Year: 1868

The Crops at Home and Abroad.


Reports Of the crops from all sections of the
country are most favorable, and there is every
reason to believe the present season will be
the most abundant in all the cereals and in
hay and fruit that was ever known In this
country. And even with regard to cotton,
sugar and tobacco there is q much better pros
pect than the PROSTATE condition and difficult
ties of the South had led us to believe. AT
the same time the news from Europe shows
general falling off in the crops there, and the
necessity for the Old World again to look 10
the United States, the granary of the earth,
for the sustenance of both man and beast.


1t has been estimated that there were planted
over three millions of acres of corn more this
year than last year in the United States. While
the area is something less in most of the New
England States, New York, New Jersey and
Maryland, it has been much greater in all
the Western and Southern States. Among the
States where the greatest increase of cultiva-
ton has taken place may be mentioned Louisi-
ana, where the increased area has been three
hundred and ninety-seven thousand acres;
Arkansas, three hundred and seventy-six
thousand acres; Missouri, four hundred and
seven thousand acres; Illinois, three hun
dred and sixty-six thousand acres, and
In the whole of the States there have
been planted more than thirty-six millions
of acres-an advance of nine per cent over last
year. But the yield will be in much greater
roportion-probably fifteen to twenty per
cent-on account of the favorable season and
| fine appearance of the crops. AS to wheat the
universal opinion is that the crop will be the
largest ever grown and produced in this coun-
| try. In the most famous wheat producing
sections of Ohio, Missouri, Michigan, Kansas
and other States it is believed that the amount
| will be threefold what it was in 1867. Not
withstanding less favorable reports from few
sections where the midge, extreme heat, rust
or other causes have affected the crops, there
is no doubt that the general average will be
greater than in any previous season. The
same remarks will apply to rye, oats, barley and
potatoes. With regard to cotton, there has been
a less number Of acres planted, probably, esti-
mated by some at ten per cent less on the whole
than last year, but the crop generally promises
we'll and in yield may be greater than that OF
last year. There is reason to expect this. At
anything like the present price this would be
equal in value to the full crop of former years.
| Two millions of bales at twenty nine to thirty
| cents pound-which is the present quotation
of fmiddling-would be worth as much in money
as the four millions before the war at ten to
twelve cents pound. Tobacco may not cover
quite as large an area as heretofore, but the
crop promises very well, and the price will
make up for the smaller quantity. In Louisi-
ana planters are turning their attention again
to the cultivation of sugar. and it is estimated
by some that hundred thousand hogsheads
will be produced this year. The hay crop
everywhere is enormously large, and from the
scarcity in Europe we are now exporting it at
most remunerative price. Such is the de-
mand and price abroad that shippers can af-
ford to send it by steamships, and almost every
steamer that leaves this port carries a quantity
| as freight


Such is the happy condition of this great
country and granary of the world with regard
to all the productions necessary to sustain life
and to stimulate commerce. Politicians may
rave, plot and try to make trouble, but the
material interests of the republic continue to
be developed in an extraordinary manner
Nothing can arrest our progress in this re-
spect, and the country will govern itself in
spite of parties and factions. But what will
be the effect of this abundance and the demand
for our products in Europe? A great revival
of commerce abroad and trade at home. With
importations not in excess of our wants, and
with the produce of our mines to pay the in
terest of debts abroad, we ought to have the
balance of trade and exchange largely in our
favor, and gold should decline. The govern
ment may even become embarrassed through
the wretched mismanagement of the national
finances and the reckless extravaganza of Con-
gress, but the country will continue to prosper


for we have boundless and increasing national
resources beyond the control of financial
schemers or politicians.


|


Napoleon's speech the situation.