increased yield in all of
the New England states, New York. Texas and thu
Pacific States. In all other states IL shows a falling
of, Missouri reporting loss than half of last years
crop.
All the States yield less pears than last year except
Kansas, Nebraska and California. The crop suffered
most severely in the Middle Atlantic region where
the yield ranges from half to twothrds OF ast year