Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-08-11
CROPS.
The Best Cotton Crop Reported in
ten Years.
AN IMPROVED CONDITION or corn
The Weather Causes Some Damage
to the Crop of Wheat in
Some Places.
OTHER CROPS ARoVE THE AVERAGE.

WASHINGTON, August lU.-Ine relurns
OF the Department of Agriculture make q
slight improvement of the condition of cot
ton on the lst of August, the general aver
age being 96!, g point only once exceeded
in the August Of ten years, in $780,
The average in August, 1882, was "a, and
only South Carolina and Alabama exceeded
their present figures. The State averages
are as follows: Virginia 50, North Caro-
lima 90, South Carolina Sc, Georgia 100,
Florida SO, Alabama 95, Mississippi lOl,
Louisiana 100, Texas 81, Arkansas 81,
Tennessee 81. South Carolina, Louisiana
and Tennessee have made no change;
Florida has gained four points, Georgia and
Alabama three, Mississippi two and Arkan-
sas one; North Carolina has lost one and
Virginia three.
The crop has a slight disadvantage-it is
few days late, especially in the Atlantic
States. There has been little damage from
drought, rain or insects. A few reports from
Texas, and occasionally from more Eastern
States, indicate q lack Of rain; a large num.
Der of the Gulf States, including a few in
Texas, mention an excess of moisture, which
is Injurious in fat lands. Shedding OF
forms and bolls, with rust and blight, are
much less prevalent than Usual. The cat
erpillar has as yet done no damage, though
reported in several counties in South Caro-,
lima, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and
Texas. 1t is rare il Mississippi and is not
reported in Arkansas and Tennessee.
Corn
This crop has made improvement since
the last report. The average stands 4
points lower than the standard Of full con-
ditiCn and indicates q yield, with reasonable
moisture ano .1favoring temperature, hereat'
ter of % to q bushels per acre. The aver
age for August of 1884 was the same, but
tell 3 points during the 90 days following,
when the yield was 26 bushels. In 1879
the average for August was 80, snd ultimate
yield is reported by the census was twenty
eight bushels. The increase has been 2
per cent in New York, 3 in Virginia and
North Carolina | in Georgia, ? in Alabama,
in Michigan, ) in Illinois, ! in Missouri,
2 in Kansas. 2 in Nebraska, 3 in Iowa.
There has been a slight decline in Pennsyl-
vanis Maryland, South Carolina, Tennes-
gee, Texas. Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
In the corn surplus States the averages are:
Ohio 76, Indiana IS, Illinois %, Iowa l0l,
Nebraska 100, Missouri 80, Kansas 80.
Correspondents report drouth in some
places and excess Of rain in others, but
well drained lands have suffered little from
drouth. Meteorological conditions have
been generally favorable. The prospect
| has not been exceeded since 1880.
Wheat.
The moist and hot weather following the
18th of July has caused some damage to
spring wheat in the Northwest, mainly in
Wisconsin and Minnesota, while generally
noticed its Effect are v~sriously reported
prominent in counties returning 100 down
10 T5. and in few cases down to 80 and 48,
in the case of Price county, Wisconsin.
Most of the great wheat counties in Mime
sofa report averages from Is to 80, though
Price reterns only 80. Some Of less i'm
portance make 100. The decline is in
Wisconsin, 1 in Iowa and | in Dakota.
| There is an increase in the other territories
and in New England. The average de-
cline is { points, and indicates a reduction
of 5000, 900 bushels from expectation on
the lst of July. No reports concerning
the result of threshing Of winter wheat are
received excepting the South. In Texas
he outcome is greater than was expected
and higher rates of yield are reported.
other Crops.
The average for oats declined from 81 to
&c, which is four per cent higher than in
August Of last year.
Rye averages "a, showing a continued
Improvement since June |. Barley stands
as in list report, at %, which indicates
| about an average crop for any series Of five
or ten years There is an increase in the
area Of buckwheat and the condition aver
sges %. A medium crop of hay is assured
BY an average of 90. Tobacco makes a
general average Of 81. The average for
potatoes is 95 against 81 last month.