The New York herald., 1879-08-26
THE COMING HARVEST.

AUGUST RETURNS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRIcULTURE-A FALLING OFF IN CORN
BucKwHEAr AND POTATOES MORE PROMISING
THAN LAST YEAR
WASHINGTON. August %. 1879.
The August returns of the Department OF AGricui-
ture show that the general average OF tho condition
OF corn on August was % against 80 in July. AS
compared with August. 1878. there Is considerable
decline. being e3 this ana 96 last year.
CORN.
or LIZA counties reporting the condition OF the
crop on August !. 23o report full average condi-
ton. and s0s report above and ga below.
The New England aud Middle Atlantic States all
show high average. and the only complaints were
OF lare spring. In Pennsylvania and Maryland the
drought was not very injurious and timely rains re-
stored the crops to fair average, In Virginia and
the South Atlantic States the drought cut short the
early planted corn; the late planted s in condition
10 be benefited by rains generally reported ut dat, OF
returns lathe Gulf States Alabama and Mississippi
the condition Is reported hne, but Louisiana sio ws
poorly and Texas makes the record any State
in the Unton kentucky. Ohio and Indiana report an
average condition. somewhat below that OF last year.
while Illinois reports very high condition. The
States west of tho Mississippi all report most ex
traordipary growth and most favorable prospects,
Iowa reports l0!. Missouri l5. Kansas ia and Ne
braska 113. The Pacific States with their sna! area
planted In tins cereal, note u fair average.
The area planted in buckwheat shows q slight de-
crease since last year. The States OF New York and
Pennsylvania in which onehalf OF the buck wheat
OF the country is grown. show a loss of three per
cent. In Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. which pro-
duce the larger portion of the remainder the aver
age s nearly the same ~ last year The condition Ii
good; rather better than last year at this time
POTATOES.
The condition OF the potato crop Is 81 against 81
in July. The New England States show stationary
condition at 98 the Middle 95 to l02,
the South Atlantic States fall from % to S. the Gulf
States are stationary at so. the Southern inland
States fall from 81 to 3D. the States north OF the OHIO
show very marked impro vement. rising from "a to
%. West of the Mississippi there is decline from
lo1 to 9s. while on the Pacific slope there is
slight appreciation from 100 to l0l. In
the northern part Of the Atlantic slope.
appear to have been very favorable. The Colorado
beetle is mentioned by but two correspondents in
this region. Further south the drought consider
ably affected the crop. In the Gulf states this crop
Is grown to limited extent being displaced by
sweet potatoes The leading complaint there is lack
tain the July average tho Southern inland States.
but the crop was saved from serious disaster. The
earliest paintings wore generally most successful.
The improving influence Of July rains was felt
especially in the region north OF the Ohio
RAvAGEs OF THE BEETLE.
On the eastern slope OF the Mississippi the cold
fashioned potatotbug" is noted, but its ravages were
mostly local. McDonough. H.. reports the fields
sippi the crop was needing ram. but in Hamilton.
NeD.. the rains were excessive. The crop the
whole is we'll reported on the Pacific coast
CHOP.
The summer of 1879 has not been favorable for the
hay crop. The drought Of June and July. which
was so detrimental to the other crops, also
seriously shortened this. Timothy hay Is above
the average in only eight States. In the
New England and Middle States the crop is good.but
bordering the Ohio River the cause
drought-has reduced the product very materially
favorable. while in Kansas and Missouri they
are very low. The Pacific States report very high
averages At the date OF the returns rains gen
orally reported and the prospect for the fall pas
lures was good.