Ignorance of tlie state of our crops invariably leads to speculation, in which 

 oftentimes, the farmer does not obtain just prices, and by which the consumer 

 is not benefited. The interests of labor, therefore, demand that the true con- 

 dition of these crops should be made known. Such knowledge, Avhilst it tends 

 to discourage speculation, gives to commerce a more uniform, and, consequently, 

 a more healthy action. Its influence on manufactures is not less beneficial. 

 The probable supply of textile material directs the extent of manufacturing 

 industry, and the prices and consumption of its products. 



2. Holding these opinions, the Commissioner of Agriculture believed it was 

 his duty to adopt some plan to obtain each month, during the months from May 

 to October inclusive, general information of the amount and condition of our 

 leading agricultural products. He was aware of the difliculties that surrounded 

 an attempt of this kind. The department had no means, except in a copy of 

 its annual report,, these monthly reports, and seeds, to pay for answers to inter- 

 rogatories necessary to procure information. It had but one reliance — the vol- 

 untary aid of intelligent farmers — a class to whom the government, in its utmost 

 need, ever appealed to, and not in vain, for aid and protection. 



The plan that has been adopted is to issue a circular for each month, com- 

 mencing with May, to end Avith October, and in it to make inquiries relative to 

 those crops the condition of which is of most importance to be known. It was 

 desirable to avoid perplexing interrogatories, and to select those only which could 

 be answered briefly and definitely. In the subjoined tables it will be seen that 

 the questions relate to but two matters, the amount sown in 1863 compared 

 ■with that in 1862, and the appearance of the crop in May and June. The an- 

 swers are given in figures, by adopting 10 as the representative of an average 

 of the amrmnt of acres sown ; making each number below or above it represent 

 one-tenth of a decrease or increase. So 10 represents also an average appear- 

 ance. The figure 9 would be one-tenth below the average appearance, and 11 

 would be one-tenth above it. These answers are simple, not likely to be mis- 

 understood, and enable the department to make, readily, averages of a county, 

 and from these of a State, and from all the States a general average. With 

 this explanation every person will easily understand the tables. 



The difliculties of collecting these statistics were several. The correspond- 

 ents were unknown ; who were reliable, from the interest they would take in 

 the proposed plan, could be ascertained by trial only ; who would procure tiie 

 information, necessary to approximate to correctness, was uncertain As farmers 

 communicate to each other, and to persons in towns, esppcially to dealers in 

 produce, the state and amount of their crops, there soon obtains in every county 

 a knowledge of their condition, whether more or less than an average has been 

 planted, whether injured, and by what cause, and to what extent. With no 

 great deal of trouble, this information can be collected and transmitted through 

 the plan adopted. From no other source can the condition of growing crops he 

 ascertained. It is obvious that as our correspondents better understand the 

 general character of the infornuition this department needs, their inquiries will 

 be seasonably made, so that their replies can be given clearly, and at the de- 

 sired time. 



It is designed to issue the circulars about the tenth day of each month, and 

 have them mailed for their return on the first day of the ensuing month. This 

 will give time to take averages of the answers, to prepare the meteorological 

 tables, and to make such statements in the report as may be desired, and have 

 it printed and distributed to correspondents, with the next circular, by the tenth. 



Unseen difliculties, inseparable from every undertaking where experience has 

 not yet fixed the routine necessary to be pursued, has delayed this first report 

 The irregularities of the mails, delay in the printing of the circulars, time required 

 by correspondents to make an-angements to procure the desired information — 

 theee were some of thean. The number and character of the answers received, 



