MONTHLY EEPOllT. 



Department of Agriculture, 



September, 1866. 

 In the present issue of the monthly will be found a digest of very recent 

 foreign official statements, concerning the cereals and cotton, of especial interest 

 to American producers. The imports of breadstuff's into Great Britain during 

 the present year show an insignificant contribution from this country, but the 

 acknowledged deficiency of the harvests of the season, both in France and 

 Great Britain, promises a demand Avhich will call forth, at remunerating prices, 

 our surplus stores, which fortunately are sufficient to aid materially in equali- 

 zing the heavy balance of trade against us. In this connexion the following 

 communication, bearing date September 7, received through the courtesy of the 

 Assistant Secretary of State, from the United States commercial agent, E. D. 

 Webster, will be read with interest : 



" For the information of the Commissioner of Agriculture and the grain- 

 growers of the United States, I have the honor to state that the harvest in 

 none of the midland counties, if, indeed, in any part of England, will come up 

 to the expectations that were entertained a few weeks ago. It will fall very 

 largely short, both in quantity and quality, of the grain. Unfortunately for the 

 farmers, just as they were about ready to commence the wheat harvest, severe 

 rains set in, which have continued, with very little interruption, down to this 

 time, and the weather is still threatening. The consequence is, that in all parts 

 of the country the grain has been very seriously damaged, and in some places 

 whole fields have been rendered nearly worthless for human food. The crop 

 of sound wheat in England, I am told by well-informed persons, will not be 

 above one-half as much as that harvested last year. Very much of the wheat 

 that will be harvested will be in the condition commonly described by our 

 farmers, as ' grown.' Other kinds of grain have also suffered very severely. 

 In France and other portions of Europe the crop of wheat is also reported 

 small." 



It will be seen that this country has already assumed its appropriate leading 

 position in furnishing the cotton supply of European manufactories, the receipts 

 of Great Britain in seven mouths of the present year being 1,017,856 bales of 

 400 pounds each, greatly in advance of those fi'om India, and almost equal to 

 the combined supply of all cotton-exporting countries except the United States 

 A comparison of prices is suggestive of continued and assured supremacy of 

 United States cotton in the markets of the world. The imports from the 

 United States in the six months from January to June, inclusive, are computed 

 at $126,349,85.5 for 904,704 bales, or 34j cents per pound ; while all other im- 

 ports averaged but 27 cents, and India cotton but 22 cents. 



