The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-26
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
INFORMATION AND STATfsTfCs
1BOUT 78K ca0rS.
Wheat. Oats aud Ha, VIII fc short. While
Corn viii Not BE PIentlful--Tho Gsa~
eraI Average OF Crops for 1894

In his sen.i-arnual report. Colon,
Thomas " bitehead. Commissioner OF ~
Aicglture, presents sOme valuable IN
formation ana statistics about the con
dillon OF the crops OF the state from w
period between January TO July 4, iS ~.
In opening his report Coionel Nmte
head saws: The past season cannot b.
said 10 have been, on the whole favor
able 10 the agriculture OF the state
Concerning this. the weather burea'
up 10 The 2nh Of March the weather
and temperature conditions had beer
very favorable for the rapid advance
ment OF all preparations FOR spring sow
ing and planting. During the week end
ing March 2fth the temperature was
abnofmally high over the entire section.
and higher than ever recorded during
March since the Weather Bureau records
began. In 1870. This had the effect OF
bringing all the early fruit into bloom
winter wheat and clover grew up rankly,
and new clover came up. This warm
spell was immediate ly followed by a
very severe and protracted cold snap,
with cold wave, which extended over
the country east OF the Rocky Mountains.
and caused freezing temperatures and
Killing iT0sts as far southwark as Central
Texas and the Gulf coast In this State
the early fruits were generally all killed
and probably the greater portion OF the
late apple crop. clover was cut down
and new clover largely killed: wheat was
injured and set back, and where II had
begun 10 point was killed, the straw
berry bloom Was generally Killed. to-
bacco plants were Injured OF Killed where
not properly protected
DsMAGi TO THE TRUCK.
"a good des! Of truck was destroyed.
AMI replhnting was rendered necessary
The truck not killed was retarded con-
siderably.
This killing frost of March was fol-
lowed by a good deal Of cold and IN |
favorable weather in April, and the crops |
that had been injured ana retarded 10y |
the frosts OF March had little oppoi tunlty |
10 recuperate during the month or ApiH. |
Hence. as will be seen rom the APP |
pended tables, the general average Of
crops for this year viii be below that for
"Apples. peaches. and pears are a fail
ure throughout the entire State; the grape
crop is much better, and VIII be fair
"By reference to the tables (Which are
appended 10 the IeporD 1t Will Oe seen
that the acreage o, wheat, tobacco, ana
peanuts is below that Of last year.
THE low price OF tobacco directly ar
fected the acreage. and IL this reduction
OF acreage Is found among those who are
not regular and experienced planters, the
injury VIII not be serious, as the average
I'm addition 10 this the frost in the
spring affecting the wheat and hay and |
the drought in many sections affecting the
planting of tobacco and sweet potatoes,
in reality reduces the acreage.
In many sections this has been a bad
year Tor securing good stand OF any
crop.
"rhe acreage OF corn. oats. hay. and
Irish potatoes is about the same as last {
wear
he acreage is higher than last year, and !
he prospect better for cotton. !
A FALLING OFF. /
"The crops of wheat. oats. and hay are '
short. The farmers Will do '
veil to supplement their forage crops with $
urnips. millet. peas. and late corn. With t
wet August the crop Of grass of Tide g
gater will aid in this matter u
The prospect for corn is below the p
enerai average Of that crop for last year. ,
mt the prospect in Middle Virginia is so c
much better than last year that II nearly a
rings up the falling off in the Valley and s.
dewater TO the general average for 1893 II
The prospect for tobacco last year was ! p
S 10. n
cotton. with a prospect of Sc, is three
'oints higher than that for last year
Irish potatoes IS reported to be a
much better crop than last year, while n
sweet-potatoes. with a prospect Of So, is $
TWO points below that OF last year. d
year. against 20 for 1893
THE cool wet weather of the early | D
ures until the prospect this year IS re- x
'orded at S. against ~ for the past year" i
THE GENERAL AVERAGE. h
The general average of crops for the q
ear 1894 is as follows m
Prospect-Wheat, So; corn. 90: oats. &C: n
lay. 60; cotton. Sc; tobacco. 70; Irish po- OF
atoes. IS; sweet-potatoes. IS: peanuts Of
3; pastures 50; apples. Il; peaches @, r.
,ears, 3: grapes. "A u
Acreage-Wheat, 81: corn. lO2; oats %. if
lay, 92; cotton, l02 tobacco. a. Irish at
potatoes lO2; sweet-potatoes, 81, peanuts | m
2; pastures. O. in
In 1893 the general average was: sa
Prospect Wheat. 100; corn, q. oats, %; OF
law. cotton NJ tobacco rtc ''l
atoes 46; sWeet-potatoes. 9o peanuts Id
2, pastures. 70. apples 20; peaches, e.; tn
Acreage-Wheat. 81: corn. lOl: oats. 90; ia
ay. y, cotton 70; tobacco, o.: Irish DO ha
noes 100 sweet-pOtatoes, 81; peanuts, tn
; pastures, ~. 4.
The Commissioner closes his paper with |
e following explanations and informa- so
)n: hi
in Virginia no provision has been ed
ade by law for the collection of aeon | TIC
lie statistics Of agricultural productions of
order TO aid those interested In crop an
htistics, in understanding our average HI
ut prospect tables, the following eX- rel
anation Is made. based on the Census di'
port of 1880: To-
TIDEwATKR VIRGINIA. s se
Twenty counties in this section report | I'm
the production of wheat, twenty-seven p
port corn, and three tobacco.
Hanover is the largest wheat-produc-
: county in this section. producing over l
'WD bushels. Accomac leads In the pro dol
ction of corn, the number OF bushels | ord
oduced being given at 10000
or the three counties producing to-
Geo in this section. Hanover leads pro-
cling over 100000 pounds Followed by on
roline. over 10000 and King William | Pot
100. Ric
MIDDLE VIRGINIA. EA'
Reports have been received from everv 10
'nty In Middle Virginia. Louduon leads | sire
the production of wheat prodncing |
r $4,000 bushels. The above couniv
ieads In corn, producing ]. OOOO 900 bush
Pittsylvania leads this section I'm tho syr
ducuon or tobacco, producing over ID Che
wv pounds. followed by Halifax with
II ,Vvo'oV Bedford, with over 5 900 OO0.
npbell, with about 1000 900. Amherst
trlotte. Franklin. Henry and NECK. a,
Dufs, with over 100000; Nelson Prince Al
ward, and Albemarle, with over 000
ana Amelia, Appomattox brunswick
nberiand, Dlnwiddie. Louisa Lunen,
=, ana Nottoway, producing from l.
lV 70 100000 pounds, down TO STANFORD
1900 pounds. for
T,FGnFATvattrv ant
n this section all but two counties ~.
'rt wheat and corn. Only four report poop
iobaccO. Augusta leads in the produc- cent
OF wheat, raising over 500 900 bushels
also corn producing over zoo 600 bush
followed very closely by Rockingham.
'ut OF the four counties producing
eco In this section, Washington leads tn
lueins over 10000 pounds; Wise closes Asso
J 1900 pounds" few