Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-30
VIRGINIA CROPS.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER RANDOLPH
HARRISON on NAY CROPS.
The General Depression Affects Farming
Crop Prospect Better Than Figures
Indicate Tables Of Percentage

:, DC an,,c.rance Of winter grain sin e
tbe lest rcport. IL came out OF winter
,,,.rtcr. somewhat damaged by hard
trccye,-in fact Il had not, ~ n general
min. ba,. good sond-o; in The fall owing
fon dtoughi 81 considerable severity; but
since the middle Of March the weather has
been very pyopitious, and now the plants
show a healthy color aud (in geperai)
Iusiy growth. The few exceptions 10 this
src Wltrc the crop has been attacked
by HtsSian Gy. or where the growth
was crippled by winter killing past
complete recovery. or else because
the land Nss not III for the work
assigned ii--not rich enough, or not proper
Is prepared. Untappily there are bat too
many instances Of this, although great
and general Improvement hos been going
On In this respect. The old method OF
cropping large surface imperfecIly pre-
parcd rather than "a more moderate area
nut M prime condition still fingers among
Us. and KEEPS The average yield Of our crops
down amongst the very lowest OF tho States
81 Tie Union. Now when everything is
depressed almost 10 staguation-every thing
lOw-prlced except labor, which l. the cost
Hest iicm ~ q farmers expenses, weshould
concentrate our efforts In smaller tcld
and iry 10 get better results ut o less eX-
pcndhuTe 81 work.
This point las been much Insisted upon,
but win bear constant repetition, even at
TIE Ii,k Of wtarying some OF the farmers
upon whom Il IL urged. The importance
OF IL cannot be- OycTestim.ted; II II were
fully recognized and acted upon, there
would be a complete revolution IN our sys-
ten q agriculture.
Notwilh.tanding the Improvement in
cereal ard gTds, crops, the general average
condition Is not reported a. high az private
letters and representations and his own
observations In different localities bad led
the Commissioner 10 expect. The. crop
urosieci Is really somewhat better than the
figures would indicate, however, because
the est reports are from the largest grain
and grass growing counties, 50 that each
correspondent repre- sents larger cOnsiitn-
cpcV. o. IL were. This is exactly the con-
yrrse 81 the condition Of crops last year,
when The prinClpa wheat-grOwiGg districts
showed the lowest percentage OF condition.
The average condition OF the winter
wheat crop % the Uniicd states is, accord
ing 10 The last report 81 the statistician OF
the Department. 500, against 20 last year,
which WIS tie lowest ever reported, and ~
two years sgo--aE unusually good year for
wheat.
The same report shows = reduction Of
uer cent. from the area seeded a year ago.
This j, for the whole country-for all The
winicr-wheat states Of the Union.
For Virginia the estimate IL that the
breadth soWcd j. per cent. less than last
year. This does not accord with estimates
made from reports OF the correspondents
Of the state Department. According To
these. The area seeded in wheat is greater
than iast year, but largely below the aver
age Of ten years past.
take this occasion a soliciting corfo-
sp0bdents to keep record OF their reports.
so that they can refer 10 them at the cor
responding periods Of subsequent years.
In order TO save them trouble, wrapper
was sent with each poStal.clrd for this
month, printed in duplicate with IL, with
the request TINT correspondents would iill
them Just ike the pOstal., and keep them
for I,i,rCnce hereafter - STANDARDS Of COM
plJiscn. Tbs would be found very inte-
fcsting. aud would refresh the memory, 50
a. tOUahle much more accurate opinion
OF the condition 81 crops 10 be formed.
Some amongst our best correspondents
seem 10 haye Inexperienced the intention
of these wrappers, Us they enclosed them
back 90 US.
There are many accidents which may
cured. so that forecasts made now may DC
very wide OF tue malk. yet they are being
made. A private letter from Milwaukee,
4 ON high authority, saws: " What iniOTIn1-
ton have mot oiHciaD is that the wheat
crop promises well in the winter-wheat
States, except Michigan and Kansas. The
latter state reports the condition very low.
ana estimates the yield at about l3,000,0O0
bushels tsay third Of a maximum crop
COMMISSIONER. The area is considerably
less than last year. Spring wheat is Just
coming up. The season so far has beeneK-
cCedingly favorable"
BIS the latest adyiceS crops continue % be
well reported IN Europe and in ludia.
CONDITION or CROPS IN VIRGINIA.
WHEAT.
Condition. .......... ..9l.ol per ceat.
some Hessian ny, and one report Of
chlnch.bug. Also, there are some reports
Of damage by floods.
WINTER OATS.
Condition. ....................1O per cent.
1hi, crop suffered much from winter
killing.
SPRING OATS.
Condition ............,....SS $3.50 per cent,
Condition ..................90 90. 20 per cent.
CLOVER.
Condition. .............. .....Jd per cent
nMOIHY, ORCHARD GRASS, sc.
Condition PER cent.
With view 20 ascertain whether there Is
an increased area laid down To grass the
question was put, and one hundred aud
sixteen correspondents reported an in
crease averaging between II and IS per
cent. This is encouraging.
As the season since tue spring opened Ia,
ieen very favorable for grass am unable
70 account for the rather low percentages
II the reports. except upon the suppoSitiou
that the roots were thrown out 10 some CX-
tent 10y the severe weather 81 February.
Perhaps also The 1oodug rains about April
Ist damaged meadows on the banks OF
streams.
TOBACCO.PLANTs.
The average report IS oDly..s3.10 per cent
There i, considerable complaint OF tly in
some sections. Canvas covering OF beds
il usually considered safeguard against
insects, though have heard Of their tnd'
ing their WY under the coyering-proha-
hly tee .usc u was not closed around the
border.
WILL 4 FULL AREA ne PLANTEDI
There are many speculatons on the sub
tect nothing definite. Prominent dealers
i'm fertilizers assure me that their sales OF
tobacco manures have fallen Oh very coll
siderlbly. arguing a smaller venture In to-
laccO thi. wear. The very low prices
ruling at present, and no apparent prospect
Of better. ought 10 counsel planters not 10
throw smother large crop OF poor tobacco
on the market, but rather 10 try TO produce
a smaller quantity ami Of correspondence
fine quality. This is the true policy;
every one would admit this in the general
application. hut very many will 90 counter
10 IL in practice. They will argue to them
selyc,) that Others the great mass OF grow
ors-Niil be Influenced by these c0nsidera-
tons and pitch small crop, while heg will
plant fun measure and come in for good
prices on not oyer-abundantly stocked
narket. think there viii be enough OF
those who reason in this way and steer
through the inade channel TO make full
crop in the aggregate. IL they have not
sufficient supply u homemade mdnures
and commercial fertilizers. fear many OF
then will pursue the old Virginia plan OF
stretching out over larger surface. THIS
would be suicidal policy.
CORN.
There VIII be a full crop plaDted-he-
tween one and two per cent. over full ay-
erage,