391 



north of 44°, exhibit better maturity and a greater yield than fot several 

 years. 



The States of the great corn region, including those bordering on the 

 great lakes and on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, have without excep 

 tiou made either a full or a large crop. Illinois, the corn field of the 

 Union, estimated by this Department to have an acreage in maize of 

 5,237,000 in 18G9, figures which proved to be 3 per cent, below rather 

 than above the actual returns of assessors for that year, has this year 

 fully six millions of acres in corn — an area larger than that of the State 

 of i^ew Hampshire. At the low estimate of 35 bushels per acre, the 

 product will reach 210,000,000 bushels. There are intelligent men 

 who estimate nearly a million more for the acreage of Illinois, an aver- 

 age yield of 37 bushels, and a total product of 250,000,000 bushels. 



Witliout reference to increase or decrease in acreage, which was re- 

 ported in the July number, the average of ''condition" is as follows in 

 the several States : Increase — Maine, 10 per cent.; Vermont, 5; Rhode 

 Island, 5; New York, 3; New Jersey, 4; Pennsylvania, 3; Virginia, 3; 

 North Carolina, 12; South Carolina, 10; Georgia, 12; Florida, 6 ; Ala- 

 bama, 10; Louisiana, 3; Texas, 1; Arkansas, 16,; Tennessee, 22; West 

 Virginia, 10; Kentucky, 15; Missouri, G; Illinois, 17; Indiana, 18; Ohio, 

 16; Michigan, 16; Wisconsin, 10 ; Minnesota, 2; Iowa, 5. Decrease — 

 New Hampshire, 4 per cent. ; Massachusetts, 15 ; Connecticut, 3 ; Del- 

 aware, 10; Kansas, 13; Nebraska, 9; California, 0; Oregon, 5. 



The crop has rii^ened unusually early, without injury from frosts, and 

 is remarkably sound, with exceptions of injury from dro)ight, as in East- 

 ern Massachusetts, where some fields were cut up for fodder, and in 

 Virginia, where a portion overwhelmed by the floods was rendered unfit 

 for use of man or beast. Excessive rains have wrought injury in some 

 parts of the South and in the Missouri Valley, where the rains of Sep- 

 tember have been very abundant ; in Nebraska the rain-fall for the 

 month being about seven inches. 



Other grains. — Rye gives a somewhat smaller yield than in 1869. It 

 is grown for pasturage in the Southern States more extensively than 

 usual. In quality the grain is generally good ; though not fully up to 

 an average in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, 

 Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee. 



Oats are not generally so productive as last year, except in the South, 

 in Michigan and in New Jersey. There is, also, a like depreciation in 

 quality, in most quarters. An average quality is reported from New 

 Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, 

 Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Iowa. 



The aggregate product of barley appears to be less than in 1869. The 

 only exceptional States are Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Ken- 

 tucky, Iowa, and Nebraska. The quality in the West is generally good ; 

 below an average in the Atlantic States, and scarcely an average in the 

 Southwest, where it is grown to a very limited extent. 



The only States yielding full crops of buckwheat are Tennessee, Ken- 

 tucky, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, and Nebraska. The 

 aggregate is less than usual. 



Beans and peas. — The reports indicate an average product, in quantity 

 and quality, with some local variability. The -pea, crop, which is one of 

 great importance to the South, has occupied a larger acreage than for- 

 merly in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, but has been some- 

 what neglected in other cotton States. 



Potatoes. — Potatoes exhibit a considerable reduction in yield, m hich is 

 below an average in all of the Atlantic States to Virginia, inclusive, 



