Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-06
The Harvest---IRcreased Production
OfGsrain and Fruit.

W. sAhA
The season is now 30 far advanced that the
condition Of growing crops indicates with
reasonable certainty the result of the harvest.
As usual there have been partial or complete
failures in limited localities, but, taking the
whole country, this is year Of abundant pro-
ductioh. In wheat, the Department of Agri-
culture estimates an increase Of four per cent.
above the large crop of last year. The con-
dition of the corn crop is reported seven per
cent. better than at the same time last year,
with an increase of one per cent. of the area
in cultivation, making a probable aggregate
of eight per cent. above the yield of 1879.
Within the last fifteen years the production
of both wheat aud corn has increased in ratio
largely above this ratio of increase in popula-
ton. The quantity of each of these great
staples produced last year, was about double
that of ten years before, aud the product of
the present season is expected to exceed that
of any previous year. This shows, contrary
to what is frequently taught, that agricultural
productions more than keep pace with the
general progress of the country. II is not
alone in these two leading staples that pro-
duction has increased in a ratio exceeding
the increase Of population. In small fruits,
and in nearly all orchard and garden products,
the increased production compared with the
increase of inhabitants is still greater The
value of orchard and garden products, includ-
ing small fruits, for the year 1880 may be es-
timated at $50, 200, 900. All that was re-
ported by the census of 1850 amounted TO on
ly $4,000 600. If we estimate the actual
value at double this amount, we have still, in
period of thirty years. a six-fold increase in
these products. The value of the strawberry
crop alone is now estimated at more than the
entire value of all garden products as given
in the census of 1850. The success that has
been attained in the cultivation of the straw
berry has stimulated the production of other
small fruits and doubtless the increase in the
quantity and variety of fruitage wi i'll continue
for some years. The demand for fruit in
creases with the supply. single city now
consumes annually 70, 900 bushels of straw
berries yet this quantity, large as it appears,
is not twentieth part of the strawberry crop
of the whole country. 1t will help us to un-
derstand the extent of the fruit industry if
we consider here that the value of the straw
berry crop itself is only about one-thirtieth of
the value of fruit of all kinds which this
country produces. The estimated value of
the fruit crop of the United States for this
year is more than one and half times the
assessed value of all the property in the State
of Vermont. The progress that has been
made in fruit culture-the impro vement in
the quality and the increase in the quantity
is public benefaction. No industry is de-
serving of more encouragement. That the
daily use of fruit promotes health seems to
admit of no question. 1T is not only justly
esteemed a luxury, but is, what cannot be
said of many so-called luxuries, productive of
health" 1t has been said, that as an article
of food, whether cooked or otherwise, the ap-
pie is the most nutritious and wholesome of
all fruits. We have reason to rejoice at the
prospect of the abundant harvest of this no.
BILE fruit.