Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-12
GRAIN AND oTHER CROPS.
Condition of Corn, Wheat Oats, Rye
Tobacco. &C.

WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE July grain
and crop report Of the Department OF
Agriculture says:
Preliminary returns 10 the statistician
OF the Department Of Agriculture on the
condition OF corn indicate a reduction of
per cent I'm the area harvested last year.
There is decrease of ,OoD acres in lili-
nois. of 303 900 In Iowa. of 65l. COO in Mis-
souri, of 722 600 In Kansas. and OF &s2,Oco
In Nebraska. Many other States likewise
show q reduced acreage, but majority
of the Southern States report an Increase.
ranging from 1 per cent. 10 the case Oh
North Carolina and Georgia, to per cent.
in that Of Texas. The average condition.
go.5, although &c points higher than the
condition for the corresponding date of
last year, is, with the exception OF 1877
and 1897. the lowest July condition In ten
Years. the average for that period being
9l.3.
The condition OF winter wheat S.7 is IL
points lower than last month, but Is stu
As points higher than at the correspond
ing date last year, and points higher
than the average for the past ten years.
The principal State averages are as loi-
lows: Pennsylvania, 81; Maryland. 50;
Tennessee, 80; Kentucky, SO; OHIO ~;
Michigan, 9S; Indiana, 81; Illinois, 90, MIS-
souri, CS; Kansas, SO; California, So The
average condition of spring wheat Is 30.
This is 3S points higher than at the cor
responding date last year, is o. ABOVE the
average for the past ten years, ana IS the
highest July average, with two eXcep-
tons, in thirteen years. The principal
State averages are as follows: Minnesota,
81; South Dakota, 80; North Dakota, ";
Iowa. 81, Nebraska. l02; Washington, W.
and Oregon, lO5.
The average condition OF spring and
winter wheat combined is S9.4 which ~
i.5 points higher than at the correspond
ing date last year. The percentage OF the
wheat crop OF 1897. reported as stu on
hand on July T. 1885, is 1886 per cent.
OATS.
The average condition Of the oat crop
92.S, is So per cent. lower than last month
but is SO points higher than at the cor
responding date last year. 40 points high-
er than the average for the past ten
years, and, with one exception, the
highest since 1859.
The average condition Of barley Is So5,
which Is CO points higher than last
month. but 2.8 points lower than on July
LIST last year, and 81 below the July ave-
rage for the past ten years.
The average condition of winter rye is
1913, as compared with $50 on July /, 1897,
and 900, the July average for the past
ten years. The average condition or
spring rye Is 9G9, as against 1913 on July
/, 1887, and 800, the July average for the
past ten years. There is an Increase OF
l.3 per cent. in the acreage Of irish po-
tatoes. The average condition, $50, is ~
points higher than at the corresponding
date last year, and is 2 points aboys the
ten-yeap average.
TOBACCO.
There is a marked increase in the
acreage OF tobacco in nearly all the
States OF principal production, Kentucky
reporting an increase of 8 per cent, Nir-
GINA per cent, Tennessee ID per cent,
and Ohio 7 per cent. There is reduc-
ton OF per cent. in North Carolina ana
Of ~ per cent. In Florida. The average
condition is much better than at the cor
responding date last year.
The reports as to forage crops are, with
few and unimportant exceptions, exceed
lngly favorable.
The outlook for the apple crop is very
discouraging. OF the fourteen principal
apBle-growlng States eleven report even
a lower average of condition than at the
corresponding date last year. with Few
notable exceptions, among which Is Geor-
ella. with a condition of 104 indications as
to the peach crop are somewhat unfaVor-
able.
The wool report indicates the average
weight per fleece as being So pounds, the
same as last year.