New-York tribune., 1886-01-18
1GRICULTUR1L CHANGES.

Two striking facts appear in the December
renort of tbe Bureau of Agriculture, which DIS
matches have not mentioned. The first is that
Dakota. not vet State because guilty OF being
inclined to Republicanism, produced more
wheat last year than any State III
the Union except three, the increase OF
acreage in the Territories being about
a third of the entire acreage winter Killed
last year. The second is that the acreage
sowed for the crop of 1886 bids fair to be
larger than was harvested last year, and
warrants the hope, if fair climatic conditions
prevail such as have thus fac favored the winter
wheat, that the next crop will exceed
44O, 900, 900 bushels. Each of these facts has
its melancholy side. 1t is melancholy that
Territory in which more than 2,lS7,0oo acres
have already produced wheat should be ex-
cluded from producing crop of votes. 1t Is
also melancholy to reflect that in all probability
sundry journals will presently begin to pour out
warnings of an approaching famine IN wheat
with gloomy crop news manufactured Tor the
benefit of spectators.
Minnesota appears TO lead all States in wheat
production last year, yielding 34,S25,ooo
bushels Michigan comes next with 81 ,261 ,OOO
and then Iowa, with 30.332, ,OOO.. Next in rank
of all the wheat producers was Dakota, with
27,9l9,COO, little exceeding Indiana and Cal
ifornia. But Washington Territory has also
gained marvellOusly, yielding 7,412,OOO, max
ing with Oregon u 100000 from region
which has not long been an important contrib
utor to the National wealth, and exceeding the
Weld in any of the old States in Ohio, Illinois
Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas or California.
This fact places in strong light the severe
injury done TO the wheat crop by the last nara
winter and the succeeding unfavorable weather.
The Weld of States which have been among the
largest in wheat production was 80 reduced
that it was surpassed by a State and Territory
which at the last census had together pOpu-
lation of 100000, and also far surpassed by a
single Territory which then had a population
of only 1884, COO. In another aspect the effects
of railroad building are placed in strong relief.
Dakota and Washington in 1880 had only
100000 population, and produced about
a. 800, 900 bushels of wheat But five years
and II railroad have increased the wheat pro-
ducton of those two Territories to 35,3OO,OOO
bushels, and there is no doubt that the increase
in population has also been enormous
The return of winter wheat acreage appears
only in percentages compared with last years
harvesting rs II on purpose 10 hde from
readers the conclusions TO which IL points.
Computing the gains and losses, however, 1t
appears that there is foreshadowed decrease
of 3Sl 900 in the acreage in winter wheat
States Beyond doubt the increase in Dakota
alone will exceed that; last year the increase IN
that Territory was about 600,o 900 acres, and in
all the Territories about 100000. Evidently
the opening of new and rich land to cultivation
along the northern border has done much to
make wheat growing less profitable in some of
the older winter wheat States, and so the acre
age in wheat appears to have declined 10000
in Illinois, about 10000 each in Missouri and
Kansas, and 10000 in Oregon. Other changes,
including a gain of $4,000 in Indiana. and
small gains in most of the Southern States and
Pennsylvania, nearly balance each other, but
New York appears TO lose about $1,000 acres.