Daily globe., 1883-08-11
THE CROPS.

The August Report of the Department of
AgrIculture-A Decrease in the Condition
of Cotton-Wheat and Corn Up to the
| Average.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1O.-August cotton
returns to the department of agriculture
are less favorable than those of July. The
condition is lower in every state, except
two on the northern border belt, Virginia
and Tennessee. The plant is suffering
from meteorological vagaries this peculiar
season. 1t was too cold in May, too wet
in June and too dry in July. In Georgia
| injury is greatest, the condition falling
fro m SO to 78. Iu South Carolina the de-
cline has been 81 to 80. The prolific cot
ton belt of middle Alabama has suffered
severely from drought, while the
southern counties and valley of Tennes-
see have had seasonable weather.
The upland counties of central ana north
eastern Mississippi report injury from
drouth very generally. There is need of
rain in central and southern Texas, but the
drouth has been less general and injurious
than in Georgia. There has been ample
rain in a large portion of the Louisiana
| cotton district, and in nearly all cotton
counties in Florida. In Tennessee gener-
| ally, and in majority of the North Caro-
| lima counties, where the drouth has been
severest, fields stimulated by commercial
fertilizers are fruiting the top crop pre-
| maturely and plants are drying up, as is
usually the case under these circumstances.
The general average condition has fallen
to S4 from 80 in July. The record stands
by states Virginia, 81; North
Carolina, 81; South Carolina, so;
Georgia, rs; Florida, 93; Alabama,
80; Mississippi S5; Louisiana S5; Texas
SO; Arkansas 70; Tennessee 80. Reports
of the presence of the caterpillar are num-
erous in the Gulf coast states. Central
| Alabama is infested more seriously than
Texas and Georgia and Louisiana, more
than Mississippi. They are not reported
in Virginia, the Carolinas, or Tennessee, or
Arkansas. The first brood are webbed up
! in some places, the second and fears ex-
pressed of serious injury from the third.
Tons of arsenic in various forms are ap-
piled to avert such calamity. The ball
worm is only reported at few points in
Arkansas and Texas. While 1.-THE relative
| condition of cotton compared with the re-
turns of former years is uhpromising, the
volume of the crop depends largely on the
more critical period from August to Octo-
Der.
CORN.
There has been an improvement in the
appearance of the corn fields during the
month of July, in New England, Middle
states, Ohio valley and west of the Miss
issippi. In Illinois, Missouri and Kansas
it is slight, measured by a single point.
There has been retrograde in the south
in IS Aa
decline in Michigan from too much mois-
ture. Taking the whole area together the
condition advanced from 88 to 80 per cent.
of perfect crop. The condition of the
census crop of 1879 in August was SO, and
the yield twenty eight bushels per acre.
The present returns indicate a yield not
much over twenty-five bushels
per acre, or 1,700,O0O,OOO.
bushels, which is as much as was produced
in 1879.
The condition is six points higher than
last year in August, and lower than in
August from 1870 to 1880 inclusive. The
nights have been too cool for a rapid de-
velopment, and the crop is late. Fears
are expressed that frost may yet cause dis
aster. In August, 1874, the condition was
one degree higher than the present aver
age, the crop late from wet spring and To-
cal summer droughts, and the yield less
than twenty-one bushels per acre. The
average of states of principal production
are: Illinois Sc; Ohio 80; Kentucky 81;
Kansas 81; Nebraska "a; Indiana
95; Michigan 68; Missouri 81;
Iowa S5; Wisconsin So. On the Atlantic
coast: New York & Pennsylvania 80; New
Jersey 101. In the south: Virginia 50;
North Carolina 83; South Carolina 20;
Georgia IA; Alabama 80; Mississippi 81;
Louisiana 100; Texas SO; Arkansas 81;
Tennessee 80.
SPRING WHEAT.
The average of the condition of spring
wheat for August 1, is 81, the same as in
1882. In Wisconsin recent rains have in
jured the crop in the southern and south
western counties, average 80. The pros
pect in Minnesota favors a crop of 1312
bushels per acre, Notwithstanding the bad
weather in the early spring and subse-
quent drought in the northern counties the
condition is SO. The fears excited by the
excessive heat early in July in northern
Dakota, have been happily dispelled.
Cass and Richland counties promise a
better yield than last year. Other counties
will scarcely equal their last record.
In south Dakota the harvest is progressing.
The straw is bright, heads large and the
yield better than last year. The returns
of August do not essentially change the
indicated aggregate of July for the entire
crop. The result of the harvest will be
more fully tested on the return of the
threshers blanks. It is now certain
shortage exists, which will require all the
! surplus of last year and keep prices we'll
sustained.
A cable dispatch received from the Lon
don statistical agent of the department.
says the weather has been unsettled the
first ten days of August, and
the temperature low for this time
of year. The wheat market is advanc-
ing and stocks large. The quality
of the new crop is fair. The general pros
poets of last months dispatch are confirm
ed. Counting decrease of acreage, the
total output of Europe's wheat will be one
fifth less than last year and one-tenth
below average.