15 



CONDITION OF WINTER-GRAIN. 



A voluntary return of tlie condition and comparative area of vriuter- 

 graiu has been quite g-eneral iu connection with the regular returns of 

 this season of the year, relative to numbers and prices of farm-stock. 

 The indications are more than usually favorable, both for a larger area 

 in wheat and a better promise of vigorous and healthy growth. The 

 early-sown was, iu some counties iu Maryland, attacked by the fly, and 

 iu Virginia the sowing was often too late for a vigorous start before 

 cold weather set in ; but the real difiiculties there, as indicated by cor- 

 respondents, are mainly poor preparation and fertilization of the soil, 

 well-cultivated fields yielding three times the general average. In the 

 South a larger area in wheat is indicated ; its growth is generally vigor- 

 ous, so much so in many instances as to be fed down by cattle ; and in 

 the Carolinas and Tennessee frequent reference is made to better prepa- 

 ration of the soil. 



The condition of winter-grain in the great wheat-growing States is 

 generally good, with an apparent increase of area more than equaling 

 the annual increase of population. In some counties of Illinois the 

 chinch-bug pest is still prevalent. A more general use of the drill is ap- 

 parent, and some indications of progress in the direction of better cul- 

 ture. The open winter may afiect the promise unfavorably. 



WINTEE-WHEAT. 



Maine. — Audroscorif/in : Injured by -^orms. 



Pennsylvania. — Armstrong : Never looked better. Butler : All sowu in due season, 

 and looks excellent. Chester: Looks quite promising. Hucks : Looks remarkably well. 

 Lycoming : Looks very promising. Erie : Unusually good. 



Maryland. — Saint Mary : All wheat sown in September has been attacked by the fly. 

 Washington: Looks promising ; no fly has yet made its appearance. Anne Arundel: 

 Very flue, but rumors of much fly iu early-sown. Baltimore : The late excellent wheat- 

 crop encouraged farmers to plant a large area this fall. The early-seeded is seriously 

 injured by the Hessian fly in some localities. The area sown is estimated at about 

 21,000 acres. 



ViiJGiNiA. — Buclingham : Presents an unpromising ajjpearance ; one-third of the 

 crop not yet up ; about one-tenth of the area intended for wheat has not been sown. 

 Henrico : Looking badly ; making a poor start. New Kent : In many cases the late- 

 sown is not yet visible. CamvbeU : Unusually late in being sown, and therefore makes 

 but little show at present. Middlesex : Looking rather badly on account of a cold, wet 

 fall ; considerably damaged by fly, especially very early crops. Northumhei-land : Sowed 

 late, mostly without fertilizers, and has made but little growth. Orange : The very 

 cold autumn and late sowing on many farms explain the very poor show of wheat ; 

 the worst, perhaps, ever known ; where seeded at the proper time it looks well. Amelia : 

 Wheat here chiefly follows tobacco ; this croj) was late. Wheat, of course, was put in 

 late ; a bad spell of weather followed, so that much is not yet up ; have never seen the 

 crop look worse. Fluranna : The condition as good as, or better, than usual. Page: Ten 

 per cent, above last year's crop is sown in wheat, owing to a favorable fall and the 

 extra exertion of us who are determined to work. Prince William : Wheat (average 

 yield 8 bushels) will yield 25 to 35 bushels per acre in this county on lauds in a good 

 state of fertility, well cultivated. Pulaski : Promising. Caroline : The fall has been 

 propitious for wheat. ' Essex: Fultz best ; about 8,000 acres sown. Area would have 

 been larger but for late corn, (a majority of farmers sowing corn-laud.) That seeded late 

 did not come up well. Floyd : Looks favorable. Prince George : Owing to the difli- 

 culty of procuring labor and to the extremely sickly season, many large farmers did 

 not sow as n»uch wheat as usual, but the deticieucy has been more than made up by 

 the number of small farmers who have seeded for their own consumption. Bockingham : 

 About one-tenth of the farming land is in wheat at this time. Dinwiddie : We are gen- 

 erally sowing a larger area this season ; the growing crop lo«ks much better, than 

 it did last autumn. Montgomery: An exceedingly flue season for winter- wheat. Many 

 farmers are pasturing it, thinking the growth excessive. Bath : Looks well. Madison: 

 Later than usual, but the season favorable and it is improving. 



North Carolina. — Jefferson : The farmers are improving their wheat-crop very 



