Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-01-30
The Yield Of the Soil.

We presented day or two ago few of tie
figures contained in the report of the Depart
ment of Agriculture for the past year, and a
further inspection of the document shows how
full it is of encouragement, not only for the
farmer, but for those who are 10 be fed, and
for the merchant and manufacturer, whose op-
erations equally revolve around the staff of
life and its adjuncts. The largest degree of
interest, of course, attaches to the product of
the great staples of wheat and corn during
1878, but for some unexplained reason-prob-
bably because all the returns had not been re-
ceived-the report says nothing concerning
wheat. With regard to corn, however, the
showing is exceedingly satisfactory. Fifty
one millions of acres were planted in 1878,
less by 100000 than during the precedil g
year, yet either from natural fertility of the
soil or improved methods of cultivation, the
yield shows an increase of 80, ,OOO, 600 bushels.
In the production of barley California takes
the lead. AS it is mainly used in brewing
beer, its growth may not be looked upon ia
sorably by one class of the people, yet malt
liquor is doing service in taking the place
of the stronger alcoholic drinks. The barley
crop has increased from Is, 600, 900 bushels in
1870 to AZ, 600, 900 bushels last year, and Cali
fornia alone had CSC, 600 acres in barley.
Rye holds on as one of the crops, but it is q
small factor in the immense yield of cereals.
New England does not give 1t up, as it grows
better there than wheat, and there are many
old farmers in that section who were brought
up to it. The total yield was about 16,000,-
600 bushels. The oats crop was the largest
ever produced in this country, and it is pleas
ant to note that in this, as well as in some
other grains, that there is gradually increas-
ing production IN the Southern States. The
necessity of becoming self-supporting has i'm
pressed itself upon the tillers of the soil in
that section, with the result of a perceptible
Improvement in their affairs They are now
raising good deal of corn, oats, wheat, rye
and barley, and Virginia had something to
spare for export. There is no reason why the
South should not now start out upon a new
career of prosperity. With judicious distri-
button of the acreage of cultivation among
cotton, tobacco and the cereals that she can
profitably grow, stream of wealth ought to
be turned towards her Golfers. Cheap and
abundant labor and the settling down of the
people to changes wrought by the war are
cau.es conducting to the Inauguration of an
era in which the South shall be better of than
ever previously.
While the grain yield was so superb in 1878,
thsre were two crops that were generally fail
ures. The potato crop fell of very largely,
partly owing to the rsvages Of insects, but
more owing to extreme heat and drought.
The product is put down at 124, 900, 600 bush
els, against 170,000,000 the previous year.
The price Of course went up; yet not so much
as to put potatoes outside the pale Of cheap
diet. The most remarkable feature connected
with this article is the great number of the
new varieties that have been, as we may say,
invented" during the past few years. Some
of them are noted for their early yield, some
for productiveness, and others for size and
quality. The other crop besides potatoes that
did not turn out well was the grape. Califor-
mia was not behindhand with her varieties,
but everywhere else the vineyards suffered
from combination Of adverse circumstances,
and proprietors gathered no profits from their