MONTHLY REPORT. 



Department of AaRicuLXURE, 



Statistical Division, July 21, 1874. 

 Sir : I submit for publication a digest of the returns of acreage of 

 •certain crops and condition of crops for July, a record of market-prices 

 for the month, together with current results of investigation in other 

 divisions of the Department, and other matter, 



J. E. DODGE, 



Statistician^ 

 Hon. Frederick Watts, 



Commissioner. 



DIGEST OF CROP RETURNS. 



/ CORK 



An increase in the corn area of fully 2,000,000 acres is apparent, or 6 

 per cent, above the breadth of last year. The percentage is largest in 

 the South ; the increase in acres is largest in the West. Eeturns make 

 the gain in Iowa over 300,000 acres ; in Missouri, about the same ; in 

 Illinois, about 200,000 ; in Indiana, fully 200,000 ; in Kansas, about 

 170,000. Georgia shows almost as large an increase as Iowa and Mis- 

 souri; Alabama, 180,000 acres; Mississippi, 120,000 acres; Texas, 

 200,000 acres. The inducement to enlarge the corn area of the cotton 

 States appear to have been less influential in the Mississippi Valley than 

 in the more eastern States, Georgia particularly. The increase in Texas 

 is sknply due to the natural expansion of crop areas from immigation, and 

 is equally noticeable in cotton and other crops. 



The number of States reporting a decrease in area is small, including 

 only Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, 

 West Virginia, Kentucky, and California. In Northern New England 

 a late unfavorable spring interfered with i^lanting, and in Louisiana 

 the area is less by reason of the overflow. 



The States making increase are as follows : Maryland, Virginia, Wis- 

 consin, 101 ; Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nebraska, 102 ; Massachusetts, Ore- 

 gon, 103; Connecticut, North Carolina, Illinois,' 101; South Carolina, 

 Michigan, 106 ; Indiana, 108; Iowa, 109; Mississippi, Minnesota, 110; 

 Alabama, Arkansas, 112; Kansas, 114; Georgia, 115. 



The condition of corn is generally good in the West, but elsewhere 

 variable. The only States reporting average condition, or above, are 

 Massachusetts of the Eastern States, Pennsylvania of the Middle States, 

 Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Texas of the Southern 

 States, and the Western States, except Minnesota, reporting 94, and 

 California and Oregon. 



