iMOlS'THLy REPOET. 



Department of Agriculture, Statistical Division, 



Washington, D. C, June 20, 1871. 

 Sir : I present herewith for publication a condensed statement of the 

 acreage and condition of the growing crops, together with a variety 

 of extracts from the correspondence of the Department ; also, arti- 

 cles on beet-sugar manufacture ; on the climate of Santa Barbara ', 

 temperature and rain-fall of certain stations in northeastern Ohio; 

 list of market prices of farm products; agriculture in Italy; the game 

 laws of Prussia ; scientific notes ; meteorological tables, and notes on 

 the weather, &c. 



J. E. DODGE, 



iStatiatician. 

 Hon. Horace C apron, 



Commissioner. 



co:n^dition of the chops ix june. 



The meteorological peculiaritj* of the season has been the recurrence 

 of severe frosts in the interior areas, the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. 

 In the former the severest occurred April 19 to 23, killing fruits and 

 injuring grain crops; and the absence of rain is noted throughout this 

 region, in some places for a period of eight weeks together ; but showers 

 in the latter part of May have been quite general, and exceedingly 

 timely and refreshing. ^Yest of the Mississippi heavy frosts occurred 

 early in April, one on the 13th destroying much fruit in Kansas. In the 

 Gulf Coast States, on the contrary, rain was abundant both in April 

 and May, attended with a low temperature as in the section north of 

 them. 



While the planting and germinating season was generally cool, it was 

 commenced at an early date, being preceded by a spell of genial and 

 sunny weather; the temperature of the soil has not been reduced by 

 evaporation of heavy falls of rai>i ; consequently the crops of all but the 

 cotton States are more advanced than usual, and the grain harvests are 

 commencing a week, in some places ten days, earlier than their cus- 

 tomary date. 



wheat. 



The wheat acreage of the country has been increased. The averages, 

 as carefully calculated from our returns, in comijarison with the breadth 

 sown last year, show an increase in the following States : Xew York, 1 

 percent.; New Jersey, 2; Ohio, G ; Michigan,!, Wisconsin,!; Minne- 

 sota, 10 ; Iowa, 15 ; Kansas, 30 ; Nebraska, 25 ; Oregon, 3. A small de- 

 crease appears in the Xew England States; in Pennsylvania, a reduction 



