Middletown transcript., 1894-04-07

farms, as the new acres added and th'
old ones diverted from the production
of grain for export were employed il
growing such forage crops as hay ant
oats for home consumption, neither o
these crops being exported in any con
siderable volume in primar.
form and hay alone in recondary form
The changes in crop distribution
following from increasing home con
sumption of forage and the mino
cerals. have been progressively contin
uous since 1879, and are far create
than generally believed. For instance
the grain acreage of the New England
States shrank 100000 acres between
1879 ane 1889; and here alone the are'
employed in growing forage diminished
the meadows shrinkin $1,000 acres
while the area devoted to oats increased
21, 900 acres, and the areas under al
farm staples showed a diminution o.
220, 900 acres. Doubtless much of thi'
land was employed in gardening ant
was laid out as additions to the grow
ing towns.
In New York the area under all Ger
eals decreased 100000 acres but The
area under oats augmented by 156,OO(
acres, while that devoted to wheat
shrank 274, 4,000 acres, and that under
corn 2S6,O0 acres. In the Empire
State 10000 acres were added to the
meadows, of which $4,000 were
acres then first brought into cultiva.
tion.
In Pennsylvania the meadows were
extended over 1000 acres, and the
oat fields increased by the addition of
$4,000 acres. Of these additions to
of the area employed in growing forage
461 900 acres were in the form of accre-
tions to the cultivated acreage and
the remainder came from the wheat
and corn fields.
Like diversions from wheat and corn
culture to hay and oats obtained, and
in much the same ratio, New Jersey,
Maryland, and Delaware, the Virgin
las, Kentucky, and Tennessee, but it is
only when we reach the grain-produc-
ing States of the lake basic and the
great central valleys that it is seen how
great and significant is the change af-
fected in crop distribution, change
dictated by the yearly increasing of the
added population for forage and its
secondary products.
Between 1879 and 1880, Ohio is
found to have added 3O5, 1000 acres to
the area under oats and 1,0l3,000 acres
to the meadows. Of these 1850
acres, 100000 were reclaimed from
forest and swamp and the remaining
378, 1000 acres were taken from the corn
and wheat fields.
Indiana vas able to add 479, 1000 acres
to the area under oats and 10000
acres to the meadows, reducing the
wheat and corn fields of the State no
more than $4,000 acres, the lands
newly brought under cultivation max
ing the residue.
Prior to 1879 the prairie surfaces of
Illinois had been very fully reclaimed
and less new land was available; AMI
here We find that the area employed in
corn shrunk 1,15S, 900 acres
in ten years, and that devoted to wheat
decreased in the measure of $4,000
acres, while the meadows augmented
by additions aggregating 1,01S,O0O
acres, and the oat-bearing lands in
creased as much as 1,SS9,00O acres.
Of the additions to the two forage
crops, amounting to 1887, 900 acres,
out $4,000 acres were new fields, the
'emainder having been taken from the
areas previously devoted to the pro-
iuction of wheat and corn for exporta-
ion.
In Michigan, additions Of 55O, 1000
lcres to the area under oats and SS4.-
100 acres to that employed in growing
lay were made by reducing 1886, 600
lew acres to cultivation and drawing
lpon the wheat fields for $4,000 acres:
nd 274,0O0 other acres were taken
rom the wheat fields to add to the
ome supply of rye, barley, buckW heat
nd potatoes, the result being that at
he end of the ten years the wheat
elds of the State had shrunken 322.-
90 acres.
An expansion of $4,000 acres oc-
urred in the meadows of Wiscon.
ID, and the area under oats widened
y the addition of 672,0OO acres the
ggregate additions to the forage crops
4ualled l, 100000 acres.
After absorbing the $4,000 acres
ow first reduced to production, it was
'und necessary TO make drafts upon
le wheat f Ids of Wisconsin for ESQ.,.
10 acres TO grow the needed forage:
%, OOO other acres for corn, and some
5000 acres for the minor cereals and
'.atoes required at home. The wheat
'ea of 1889 was 1904, 900 acres less
ian that of 1879.
Missouri shows similar changes in
9 p distribution, only in a lesser de-
zee.
In Minnesota there was a small in
ease OF the area employed in grow ,
g wheat, and very considerable in !,
ease of that under corn, the new !,
res added sufficing to meet the in ,
easing requirments for forage and
inor crops and to make such ad-
tions to the wheat and corn fields: !.
it it is no longer pract icable to do
is and supply the needed forage and