84 



But a few months in tue year are required for cultivating and saving it, so that a 

 ^ plenty of time is allowed for other crops, repairing fences, and other farm-work. One 

 acre of cotton will, on the average, yield about 400 pounds of lint after deducting toll 

 at the gin, which, at the average price of 9 cents, gives $;]6. Expenses — breaking 

 ground and planting, l|3.50 ; cultivating, $4.25 ; picking, $15 ; hauling to gin, bagging, 

 and ties, $6 ; hauling to market, at an average of thirty miles, $3 ; total, |31.'5; net 

 profit, $4.25. And but little time can be had for other croi^s and work on a farm where 

 cotton is the staple. 



West Virginia. — Barhonr : The raising of wheat leaves a net profit of $14.50 per 

 acre. Mason : One field of wheat of 180 acres jiroduced an average of 25 bushels per 

 acre, and sold early in the season at .$1.25 per bnshel, or $31.25 per acre. Another crop 

 of 225 acres produced 22 bushels per acre, and sold at $1.50 per bushel, or $33. An- 

 other field of 90 acres yielded 23 bushels per acre, and sold at $1.40 per bushel, or $32.20 

 per acre. A fourth field of 75 acres gave an average yield of 20 bushels per acre, and 

 sold in October at $1.50 per bushel. 



Ohio. — Madison : Average yield of wheat 22 bushels to the acre, and worth $1.25 

 per bushel, or $27.50 per aero. Average value of corn would not amount to $10 per 

 acre this year. 



Michigan. — Kalamazoo: The yield per acre of winter-wheat varies from 10 to 25 

 bushels. The excess over about 15 bushels per acre (an average crop) is usually in the 

 exact ratio of the additional tillage given. I think a uniform yield of 25 or even 30 

 bushels can be obtained, provided the land is iu good heart and thoroughly culti- 

 vated. Waslitevaw : In this county the average of the wheat crop for the last three 

 years would be $40 per acre each year. liichland : Winter- wheat yields in this county 

 from 16 to 30 bushels per acre, and is always worth $1.25 per bushel. 



Minnesota. — Le Sueur : The average yield of onr principal crop, wheat, is 20 bush- 

 els to the acre, and the value per acre is $19. The expenses of raising the same are: 

 plowing, $2; seed, $1.80; seeding, $1 ; harvesting, $3.50 ; for thrashing and marketing, 

 $3.50— -total expenses, $11.80 ; profit per acre, $7.20. McLeod : On 22 acres of land 3l9 

 bushels of spring-wheat were raised, at a total cost of $229.60. The 319 bushels sold at 

 90 cents per bushel, amounting to $287.10, leaving a profit of $57.50. Douglas : Wheat 

 brings 75 to 80 cents per bushel ; average yield per acre, 21 bushels. The yield was 

 considerably reduced last year by bad seed. Houston : The average yield of wheat is 

 probably about 18 bushels per acre ; the price at the ditierent railroad-stations since 

 December averaged $1.06. per bushel. I estimate all over 15 bushels per acre as profit. 

 There is no doubt that farmers here devote too much of their attention to wheat-grow- 

 ing for the good of their land, or even present profit. Sheej), corn, clover, and other 

 grasses, with stable-manure and proper rotation, are the meaus to restore and preserve 

 the fertility of our soil. 



Iowa. — Tama : Some of our farmers average 15 to 16 bushels of wheat to the acre. 

 Such crops were on new-breaking or fall-plowing, with 50 to 100 acres iu wheat, and 

 a market-price of 90 cents to $1 per bushel. Many of our farmers did well. Delaware : 

 The average cost of raising one acre of wheat, and yielding 17^ bushels, is about $11.45, 

 including seed, seeding, harvesting, thrashing, hauling to market, and interest on the 

 land ; the average price per bnshel would be about $1 — giving $17.50 ; and, after de- 

 ducting the expenses, leaving a profit of $6.15 to the farmer. Boone: Wheat averaged 

 20 bushels per acre, and sold at $1 25 in market, and this is a high estinuite for the past 

 season. Oats, barley, «fcc., have been somewhat less remunerative ; whilst corn aver- 

 aged, say, 55 bushels per acre, and sold in the crib at 55 to GO cents per bushel. Esti- 

 mating the corn at 50 cents, we have per acre for corn $27.50, and per acre for wheat 

 $25. Siotix: Wheat is almost exclusively our principal crop, but was destroyed last 

 year by the grasshoppers. 



Missouri. — Pettis : Wheat-culture decidedly the most profitable. Taking the average 

 of 22 bushels of wheat to the acre, the profits of a ten-acre field would be as follows : 

 Dr. : Drilling, $3; harrowing, $4; plowing, at $2 per acre, $20; cutting and harvesting, 

 $20 ; thrashing, at 10 cents per bushel, $22 ; interest on land, $20 ; seed, $24 ; taxes on 

 land, $5 ; total cost, $118. Cr. : By 220 bushels of wheat, at $1.15 per bushel, $253; straw, 

 |1 per acre, $10 : total receipts, $263. Less the amount of expenses, $118, leaves a profit 

 of $145, or $14.50 per acre. Cape Girardeau : The raising of wheat was the most profit- 

 able upon the whole. Bollinger : Wheat has been most profitable in the uorthern sec- 

 tion of our county and the most productive iu the southern sectiou, and is used princi- 

 pally for feeding to hogs and cattle. 



Kansas. — Marshall: Spring-wheat has been most profitable of grains. Until the two 

 past years winter-wheat has been considered most remunerative. Spring-wheat has 

 yielded from 15 to 30 bushels per acre, and has proved a great success. Jefferson : 

 Winter-wheat, taken one year with another, has upon the whole jjroved most success- 

 , ful. Lyon : One of my c<irrLsp<)ndents states that he raised 550 bushels of wheat ofl'35 

 acres. This was worth about $750. Labette : At this date wheat is worth $1.50 per 

 bushel in Saint Louis, and it costs 25 cents per bushel to ship it there, so it takes one- 

 sixth of the whole value to get the crop into market ; whereas corn costs about the 



