90 



by constant cropping, and making the farmeis poorer each year, except in the 

 natural advance iu the price of laud. There were 1,000,000 bushels of wheat 

 raised iu this county last year, and now they ai'e out of seed-wheat for the next year, 

 and no money to buy with. 



Missouri. — Iron : Grass and wheat. Caldwell : Corn and stock. Greene : To some, 

 wheat; to others, tobacco, corn, wool-growing; depending on culture, time of sale of 

 products, &c. For instance, one class of men put in their wheat in a poor, shiftless 

 manner late in the season, and, as a result, harvested about five bushels per acre, and 

 sold at from 75 cents to 80 cents per bushel. Another class iu the same neighborhood, 

 soil, &c., put their wheat iu thoroughly, with deep plowing, so that the drought did 

 not affect them, and, as a result, harvested from twenty to twenty-five bushels per 

 acre, and not being satisfied with the price early in the season, and being thrifty farmers 

 and able to hold their produce, are now selling their w^heat at from $1.20 to $1 30 per 

 bushel. The same holds good as to corn. One person to whom I sold 80 acres last 

 spring, at $15 per acre, put in his sod-crop so thoroughly that his first crop will sell 

 for enough to ])ay for the wh(de tract. Harrison : The raising of hogs and corn. There 

 has been from 20,000 to 25,000 hogs sent from this county, at from $3 to .$4.25 per hun- 

 dred. The corn sold has brought from 20 cents to 35 cents per bushel. liaij : The rais- 

 ing of corn and grass, and feeding the same to cattle and hogs for market. In some 

 localities tobacco has proved very remunerative. Wheat raised principally for home 

 consumption. Bates: Grain-growing and stock-raising. Mr. J. L. Henry, from a cap- 

 ital of $4,000 invested in cattle, realized in one year a net profit of $1,875, and this is 

 not an isolated case. Mercer : Corn, grass, and wheat are about equally productive, 

 but, upon the whole, wheat has paid the best. Ripley: Cotton iu southern and com 

 in northern part of the county. Cotton yields from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds to the acre, 

 while the product of corn is from 25 to 50 bushels i^er acre, and is worth from 25 to .50 

 cents per bushel. The yield of wheat is from 10 to 15 bushels per acre, and sells from 

 80 cents to $1 jier acre ; but for want of transportation and mills none is grown except 

 forborne consumption. Winneha(jo : Butter, cheese, and wheat have paid the best; 

 feeding of first-class cattle and sheep has been profitable also. I shipped one 

 car-load of sheep only, of 64 head, weighing 137 pounds each ; 7ietted 6 cents per 

 pound at home, amounting to $8.22 each. From 50 acres of wheat, .$G00, or $12 per 

 acre. 



California. — Mendocino : Sheep and hops. Sbeep-raising has been the leading busi- 

 ness of profit for the jear 1873. On the 1st of April, 1373, there were 167,000 sheep, 

 old and young, in this county; these were valued by the assessor at $422,186. As an 

 investment in this business we must add the cost of range, not less than 80 per cent, 

 of the value of the sheep, making in all $1,000,000 invested in the sheep and wool busi- 

 ness of this county. I learn from B. F. Forsythe that ou the first of January, 1873, 

 ho had $6,000 invested in this business ; during the year he sold wool to the amount 

 of $1,500 ; wethers, $800 ; increase of stock, $1,000 ; expenses of herding, shearing, 

 taxes, &c., $1,000 ; and which amount deducted from the receipts leaves $2,300 profi^t 

 on an investment of $6,000. I believe this is about an average of the profits, even 

 where the business is carried on more extensively. In short, the profits may be always 

 set down safely at 30 per cent. The climate of this county is also peculiarly adapted 

 to the production of hops ; the total cost of raising one acre of hops amounts to $181 ; 

 the yield will average 1,200 pounds, at 35 cents per pound, $420 ; net profit, $239. 

 Alameda : Wheat, fruit-drying, and beet-sugar. I have been informed there were 

 fields of wheat, of from 50 to 100 acres, that yielded 40, some 50, and others even 60 

 bushels to the acre ; these of course were rare instances, the exceptions. There is a 

 large fruit-drying establishment in operation here, likewise an extensive beet-sugar 

 manufactoiy. Contra Costa: Grain-farming, wheat and barley. The yield was better 

 than expected, and prices realized were higher by 4^ to f per cent, per pound on former 

 • years. 



Oregon. — Union : Wheat has this year paid a greater profit than any other product. 

 Stock- growing, however, is the chief employment and the greatest source of profit. 



Nevada. — Esmeralda : Wheat, barley, and hay. The soil is very rich and deep, not 

 baving been long euougb worked to require manure for fertilizing. 



Utah. — Morgan: Wheat, oats, barley, and potatoes. We found an excellent market 

 in California for our wheat. Barley sold from 85 cents to $1 per bushel. 



New Mexico. — Doiia Ana: Wheat has produced the most of any crop in this valley. 

 The grain is remarkably heavy, reaching from 60 to 65 pounds to the bushel. The 

 Mexican farmers do not sow more than 45 pounds of seed to the acre, and under their 

 unscientific method the yield is from 15 to 40 to one. Sheep and cattle are reared 

 under the care of herders, and the business is the most profitable of any. 



DAIEY HUSBANDRY. 



Maine, — Penohscot : Especially commends itself to farmers at a distance from market. 

 Franklin : Especially cheese-making. More cheese-factories to be erected this spring_, 

 9,nd to the satisfaction of those who suj)ply milk. 



