National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-17

The condition of the soil for autumn
seeding was favorable In four-iifths Of all
counties
The exceptions arc more frequently in
districts Of small production.
In the Ohio valley and In the middle
states the seed-bed was In good condition
in nine.tenths Of the area.
In Missouri and Kansas there was larger
proportion Of dry areas, and one-fifth Of the
reports were unfavorable. In Virginia and
the Carolinas onesixth Of the area seeded
was not In good condition; In Georgia, one
third; IN Texas, three-tenths.
In OF least fivesixths OF the entire breadth
OF winter wheat the condition Of the soil
was favorable for seeding, termination, and
early growth.
Damage to wheat by the Hessian fly is In
dictated In scarcely one county In twenty in
the winter wheat. Its presence is deemed
worthy Of mention IN sixteen counties OF
Indiana and eight OF Illinois. In Ohio, In
diana, and Michigan. and also in Pennsyl-
vania and New York, 1t is respectively re-
ported in four to six counties. The dam
age has not been serious.
HORSES.
The April returns relating to the condl-
ton OF horses on farms are very generally
favorable. This class Of stock has endured
well the rigors of the winter, and enters
the campaign Of spring work in better con-
ditlon than usual, both In health and flesh.
During the winter months, their season of
comparative rest, the reports as rule indi-
cate that work animals have been well fed
and cared for, and their increased ability at
the pillow and farm hauling will amply repay
for the extra attention. Farmers are learn
ing that work horses In poor flesh mean
poor work and little OF it, and that i'm
proved or FLOODED stock is as much neces-
Fifty on the farm as on the road or turf.
There are local exceptions to this gener-
ally favorable return, when from lack OF
shelter or feed, or both, condition is below
The usual average at this season. A large
proportion OF these unfavorable reports
come from the extreme southern States
where ordinarily little protection is given
or required, but where, on account OF the
exceptionally severe weather during the
past winter, all classes of stock have suf-
fered more or less. In the states OF the
west and northwest, condition is fully up
TO the standard. In few counties, on &C.
count Of local conditions, such as sickness,
poor quality Of feed, &C., there are COM
plants OF lack Of flesh and condition below
the average.
In spite OF occasional local prevalence of
various diseases as noted above, losses have
been very light. The range 10 from four
tenths OF per cent. In New York, to per
cent. In the Gulf states. The average for
the whole country is but seven-tenths OF
per cent, andamounts 20 but little more tina
$4,000 animals. As usual the losses have
been heaviest In the cotton states, where
less attention is paid to all stock during the
winter, but even there In no case does II
exceed ! per cent, and the whole number
OF deaths is less than 10000.
CATTLE.
Reports relative to cattle show good con-
dition, In some cases relatively high con-
diton, In nearly all OF the northern states,
from the Atlantic coast TO the Missouri
river, while II also ranks high In Nebraska
and Dakota. The most important excep-
ton is that OF New York, and the coudi-
ton there is somewhat above the average,
rather than below II, Condition In Ohio,
Indiana. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Mime
sofa is high
Among the southern states MARYLAND, West
Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri make
quite satisfactory showing, while North
Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas also
stand fairly well. Throughout the remain
der Of the south, from South Carolina to
Louisiana, inclusive, condition Is decidedly
low, the practice Of leaving cattle unshel-
tered, coupled In many cases with scarcity
OF feed, having, perhaps resulted more un-
fayorably than usual on account Of the eX-
ceptional severity OF the winter, while In
some localities backwardness Of the spring
pastures has been another unfavorable fac
tor. In Virginia on the northeast and
Texas at the other extreme the condition Is
somewhat better, but In these states, too, IL
is below normal standard OF health and
flesh. In the case Of Kansas we find an ex-
ception TO the favorable situation so gener-
ally reported from northern states. On
the Pacific coast condition Is high In Cali
fornih, while IN Oregon It approaches
pretty near TO the average, notwithstand-
ing deficiency Of pasture for range eatt c
In some localities aud unfavOrable effects
in Others from prolonged winter rains.
The losses Of the past year, rs will be seen
from the table on the subject printed below,