247 

 OATS. 



The breadth of oats is increased 2 per cent. The States reporting 

 the same area as last year are — Maine, New Hampshire, Ehode Island, 

 Delaware, Tennessee, West Virginia, Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon. Those 

 showing an increase — Alabama, Iowa, 1 per cent. ; Florida, 2 ; Wiscoil- 

 sin, 3 ; Minnesota, 4 ; Vermont, Ohio, Michigan, 5; North Carolina, 

 lOG ; Indiana, 107 ; Louisiana, 110 ; Arkansas, 114 ; South Carolina, 

 116 ; Texas, 117 ; Georgia, 125. Those indicating decrease — California, 

 5 per cent. ; Massachusetts, 4 ; Connecticut, New York, 3 ; New Jersey, 

 Missouri, 2 ; Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, 1. 



The condition of the crop is slightly below average. The only States 

 not showing inferior averages are Massachusetts, 100; California, 102 ; 

 Vermont, 101 ; North Carolina, Texas, 105; Nebraska, 106. The West- 

 ern States range from 91 in Wisconsin to 98 in Illinois. 



Almost the only variety of oats successfully grown in the South is the 

 " red rust-proof," which has been cultivated twenty years in a single 

 locality without rusting. The testimony is general, almost universal, to 

 its exemption from rust. In a few cases some signs of rust are reported. 

 Drought in May, after long-continued rains in April, has been a promi- 

 nent cause of inferior condition. 



COTTON. 



It is evidently much easier to increase the cotton-acreage than to re- 

 duce it. The exceedingly unpropitioas season for planting, aided by 

 the. counsels of Patrons of Husbandry to produce needed home-sup- 

 plies and be independent, has scarcely sufficed to reduce the breadth 

 of cotton to that occupied in 1872. Our correspondents have been 

 urged to exercise extreme care in their estimates, and their returns 

 cover the larger portion of the area producing cotton. The result of 

 accurate calculations of State-averages from such data is as follows, the 

 comparison being with the area of 1873 : North Carolina, 89 ; South 

 Carolina, 91 ; Georgia, 90 ; Florida, 91 ; Alabama, S6 ; Arkansas, 89 ; 

 Tennessee, 92; Mississippi, 88; Louisiana, 80; Texas, 102; Missouri, 

 75. The aggregate reduction slightly exceeds 10 per cent. 



The condition of the crop is represented by the following figures, 100 

 being normal or fair condition : North Carolina, 89 ; South Carolina, 

 81 ; Georgia, 80 ; Florida, 90 ; Alabama, 82 ; Mississippi, 78 ; Louisiana, 

 70; Texas, 90; Arkansas, 90; Tennessee, 85. The report of condition 

 in June, 1873, is more favorable in every State except Texas, the record 

 standing as follows : Virginia, 93 ; North Carolina, 85 ; South Carolina, 

 88; Georgia, 94; Florida, 102; Alabama, 93; Mississippi, 92 ; Louisiana, 

 94 ; Texas, 86 ; Arkansas, 92 ; Tennessee, 90. 



The season has been remarkable for heavy and frequent rains during 

 the month of April throughout the cotton States. In some sections the 

 aggregate reported exceeds 16 inches. All rivers, creeks, and " spring 

 branches '' even, overflowed their lianks, destroyed the plants, and pre- 

 vented germination on newly-planted lands. In the more southern belt 

 replanting was general both on bottoms and uplands. From the first 

 week in May to its close drought was almost universal. The soil was 

 afterward baked by the hot sun, retarding cultivation and preventing 

 growth. The stand is therefore very poor, many plants not having 

 made their appearance on the 1st of June. 



Since the last of May light showers have been general and prospects 



