Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-09-18
The COuntry,s Crops.

The August returns to the Department
of Agriculture show that the general av-
erage condition ofcOrn at the first of Au-
gust was 50 per cent. against 50 per cent. I
in July. As compared with August, 1873, |
there is considerable decline, the aver |
age being 96 per cent. last year. Of the |
1,l72 counties reporting the condition of |
the crop at the first of August, 239 report
full average condition, 300 above and
624 below. The New England and Mid
die Atlantic States all show a high aver
age, and the only complaints were of late
spring. In Pennsylvania and Maryland
the drought was not very injurious, and
the timely rains restored the crops to
fair average. In Virginia and Southern
Atlantic States the drought cut short the
early planted corn. The late planted was
in condition to be benefited by the rains
genearlly reported at the date of the re-
turns. In the gulf States, Alabama and
/ Mississippi report a fine condition, but
| Louisiana is low and Texas makes the
worst record of any State in the Union.
| Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana report the
average somewhat below that Of last year,
while Illinois reports very high eondi-
ton. The States west of the Mississippi
all report extraordinary growth and most
favorable prospects. Iowa reports 104,
Missouri 115, Kansas ia, and Nebraska
113. The Pacific States, with their small
area planted in this cereal, note a fair
average.
/, The area planted in buckwheat shows a
slight decrease since last year. New York
and Pennsylvania, in which One-half OF
, the buckwheaG of the country is grown,
show loss of 3 per cent, and in ONO.
? Michigan and Wisconsin, which produce
: larger portion of the remainder, the
{ acreage is nearly the same as last year.
r The condition is good, rather better than
, last year at this time.
! The condition of the potato crop is 81
: per cent. against SO in July. The New
f England SfatesshOw a stationary cOndi-
! tion at SO per cent. the Middle States rise
j from 50 to 102 per cent; the South At
{ lantic States fall from 80 to SS per cent. /;
the Gulf States are stationary at 80 per
Z cent; the Southern inland States fall
' from 81 to 81 per cent; the States North
) Ofthe Ohio show very marked improve
ment, rising from "a to "a per cent; west
of the Mississippi there is 4 decline from
. 101 to SO per cent, while on the Pacific
] slope there is a slight appreciation from
100 to I01 per cent. In the northern por-
. tion of the Atlantic slope, above Maryland
o the condition of the growth appears tC
> have been favorable. The beetle is men
{ { toned by but two correspondents in thi;
{ region. Fnrther south the drought con
), siderably affected the crop. In the Gull
> States this crop is grown to limited ex-
T tent, being displaced by sweet potatoes
), The complaint here is lack of moisture
Rains were in time to maintain the July
: average in the Southern inland States
but the crop was saved from serious dis
j aster. The earlier paintings were gener
n ally the most successful. The improving
o influence of the July rains was felt espe
+ cially in the region north of the Ohio. Or
,, the eastern slope ofthe Mississippi the oil
II fashioned potato bug is noted, but its raw
> ages are mostly local. McDonough, Hi
: nois, reports the fields nearly stripped @
Q leaves by it. In western Mississippi tn
u crop was needing rain, but in Hamilton
e Nebraska, the rains were excessive. TIL
+ crop on the whole is well reported on tn
Pacific coast.
The summer of 1879 has not been favor
s able for the hay crop. The drought {
June and July which was so detriments
to other crops, also seriously shortene
this. Timothy hay is above the averag
i'm only eight States. In the New Englan
and Middle States the crop is good, but
all the Southern States it is short. In tn
of States bordering on the Ohio river til
at same canse, drought, reduced the prOdu'
ct very materially since 1873. In the Nortl
he western States returns are favorable
IL, while in Kansas and Missouri they al
lis very low. The Pacific States report
very high average. At the date of Il
We returns rains were gene rally reports
nd and the prospect for fall pasture W
n good.