The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-03
NORTH CAROLINA

THE AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK REPORTS
FROM SIXTY COUNTIES AND WHAT THEY
NORTHUMBERLAND DEvELOPMENTs--
TEE VIRGINIA AND CAROLINA RAILROAD.
correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.1
RALEIGH, May %, 1888.
The occurrence OF cold spell in May
mas become one OF those meteorological
facts that is anticipated, and creates atten-
ton only by failure 10 arrive on schedule
Tune. IL Is upon Us in full force now, and
It's protracted stay Is a cause OF alarm TO
nervous farmers, who annually predict a
total failure in all the crops. The winds
are north. northeast, and very thus.
Warm weather will, however, soon set
things 10 rights.
Mr.. McGehee, the Commissioner OF Ag-
riculture, has received reports from about
seventy OF the ninety-siX counties in the
State in regard to the area of this years
crops, and they do not give very dismal
forecast. No general cause is operating to
produce marked change OF crops in the
State, and the increase in acreage is nor
NAL.
Take first the money crops, cotton and
tobacco:
In cotton thirteen counties report an
"
sixteen counties report an average decrease
in area OF II per cent. twenty-four cOun-
ties report the same acreage as last year.
In the sixteen counties reporting q de-
crease are the counties in which cotton is
the staple money crop, and therefore in
stead OF exhibiting about the same acreage
us last year II Is fair TO assume that there
will be a slight decrease in the amount OF
Ian Tod 10. I'm. ttsit Of
There are reasons ready to hand for this
decrease the low price OF cotton and the
increased attention given TO bread crops.
In tobacco, on account of the rayages OF
the fly and the loss OF plants, there is a
marked decrease.
Reports from the largest tobacco-grow-
ing counties indicate decrease of from 80
TO % per cent.-notably Stokes and Person.
Twenty counties report the same acreage
as last year; % an average decrease OF %
per cent.
The cereal crops all show a gratifying in
crease.
In wheat. 81 counties show an average
increase OF II per cent; 20 counties show
an average decrease Of - per cent. 81
counties show the same rs last year.
In oats. 10 counties show an average in
average decrease of 10 per cent. - coun-
ties show the same a. last year.
In rye. 4 counties show an average in
crease OF II per cent. counties show an
average decrease OF II per cent. Fl coun-
ties show the same rs last year.
In rice. counties report an average in
crease Of % per cent, counties report an
average decrease OF II per cent, and 7
uvft l,.. la.f
In corn, 81 counties report an AVERAGE in
crease OF IL per cent, counties report an
average decrease OF 10 per cent. aud -
counties report the same rs last year.
From this rate of increase i'm cereals il
is not improbable that the cOrn-cribs will
be removed from the great West TO the self
sustaining South i'm the future that is at our
doors. Ii the principle that revolutions
never 20 backwards is without exception,
there can be no doubt that diversified and
extensive farming will be the result OF the
painful, dreary, and desultory farming that
has been the rule under the new system OF
labor.
Leaving agriculture for mining. progress
can be reported in the gold and copper
mines OF the State. Elk-knob copper
mine, in Waiauga county, is working sew
enty-6ye hands. aud. it is said, with good
results. New god-iinds are reported near
Asheville, and the Hoover mine, in which
they say more salt than gold has been found,
has Unexpectedly turned into very far
property indeed.
The Cape Fear and Yakin-Yalley railroad
has been put upon good footing and con-
tract made for the delivery Of 5000 tons Of
steel rails, to begin within thirty days.
The right OF way has been secured, and the
wilmington and Weldon railroad will be-
gin its shortcut from Wilson Uid Fayette-
vile this month.
4 great many inquiries are made about
the Virginia and Carolina railroad, from
Richmond to Ridgeway. y. 2. The route
has been surveyed; but will il be built as
.hort-lne direct route to the South?
The municipal ENHANCEMENT here has
been disengaged. and has ceased TO be the
topic for street-corner politicians. The re-
suit is that the administration is returned
for one year.