MONTHLY REPOET. 



Department of AgkiculturEj Statistical Division, 



Aijril 28, 1871. 



Sir: I present herewith, for publication, a summary of reports on the 

 condition of winter grains, on the condition of farm animals, and on 

 diseases of farm animals. Also a variety of extracts from the corre- 

 spondence of the Department, and articles upon subjects as follows : 

 Eepresentatiou of Husbandry ; Cinchona-planting in Jamaica ; Cost and 

 Profit of the Department of Agriculture ; Agriculture and Climate of 

 Oregon ; Imports of 1870; Market Prices of Farm- Products ; Prices of 

 Middling Cotton for twenty j^ears ; English Short-horn Cattle Sales ; 

 Agriculture in Portugal; Agricultural Statistics of Great Britain; En- 

 glish Imi)orts of Breadstnffs ; British Eevenue ; Scientific Notes; Me- 

 teorology ; together with a number of items from various sources. 



J. Pv. DODGE, Statistician. 



Hon. Horace C apron. 



Commissioner. 



CONDITION OF WINTEPv GEAIN. 



The autumn season was generally favorable for germination and vig- 

 orous growth ; the winter has been comparatively mild and uniform in 

 temperature ; the freezing weather mainly occurred in mid-winter, and 

 fouud the wheat plants protected by a sufficient covering of snow; the 

 spring has been unusually early, and the growth of grain advanced 

 two to four weeks beyond its accustomed status. There is no State 

 in which winter-killing is not exceptional, and in several it is almost 

 entirely unknown. It may be that future reports, as the season pro- 

 gresses, will be less favorable ; they certainly cannot be more flattering. 

 In the following digest of the returns almost every unfavorable state- 

 ment is presented. 



New England. — In Maine there has been cojisiderable loss from winter- 

 killing, especially in the counties of Oxford, Piscataquis, and Cumber- 

 land, during the variable weather of February and March. Winter- 

 grain looks well in York, and rye is in fine condition in Androscoggin. 



The open winter and light covering of snow has left wheat and rye 

 in unpromising condition in Hillsboro, Straflbrd, and Belknap, in New 

 Hampshire; while Merrimack reports a prospect above the average, 

 and the fields look well in Sullivan. There is little grown in Coos. 



Vermont grains have suffered somewhat from open winter. The 

 appearance presented in Windsor County is 10 per cent, below an aver- 

 age upon heavy soils, but very fair upon warm lands late sown. 



Peports are quite favorable from Massachusetts and Connecticut, 



