The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-16

WASHINGTON, October 10.-The October re-
turns of the department of & iculture make q de-
cline in the condition of cotton The heavy rains of
the latter part Of August have been continued during
the larger part of last month"; causing sprouting of
seed in the bolls aud the rotting and shedding of
top bolls and foliage The rains and winds have
interierred with picking and discolored the fiber
and reduced The grade Recently the weather has
been more favorable, and the quality has somewhat
Improved. Some correspondents report short stapla
The crop is everywhere late and slight frosts
sthreaten the early destruction of plants; yet killing
frosts are still in the future. and the length of the
season Is, therefore, uncertain.
The average of the reported condition is 1870 q
decline nom S3.S i'll September Louisiana and
Texas, Florida and North Carolina the least. state
estimates are as follows Virginia. S0 North Caro-
lina ST. South Carolina, rs; Georgia 79 Florida ST.
Alabama, 50; Mississippi, ST. Louisiana, 20; Texas
T5 Arkansas, 81; Tennessee, 81.
The caterpillar and boil worm have been present
in all except tho northern tier of states and have
wrought some damage Paris green and london
purple have been used less effectively than usual,
heavy rains washing off the poisonous mixtures.
The october crop returns, as reported by the stat
istican of department of agriculture show that the
condition of present corn crop has been equaed
terially only by that of 1879, when the condition
was 9S, and the subsequent ascertained Weld 2S
bushels, by the census o 1850. The present average
condition is 90, against 94.2 in September There
has been some reduction. from frost in Northern,
New England, New York and Michigan. There has
been no decline III the northwest and the status of
the great surplus states remains as on the first
Of September. Bad weather III the south has had
slight effect i'll reducing the condition. The indi-
cations favor result ranging little from &c bushels
per acre, making full average.
Tobacco has fully maintained the condition of
last month, averaging for all kinds $50 The dis
trict OF commercial corn gives the following aver
ages: Ohio 80; Indiana, 93; Illinois, 9S; Iowa. 90;
Missouri, 90; Kansas. III Nebraska, 81. The aver
age OF New York is 49, Pennsylvania. a3: Virginia,
Sc: Kentucky, 90; Tennessee Sc; ,orga, 50;
Texas, 81.
The condition of buckwheat has declined heavily
from 3d. last month to 79.1 mainly from the effect
in the higher lattudes. In New York
the decline was from 90 to 70;
Pennsylvania, from 90 to %; Michigan, 65 to n.
The crop is about decline of less than four points
and New York stands at 80: Michigan at IS; de-
cline of six and seven points respectively.
The returns relative to wheat are those of the
yield per acre by counties AS consolidated the
general average for winter wheat is twelve bushels
per acre and for spring " b at slightly over ten
bushels. The former has yielded belt n than early
expectations the latter much worse. This is, of
course, in measured bushels. The quality is much
below the average which will still further reduce
the supply, as will be shown exactly hereafter
from the testimony of inspection and miliers'
weights the winter wheat averages of states of
considerable production are, New York, AL Penn
sylvania, 1877; Maryland, AS; Virginia. 81; Texas
liz; Tennessee. 92; Kentucky, l1.2; Ohio, IL 9
Michigan, 145; Indiana, 11.3 Illinois, 10: Missouri
49, Kansas, HI California, 127 Oregon, 1863. The
spring wheat averages are: Wisconsin, IL bushels
Minnesota, 81; Iowa, 1913; Nebraska, los Colorado
us; Dakota 90 Montana 1876; Washington 1885,
Utah, l6.3 Spring wheat of the New England states
ranges from fourteen to sixteen bushels