28 * 
If the press would strive to assist the Department, rather than subvert its efforts, it 
would redound to the benefit of both farmers and the country. If it wishes to extend 
its advice to the Department, it should assume a less dictatorial attitude. 
The following extract from a letter of Mr. E. Longuemare, secretar 
of the Perry County. Indiana, Agricultural association, but not a statis- 
tical correspondent, gives an illustration of the money value of reliable 
information : 
We have observed the expressions of dissatisfaction, made from a certain quarter, 
regarding the system of crop reports as adopted by the Department. We desire to 
offer our protest against the attack made on the system as carried out by the United 
States Department of Agriculture. We know from experience its worth and its cor- 
rectness. We do not aver that the system has reached a state of perfect completeness, 
but we do maintain that it is not only of incalculable advantage to the agricultural 
districts, but we hold it to be a necessity. I could give you many proofs of this did 
I think it necessary to the Department. I will only mention the material advantage 
it proved to us this year in one particular only. About the time of the potato harvest 
this fall our producers were all astray respecting the market value of the potato crop, 
(one of our main crops in this section.) This uncertainty was taken advantage of by 
buyers, and they swarmed down on our producers early in the day, offering 50 cents 
per bushel. Some producers accepted the offer, but the vast proportion of our 
farmers concluded, at the request of the association, to await the report from the 
Agricultural Department. It reached us in proper time, and a careful analysis was made 
of its reports of the potato crop. Our people acted upon it, and the result was a gain 
of many thousands to our people. The speculator found fault with the Department, 
but the farmer was more than ever convinced that in one respect at least the people 
were well served. So far as we can understand the system as proposed by Maury, we 
do not believe it to be of any practical benefit to agriculture; at all events we are 
averse to a change; we hope and believe the system of the Department will grow 
to a greater degree of perfection, though it can hardly be more correct. 
AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS. 
The principal agricultural imports of the last fiscal year, from June 
30, 1871, to June 30, 1872, as compiled in the Bureau of Statistics, are 
as follows: 
Quantities. Value. 
Articles. 
1872. 1871. 1872, 1871. 
iminesanimals ofall kinds \\ so o.0f20edSea eh: {| Cee ee ane ae, anaes $3, 465, 554 | $5, 845, 926 
Breadstutis and other farinaceous food: 
LE SAGE 5 SAE SSS ee ar bushels... 5, 565, 591 4, 866,700 | 3, 403, 607 3, 678, 810 
SEO TVA GES sie Yn cs onthe otc oh chee doze ORS OALN Ne eaihslatie ea : 186, 351). cose eee 
preamiand DISCUIb: oc. ceeccccec eee pounds. - 955, 083 1,265, 371 111, 545 142, 313 
PUNO CONN. oe ce Saeaclhec cece eee bushels. . 58, 568 111, 080 74, 434 105, 678 
LOTS oo ae US ESI dose: 525, 250 599, 514 194, 198 246, 155 
55 BD 5+ bd See See es ee ee pounds..| 74, 642, 631 64, 655, 827 | 2, 317, 172 1, 876, 786 
02 2 ssc eee bushels. . 249, 146 116, 073 179, 910 84, 418 
ARS TALES RL ge aos. 1, 546, 623 WLG, 179 2, 188, 689 933, 25:3 
NM G.e.2.07) 131 a 1 Se barrels. - 172, 823 30, 062 1, 028, 142 163, 650 
Meal or four made from oats, Indian corn, rye, and 
Woe 7lnecih. 4 ee ee er [obo rzeddedadeul Seloeé Saeaees 205, 604 217 
Peas, beans, and other seeds of leguminous 
DIAS eee aes of anil eos oe De ce bushels. .| 320, 4S le eee ee enters 
Cotton and manufactures of: 
Bleached and unbleached -.... square yards. -| 5, 316, 877 4, 883, 622 
Printed, painted, or colored............ dona: 4, 975, 624 3, 634, 315 
Hosiery, shirts and drawers...-...........-.- 5, 451, 523 5, 085, 993 
Jeans, denims, drillings, &¢ ...square yards-.| 878, 580 737, 251 
Other manubacworesiot +: 2 <-- 00h... bel | 18, 684, 843 | 15, 535, 459 
Flax and manufactures of : 
DR ivy; tihexe ose eee Sree ote yc 5 tons. .| p 1, 399, 747 694, 832 
Manufactures of; jy yards... .- 2p -ecenk. AE 22 ~ eR Io 16, 615, 066 | 13, 560, 702 
Other manmachwremaipeee. +=. 5020. = 5.-5,..| coe 528s | SSS SSSR eo 4, 605, 430 4, 500, 393 
Fruits of all kinds, including nuts .-.-.-........- |. SOR Een So aoe aoe 10, 383, 466 9, 602, 680 
