Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-15

Estimates Of the condition of crops in
Tennessee, as reported to the Commissioner
of Agriculture to November l, show the fol-
lowing averages for the State:
Corn, 172 per cent. cotton, lot; tobacco,
100; sorghum, 148; millet, 112; late Irish
potatoes, 1919; sweet potatoes, 1870; apples,
1877; peaches, LOG; grapes, "a; peanuts, 101;
wheat sown, 80; grass sown, SO; stock, 100;
turnips, 81.
In his general remarks the commissioner
says:
This has been prosperous year for the
farmers of Tennessee, though laboring un-
der many disadvantages, resulting from the
partial failure of crops last year, in conse-
quence of the drought. They have labored
theoretically and industriously. and their
labors have been crowed with abundant suc-
cess. Every character of crop cultivated in
the State has yielded abundantly. The mis-
fortune of last year taught economy. The
farmers of Tennessee went in debt to a
smaller extent during the last season than in
former years, and in consequence larger
per centage of the crop raised is now their
own. Another lesson was learned which,
with the one just stated, it will be well to
remember. Owing to the abundant rainfall
of last winter and early spring, serious APP
prehensions we're entertained of drought in
the summer. This apprehension led to q
better preparation of the soil by deeper till
age. Our abundant crops are doubtless, in
part at least, attributable to this cause.
The backwardness of the cotton crop at
| one time gave rise to fears that the yield
| would be light. These fears have been dis
sipated by the highly favorable character of
the fall season and by the absence of killing
| frost to later date than usual.
Our corn crop surpasses any former ex-
perience.
| The crop of potatoes, both Irish and
sweet, is unusually fine.
The crops of fruits and vegetables have
proven abundant.
Much of the fruit and vegetable crop has
been advantageously marketed.
Large quantities of fruit, especially
| peaches, have been dried, and in this form
have added materially to the income or te
the stores of our farmers.
| Our forests have yielded immense stores
| of nuts and acorns, SO that hogs will, IL
many localities, be fatted with bat slight
draft upon our corn stores.
Pastures have been excellent and stock Of
all kinds are generally in fine condition. II
only few localities have epidemics among
stock prevailed. Hogs are reported al
scarce in nearly all parts of the State, and il
may be reasonably expected that the price,
of pork, lard and bacon will continue to rult
high. While this may be expected, I do no
apprehend that there will be greater, or ever
as great scarcity of these commodities as il
the past season. The great abundance Of
feed will lead those who have hogs to max,
the most of them. Sanitarians, believe
universally conoede that the common diet O
our people would be more wholesome if the
hog, in its various forms, entered less large
| ly into its composition.
The abundance of provender in the coun
try furnishes the opportunity, by better
feeding and more care of milk cows, O.
substituting daily products, milk, butter
and cheese, for pork, bacon and lard
Doubtless the substitution might largely b.
made with advantage, both as to health ant
economy.
The dryness of the fall season, combined
with absence of frost to destroy the various
kinds of insect life, has caused farmers il
some portions of the State to delay tn
sowing of wheat, though in other localities
quite large acreage has been sown, an,
the fields are now becoming green with tn
promise of another harvest.