Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-10-12
3sily gssxs|Ist gs'.taaI
OCTOBER BULLETIN
Of the Board Of Agriculture Issued
on Saturday.
M Swine Industry Discussed-A Full Report
Of the Crop Results.


Of the Crop Results.
Board Bulletin, No. 8, for the season
Of 1897, has been issued by Secretary B.
walker McKeen of the board of agrl-
culture. This number is called the
swine number, and will be very inter-
esting to the farmers of the State.
Board Bulletin for October.
SWINE NUMBER.
Augusta, October II, 1897
We present to our readers, thi;
month, the views of our correspondents
on the swine industry of the State.
with some specific ideas in relation to
breeds, feeds, methods of handling, etc.
We note an increasing interest in the
question of swine growing, and trust it
may continue, till Maine ceases to be-
come an importer Of hog products.
With our ample facilities for growing
the cheaper hog feeds, with our large
areas in pasture and orchard which
might be improved by being stocked
with swine, and the large amount of
skinned milk from our dairies, we
have ample means for pushing this in
dustry much beyond it's present limit
and to the point where we shall become
exporters, rather than importers, as is
the case at present. We believe the re-
marks of our correspondents will be
found interesting and instructive.
Government crop report for Septem-
ber, 1897.
CROP CONDITIONS.
Corn.-The consolidated returns from
the departments State. county, and
township correspondents show de-
cline in the condition of corn during
the month of August of 40 points, the
present average condition, 1913, being
III points lower than on September l,
1896, and 3.3 points below the Septem-
ber average for the last ten years.
The principal state averages are as
follows: Ohio, "a; Michigan, So; IN
diana, so; a decline of 10 points; Illinois,
"a; a decline of 8 points; Iowa, 70. u
decline of points; Missouri, IA, de-
cline of 13 points; Kansas, 81, decline
Of 9 points; Nebraska, 81; Texas, 81:
Tennessee, S5; Kentucky, SO, a decline
Of 9 points.
The lateness of the crop in many Of
the principal n-producing states is
causing some apprehension Of injury by
frost but this contingency has not been
taken into account in the determination
Of the averages reported, which repre-
sent the actual condition on Septem-
ber /.
Wheat.-The condition of wheat, S5.7,
is Ill points higher than on September
/. 1896, and AS points higher than the
September average for the last ten
years.
The wheat averages by states present
some most striking contrasts. Mime
sofa, North Dakota, and South Dakota
report rs, 70 and 6S, respectively, and
Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, rs, 50 and
As, respectively. On the other hand,
20 states, including several that make
a quite important contribution to the
wheat crop of the country, report an
average of more than 100 per cent,
Pennsylvania being 106, Maryland 11a.
Tennessee III, Kentucky 105, and
Washington 146.
Oats.-The average condition of oats
fs S46 as compared with sc last month,
with IA on September l, 1896, and with
SV.7 the September average for the last
ten years. There has been a decline
during the month as follows: In New
York, points; Pennsylvania 4, Michi-
gain Z, Iowa 5. No Improvement is re-
ported from any important oats-pro-
ducfng State Of more than to points,
except from Nebraska, where the con-
dition is points better than one month
ago.
Barley.-The average condition Of
barley, S6.4, shows a decline of IL
points during the month, but is higher
by 3.3 points than on September 1, 1896,
and by 10 points than the September
average for the last ten years. The
condition in New York is 49, Michigan
IS. Wisconsin SS, Minnesota "a, Iowa IS,
California S6.
Rye-Thc average condition of rye,
9O.1, Is 81 points higher than on Sep
tember /, 1896, and 81 points above the
average for the last ten years. The
conditions in the more important rye
producing states are as follows: New
York, 90; Pennsylvania, 98; Michigan,
81; Illinois, so: Wisconsin, S5: Mime
sofa, 80; Iowa, Sc: Nebraska, so.
Buckwheat.-The.c condition Of buck
wheat, 95.1, shows slight improve
nent duringSthe month. 1t is also 1.9
points higher than on September !,
1896. and 7.3 points higher than the Sep
teTnber average for the last ten years.
In New York and Pennsylvania. which
two states produce about 70 per cent Of
zthe entire crop of the country, the coz
kditions are 9S and 81, respectively, the
fofmer state having lost point and the
latter having gained 4 points during
fhe month Of August.
Tobacco.-The condition Of tobacco
has declined 3.2 points during the
month and is now 6 points below the
condition September /, 1896, and
points below the average condition fo.'
the last ten years. The conditions in
the principal tobacco-producing states
and the changes during August are as
follows: Kentucky. 81, decline of
points: North Carolina, 90, the same as
last month; Virginia, IS, decline of
points; Tennessee, 66; a decline of
points; Ohio, 50, a decline of points:
pennsylvania, 50, gain of points;
Connecticut, 65, decline of Is points;