REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 15 



1908 and 1909; but a higher price than this is indicated for the crop 

 of this year. 



In relative geographic redistribution of the barley crop since 1889, 

 the share of the North Atlantic States has dechned from 12.2 to 2 

 per cent, wliile the share of the North Central division of States 

 has increased from 60.3 to 62.8 per cent, and that of the Western 

 States from 26.9 to 34.4 per cent. 



FLAXSEED. 



Flaxseed follows barley in order of importance of value of crop. 

 At this writing the indication is that the value of the flaxseed produc- 

 tion of tliis year will be about $33,000,000, which would be the record 

 amount were it not for the greater value of the crop of 1909. Com- 

 pared with the previous five years, the value of this year's crop is 13 

 per cent greater. 



While the value of this year's crop remains near the top, the produce 

 tion is far below that of recent years, the preUminary estimate being 

 15,050,000 bushels. 



The low production and high value of the flaxseed crop are recon- 

 ciled in the high price of flaxseed per bushel beginning early in thia 

 year. The November 1 price at the farm in 1908 was S1.08; in 1909, 

 same month, $1.40; and in 1910, same month, $2.29. 



RYE. 



Next in order of value is the rye crop, the 32,088,000 bushels being 

 worth at the farm about $23,000,000. This crop is constant in 

 production and varied little in value in recent years. A larger share 

 of the National crop is now produced in the North Atlantic States 

 than in 1889, the increase being from 28.4 to 33.9 per cent. During 

 this time the North Central States have declined in their share from. 

 63.2 to 57 per cent. 



RICE. 



Rice production in 1910 remains substantially at the figure of 1909, 

 or, say, a little over 1,000,000,000 pounds of rough rice. No year 

 previous to 1909 produced as large a crop; it exceeds the average of 

 the previous five years by 25 per cent. 



The price of rice, however, has declined, so that the crop of thia 

 year is worth hardly $16,000,000, or about the same as the crops of 

 1906 and 1907. This value has been exceeded in 1908 and 1909, so 

 that the value of this year's crop is about 2 per cent below the five- 

 year average. 



HOPS. 



The estimates of persons outside of this Department indicate that 

 the hop crop of this year viill be 13 per cent below the average 

 quantity of the preceding five years, and the smallest crop in a dozen 



