The Indiana State sentinel., 1881-06-22
THE CROPS.
report of the Yield ms shown by the Gen.
sus OF lS79-AL Large Increase i'm the North
Deficit I'm the South.

heport or the Yield as shown by the Cen
sus of1s79-AL Large Increase i'm the North
Deficit I'm the South.
WASHINGTON, June 16.-The Census Office
to-day issued the report of ]. r. Dodge,
special agent for the collection of statistics
OF agriculture, giving the result of the first
count OF the area, and product OF cereals. OF
several States and Territories. Dodge says:
1T is the census taken in 1880 of the crops of
1879, and acreage, on which they were
grown 1t is given in comparison with the
production of 1862 reported in the census
OF 1870. Supplementary and corrected re-
turns may slightly change these aggregates
In final publication. The most striking
suggestion of these figures Is the unprece-
dented advance in the production during
the last decade, amounting to nearly 100 per
cent for all kinds taken together, while the
! increase of the ten yea rs preceding was but u
per cent. This wide difference is largely
real from obvious causes, though in part
only apparent by reason of the partial
failure of the corn crop of go and the
heavy yields of 10 The cereal increase
between 80 and go, the period of great
agricultural growth, was 43 per cent, as re-
ported by the census. The acreage of crops.
now for the first time given by the census,
will, in the future, prevent a misleading
effect of very low and of excessive produc-
tion in census years.
Corn-The apparent increase in corn is
133 per cent There are three great corn
souri-producing more than the entire
country in 49, The advance in
Illinois, from 129921, S95 to 327, ,796, ,s95
bushels is in great part the result of
extension of area, but largely due to the
fact that the crop of so was partial failure
by reason of drought The fine food in
creased in Kansas is caused by heavy immi-
grafton and cheap and fertile lands; and
still higher rate progress, from similar
causes, is noted in Nebraska. Yet in each
OF these States there was belt of low yield
from draught and grasShoppers
The cotton States shows a gain of about 40
per cent. since 20. A low ratio between the
figures of area and product in several of
these States is partially explained by the
general prevalence of draught. The Pacific
Coast region Is not especially well suited to
this crop. The exhibits shows a credita-
BILE increase in fair proportion to
the advances in population. AS
was expected there is a small extension of
maize cultivation in the Territories whichis
impracticable, if not impossible, on all but
the lowest elevations.
Wheat shows a comparatively steady and
rapid increase. The wheat growing is shown |
by comparison with former enumerations, |
the gain being 73 per cent. in last decade, |
ana 66 and go respectively in those immedi- |
ately preceding. All States and Territories |
except Florida and Wyoming, include |
wheat in their report. Several States on the |
Atlantic and Gulf coasts show a diminished |
is produced in nine States, in the following |
order of precedence: Illinois, In |
diana, Ohio. Michigan, Minnesota,
Iowa, California, Missouri, Wisconsin, |
There has been for several years an increas- |
ing interest in wheat culture in all the |
Southern States, especially in the Piedmont |
regions of the Carolinas and Georgia, and in |
the northern and central Counties of Texas |
and there has been a disposition to expert |
ment in more Southern portions of the cot |
ton belt, even in Louisiana and Florida, |
being confined in the former State to the
northern parishes on the uplands between |
Ovachita and the Red River.
The low rate yield in the Southern States
is not altogether due to unsuitable soil or
to unfavorable climatic condition, but the |
practice of using wheat fields for winter pas
ture, considerations often deemed more in
portant than harvesting ripened grain. The
season Of 1879 was also exceptionally favor
able in that region. The average yield was
but five cor six. bushels in several of these
States.
0ats-The production of oats has been ex-
tended MANLY IN the West and South. |
Four-tenths of the area of this crop, with
nearly hall of its product, is found in four
Iowa, New York and Penn
sylvania. Heretofore il has been an un-
promising and unpopular crop in southern
latitudes, being extremely liable to blight
until the introduction of ''rust proof varie-
ties and practice of fall sowing for winter
pasture.
Barley-California and New York still
produce nearly half of this crop. Wiscon-
SIM Iowa and Minnesota have made the
heaviest increase, and now produce larger
part of the remaining half. 1t is making no
lppreciable advance in the South
Rye-The increase of rye has been only II
per cent, showing decline in the produc-
ion in proportion to the population.
Illinois and New York still
produce about half the crop.
Buckwheat-The increased production of
his minor cereal has not been in proportion
70 the advance in population. As in 1870
t Is scarcely grown in the South, and very
little in the West, two-thirds of the crop
being the product of New York and Penn
,ylvania.
In California, Oregon, Washington Terri
tory and Alaska the number of persons en-
gagged in the fishing business during 1880 ag-
yregated 1915, employing 5,547 vessels and
boats valued at 1888, AS. The capital in
vested in vessels, boats, apparatus and out
its and buildings and apparatus of manufac-
ture, 81, 74S. .3S3. The total value of the pro-
duct was So 54S, 277.