253 



sively cultivated, as it produces six to ten tons of hay per acre.' i^ew- 

 ton, Missouri, reports that clover does so well that it will soon be the 

 crop of the county ; Fulton, Arkansas, that the encouraging results of 

 experiments thus far will cause extensive sowing ; and Antelope, I?5'e- 

 braska, that the first sowed, last year, promises well. The average con- 

 dition for all the States is 97. 



SPKING PASTUEES. 



The late spring caused pastures to be generally backward at the time 

 of reporting. It is evident that the figures were somewhat reduced, 

 owing to this circumstance, though it is one from which a speedy im- 

 provement almost necessarily follows. The only State in I^ew England 

 in which the average condition is below 100 is Maine, 96 ; the cause in- 

 dicated is winter-killing. The following States report that pastures are 

 suffering to a greater or less extent from dry weather : Virginia, 99 ; 

 Alabama, 92 ; Tennessee, 91 ; West Virginia and Indiana, 90 ; Kentucky, 

 97 ; Ohio, 88 ; Iowa, 94. Eeturns from New York indicate an average 

 condition of 94 -, Pennsylvania, 93 ; California, 110 ; Texas, 109 ; New 

 Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Florida, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Ne- 

 braska, and Oregon range from 100 to 105 ; the remaining States, from 

 90 in West Virginia to 99 in Minnesota. The average condition for all 

 the States is about 99. 



FAEM-STOCK. 



Cows. — Milch-cows have generally entered on the 1st of June in fair 

 condition. The average for the entire country is 100. The highest con- 

 dition reported, 25 per cent, above average, is in Texas, where the win- 

 ter was unusually mild and free fi'om hard storms. The next highest, 

 11 per cent, above, is in Arkansas. The lowest, 15 per cent, below, is in 

 Kansas, owing chiefly to suffering in the winter and spring for want of 

 shelter in severe storms, aggravated by scarcity of feed. Ohio and Mis- 

 souri report a condition averaging S per cent, below. In the remaining 

 States the averages range between 94 and 106. 



Calves. — Eeturns from all the States, of the number of calves dropped 

 indicate an average increase over last year of 1 per cent. The largest 

 increase, 9 per cent., is in Nebraska ; South Carolina, 8 ; Texas, 7 ; Wis- 

 consin, Minnesota, 6 ; Iowa, Virginia, 5 ; Maine, 3 ; Pennsylvania, 

 Michigan, Louisiana, 2 ; Vermont, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, 

 West Virginia, Oregon, 1 per cent. -, Illinois averages the same as last 

 year, and Indiana 2 per cent. less. 



Sheep. — The loss of sheep the past winter averages for all the States 

 7 i)er cent, of the whole number. The heaviest losses were in Louis- 

 iana, averaging 14 per cent. ; Georgia, 13 ; North Carolina, 12 ; Ala- 

 bama, 11; Mississippi and Tennessee, 10; South Carolina 10; Missouri, 

 9 ; Arkansas, 9. In New England and the Middle States, where 

 the flocks are generally small and well sheltered, the losses aver- 

 age about 6 per cent. The report from Licking, Ohio, calls atten- 

 tion to the well-known fact that losses are much greater in proportion 

 in large than in small flocks. Madison, North Carolina, reports that 

 sheep recently shorn were frozen to death in a snow-storm occurring on 

 the 29th of April. The snow was 2 to 12 inches deep, according to 

 locality, and remained on the ground four days. In Missouri, Crawford, 

 Johnson, and Franklin report that the losses are chiefly by dogs. 

 Similar reports come from Wicomico, Md. ; Gloucester, Essex, Louisa, 



