No. 6. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



85 



CROP REPORTS. 



Our very efficient corps of crop reporters (have performed a great 

 service to agriculture by their prompt report of crop conditions and 

 local prices. From such reliable reports we learn that prices re- 

 ceived for everything raised upon the farm found a more ready mar- 

 ket and sold at a higher price than in many years. A few striking 

 examples are hei-ein cited in the following average prices received 

 in the home market for the various articles named, in the past four 

 years: 



Wheat, 



Corn 



Oats, 



Potatoes, 



Hay, clover 



Hay, timothy 



Butter 



Ewes 



Lambs 



Horses 



Cows, 



Chickens, live per pound 



Chickens, dressed, 



Labor, per day, without board, 

 Labor, per month, without board, 



Farm land, improved, acre, 



Farm land, average, acre 



1899. 



$0 68 



42 



26 



42 



8 20 



10 69 



20 



3 72 



3 22 



78 49 



39 13 



08 



11 



1 11 



20 07 



1900. 



SO 73 



48 



32 



53 



11 20 



:3 85 



22 



3 61 



3 26 



87 61 



33 08 



08 



12 



1 15 



20 55 



58 00 



38 00 



1901. 



$0 71 



58 



41 



75 



10 81 



13 30 



22 



3 48 



3 11 



98 00 



32 OO 



08 



12 



1 23 



22 00 



60 00 



38 00 



1902. 



$0 76 



62 



44 



54 



11 33 



14 25 



24 



3 50 



2 75 



111 88 



33 22 



10 



13 



1 25 



55 00 

 34 00 



I'ennt*ylvania has reason to be proud of the work accomi^lished 

 by the means of Farmers' Institutes, w^hicih reach out into every 

 line of farm operations and are the harbingers of good will and en- 

 couragement to thousands of farmers who are struggling with ob- 

 stacles and difficulties, which, in many cases, if left unaided 

 would end in discouragement and financial loss. We most 

 earnestly entreat of the legislature, soon to assemble, for a more lib- 

 eral appropriation, in order that this Division of the Department of 

 Agriculture may be more efficiently equipped, that the present and 

 coming farmer will inculcate such knowledge as will enable him to 

 so develop the natural resources of ihis farm as to make it more 

 productive year by year, adding strength to the State, a greater 

 variety and more healthful foods for the consumer, and broader 

 know'ledge, which brings its own reward, to those who attain thereto. 



Respectfully submitted, 



A. L. MARTIN, 

 Deputy Secretary and Director of Farmers' Institutes. 



