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of 2 per cent. : Maryland, 3 ; Kentucky, 2 ; Indiana, 2 ; Mississippi, 2 ; 

 and South Carolina, 8. The average increase iu acreage is estimated at 

 4 per cent., or about three-fourtlis of a million acres. 



The condition of the crop in Massachusetts is placed at 14 per cent, 

 below an average; Connecticut, G; New York, 2; Virginia, 8; North 

 Carolina, 18 ; South Carolina, 27 ; Georgia,' 25 ; Alabama, 23 ; Missis- 

 sippi, 4; Texas, 14 , Arkansas, 13; Tennessee, 26; Kentucky, 20; In- 

 diana, 3 ; California, 42. The States reporting superior condition are : 

 Delaware, 2 per cent, above average ; Maryland, 2 ; West Virginia, 4 ; 

 Ohio, 7 ; Michigan, 6 ; Wisconsin, G ; Minnesota, 2 ; Illinois, 3 ; Iowa, 8; 

 Missouri, 4 ; Kansas, 9 ; Nebraska, G ; Oregon, 4. 



The Avheat plant in New England is suffering from drought in the 

 sandy and less elevated sections. Spring grain has been injured from 

 this cause in the mountain sections of Western Massachusetts. 



Winter wheat is in fine condition throughout New York. Our cor- 

 respondent in Livingston County says it looks better than he has seen 

 it in the past forty-five years, though the spring grain is suffering from 

 drought, particularly on uplands. In Erie County, spring wheat has 

 had an unprecedented growth in the last ten days of May. In Onon- 

 daga wheat is beginning to head, and in some places is " lodging" badly. 

 The growth of spring grains has been retarded in Clinton by a wet and 

 cold spring. Recent rains have greatly improved the crop iu Seneca. 

 Drought has been severe iu several sections, as in Albany, Livingston, 

 Suffolk, and other counties, causing injury to spring grains, but winter 

 wheat endures it well. A fully average condition is reported through- 

 out the Middle States. There has rarely been a better prospect for 

 wheat in New Jersey, Ocean County furnishing the only unfavorable 

 report. In Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, it is stated that very heavy 

 showers have washed the pollen from the blooming wheat, and a reduc- 

 tion is feared in consequence. 



The reports from Maryland are equally favorable as to average con- 

 dition. A few drawbacks are reported froui the Hessian fly in Talbot, 

 Queen Anne, and St. Mary's. In Talbot the joint- worm is troublesome. 

 While the injury in St. Mary's, from the rust and fly, is severe, the 

 superior condition of the crop will comiiensate for this deficit and place 

 the prospective yield above the average. The following items are ex- 

 tracted from the returns : 



Cecil CounUj, Md. — Wheat, eailj in the spring, -svas uncommonly promising, but the 

 greater part of it was struck with an iiuusually early rust. In whole fields the leaves 

 turned yellow, and persons passing through them had the lower part of their garments 

 stjiined a brown color. The excessively hot weather in April, followed by heavy rains 

 and cool weather in the last of April and the first of May, probably caused this. At 

 present crops of all kinds are suftering from drought. 



Queen Anne County, Md. — The Hessian fly has sadly thinned many fields of wheat, 

 and the blades have been killed by red rust. Wheat passed out of blossom without 

 heavy rains or high winds, and is consequentlj^ entirely free from scab, which proved 

 so destructive last year. If the weather proves favoralile for the next three weeks we 

 will harvest three-fourths of a crop. Had the usual amount of fertilizers been used 

 last fall I think the crop would have been a full average. 



In Virginia rust is reported in King George, Nansemond, Surry, Nel- 

 son, Chesterfield, Buchanan, Lee, Middlesex, Pulaski, and Lancaster; 

 and the fly in Campbell, Chesterfield, King George, Augusta, and 

 Pulaski. While the general prospect is not very unpromising, there are 

 some counties in which the reduction is heavy, as will be seen by the 

 following extracts : 



Buchanan County, Va. — AVheat suffering from excessive wet, hot, and sultry weather. 

 Eust iu nearly every field. Great complaint of smut ; some fields totally ruined. The 

 fallow erop very poor. 



