MONTHLY EEPORT. 



DfiPARTiMEXT OF AGRICULTURE, 



Washington, D. C, Octoher, 1S66. 



The returns of local correspondents, up to the first clay of October, verify, in 

 all essential particulars, the statements respecting the crops contained in pre- 

 vious monthly exhibits. 



The condition of corn has suffered some deterioration from early frosts and 

 excessive rains, but the quantity of the crop is larger than the largest ever pre- 

 viously chronicled in the country. A final summary of its amount and quality 

 will be given in the next report. 



In the production of wheat, next to corn our most important cereal, our agri- 

 culture has been unfortunate for the past three seasons. The crops of 1862 and 

 1863 in the North were good, and exhibited a gratifying increase as compared 

 with the crop of 1859. The year 1864 witnessed a slightly diminished product, 

 followed by a further diminution in 1865, in quantity as well as in quality. 

 Lest misapprehensions of the extent of this decreased supply should prevail, the 

 returns and estimates of these years should be viewed in a group : 



Estimate for twenty-two States. 



Bushels. 



In 1859 132,934,782 



In 1863 179,404,036 



In 1864 160,695,823 



In 1865 148,522,829 



The estimate for the present year, now nearly complete, will not vary much 

 from 143,000,000 bushels, showing a small percentage of decrease, which is 

 fully compensated by the comparatively superior quality of the grain, as was 

 predicted in a preceding number. This is ten millions of bushels more than the 

 crop of 1859, and is within five millions of a product in proportion to the in- 

 creased population. 



The diminution in the South is more apparent. The estimates point to less 

 than seventeen millions of bushels in the eleven States hitherto unreported — a 

 fraction less than five-tenths of the crop of 1859. 



It is worthy of remark, in connexion with the diminution of the three past 

 seasons, that the wheat crop of England has been likewise deficient since 1864. 



The California wheat harvest, of which little mention has been publicly 

 made in connexion with the present crop, is excessive. In 1860 the product 

 of this young State was nearly six millions of bushels. Now, it is seriously 

 claimed by leading California agriculturists that the surplus for export will be 

 nearly double that quantity. 



