Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-11
Ha-Has--Ha
THE CROP REPORT.
Department s,atistics-Cotton. Corn, Pota-
toes, and Hay.

Department statistics-Cotton, Corn, Pota-
toes, and Hay.
[By telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, November l0.-The
crop report Of the Department Of Agri-
culture says the cotton returns of No
yember are local estimates Of yield
per acre. They are somewhat higher
than those Of the last two years, but
materially lower than those Of 1880
and 1882. The increase over the yield
Of last year is most marked in Texas
and Georgia. In Arkansas and Ten
nessee, where the average yield is
usually high, the rate is depressed by
the unfavorable conditions Of August
and September.
The rate of yield by States is as fol-
lows: Virginia, l52 pounds per acre /;
North Carolina, 1877; South Carolina,
l42; Georgia, $50; Florida, los !;
Alabama, las; Mississippi, los I;
Louisiana, 223; Texas, 1872; Arkan-
sas, 200; Tennessee, 1855.
The weather has been favorable for
picking, and killing frosts are only re-
ported in the northern border of the
cotton belt. The top crop is very light,
and in many places scarcely appreciable
in quantity. The drought during the
early fruiting period caused the shedding
OF shrivelling of the bolls and reduced
the yield in North Carolina and South
Carolina and parts of Texas. In
large portion Of the Gulf coast
there has been an excess of rain
and destructive storms, which proved
almost equally injurious. The injury by
the caterpillar and boll-worm has been
severe in Central Alabama, in parts Of
Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and
in a few counties in Georgia. Small
loss from insects is reported, except in
the States bordering on the Gulf coast.
The past month has been generally ia
vorable for picking, which is we'll ad-
vanced, more than three fourths of the
crop having been gathered. Rains have
interfered with harvesting more in
Georgia and Alabama than elsewhere.
With good weather hereafter the pro-
portion to be gathered in December
will be confined to localities favored
with top crop worth harvesting.
The present crop Of corn is the first
full average in rate of yield since 1880,
which was the last Of series of six
full crops Of &c to 2S bushels per acre.
The present crop, grown on an area Of
seventy-three to seventy-four million
acres, is slightly above the average
fer the period of ten years, or
26I bushels per acre. The highest
rate of yield is 36I bushelsin Nebraska
and Ohio. Three corn-growing States,
which produce four tenths Of the entire
crop-Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri
each average several bushels per acre
less than in the census year; Illinois,
81; Iowa, 80; Missouri, 80. Utah
averages Sc; Massachusetts, Connect
cut, and Colorado, 35; New Hamp-
shire and Rhode Island, "a; Michigan,
80; Wisconsin, 80; Kansas, 81. The
southern States make an average yield.
The quality of corn is very good in the
East and South, medium in central
parts of the West, and somewhat de-
preciated on the northern borders,
from Michigan to Dakota.
The potato crop is smaller than that
of 1884, in consequence of injury from
rot, which has reduced the New York
crop nearly one third. There is much
complaint of rot in Wisconsin and Iowa,
and in some counties in Michigan, Hi
.nois, and Minnesota.
The reported yield Of hay per acre
averages | ! tons, and indicates a crop
of over 100000 tons; nearly as
large as that Of last year.
The buckwheat crop will be large.
The average yield will exceed IA bush
els per acre.