Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-09-25
THE COUNTRY'S CROPS.
Review of Their Condition by
the Agricultural Department.
Corn and Wheat Figures Are
High, but Cotton Unsatisfactory.

The Statistician of the Department % Ag-
riculture reports from Washington the Sep
TENDER general averages of cereal crops
follows: Corn, Oil; wheat, 96.8; rye, 95.i;
oats, COZ; barley, 94.3; buckwheat, $3.50. A
small advance is noticed in ALL buckwheat
alone excepted. The average for potatoes is
948; for tobacco, 87.4.
The condition of corn is twenty-one points
higher than in September of last year, and
has been exceeded only three times in the
last ten years. State averages are generally
high; the lowest those of Michigan and
Wisconsin In the Eastern and Middle
States the crop is well grown, is generally
caring well, but little late, and recent cool
nights prevent rapid advancement; frost has
as yet done no damage. The crop is in fine
condition in the Southern States. It is not
so much injured by heavy rains cotton;
In some bottom lands water has caused
material injury, while on uplands the crop
is remarkably go9d. 1t was somewhat late
but is now generally beyond the reach OF
frost. A fine yield has been made west or
the Mississippi, though in Western Texas
little reduced by drouth. 1t is above medium
throughout the South as whole. In the
Ohio Valley corn is heavy in stalk, some
what late in caring from cool nights, in some
places has been blown down by heavy
winds, yet is generally promising. In
Indiana and Illinois there was injury
which has been partially repaired by recent
rains. In Michigan there has been consld-
cradle injury from frost. Wisconsin reports
damage from frOsts; there was also damage
from frost in the Dakotas. In Iowa and Ne
braska the crop is late. In Missouri alter
nate heavy rains and drouth have been
unfavorable. In " estern Kansas crops suf-
fered from drouth eastern counties have a
heavy crop.
The condition of wheat is very high, con-
4
soils, latitudes and elevations so widely diff
fering The general average has been ex-
ceeded only Slightly twice since 1879, In 1882
and 1884. State averages are quite uniform,
only tau falling below 95, and three below
60 the lowest being SO for South Carolina,
and 81 for North Carolina. In the Middle
States wheat was generally we'll filled, har-
veste~, in good condition, yielding well In
the spring. In few counties in Pennsyl-
vania and in parts of Maryland and V1r-
ginia, there has been some injury In the
stock
There is a reduction in the condition of
cotton during the last month of six points,
from $50 to 82.1. The cause on the Atlantic
Coast has been an excess OF rainfall, causing
Overgrowth of the plant and diminishing the
tendency to fruitage. From Alabama west
ward drouth was the main factor of loss,
assisted by the boll-worm and caterpillar.
Condition is lowest in Arkansas, Louisiana
and Tennessee. In few counties of Texas
heavy rainfall in the morning, followed by
hot sunshine in the afternoon, caused serious
shedding of forms. The most serious
complaints are of shedding fruit and
leaves rotting of bolls, sprout ng of
seed in the bolls, rust, staining of open cot
ton, except in few regions, where cotton
worms are. unusually destructive. In the
area affected by drouth, rust and shedding
also occur. The State averages are as fol
lows: Virginia IS, loss of 3 points; North
Carolina 79, gain of points; South Caro-
lima 81, a loss of points; Georgia 80, loss
Alabama So a loss of points; Mississippi
49, a loss of 10 points; Louisiana IS, loss of
points; Texas 50, a loss of 10 pionts; Ar
kansas Sc, loss OF 9 points; Tennessee "a,
gain of points.