There is more tlian one truth in this extract, and that contained in the last 

 chiuse of the last sentence is as troublesome as it is unfortunate. The multi- 

 plicity of books and papers have rendered thinking an obsolete labor, and that 

 men m;iy be informed without thinking demands a multiplicity of words that 

 requires a much greater extent of printed matter than the monthly report con- 

 tains. The tables are as stated. They require a little study — not much, how- 

 ever — and, conscious that that little would not be given by many, the matter 

 immediatidy preceding them was prepared for their benefit. It would be desi- 

 rable to show the condition of the crops of each State separately in words, but 

 to do this will necessarily require an enlargement of the monthly report. It is 

 the purpose of the Department to do this as soon as is advisable. 



But still a great excellence of the plan adopted in the table is this very con- 

 densation. Its utility may be seen by comparing it with newspaper articles on 

 the crops which have recently appeared in some western papers. Statements of 

 bad crops on account of drought from eight or ten counties make such an im- 

 pression as to induce the belief that the crops are to be generally a failure. 

 Among the peculiarities of our climate are these localities of great dryness, and 

 the sutiVriug crops in them are certain to elicit great complaints. They appear 

 also in the i-eturns from our coiTespoiidents, but when cnndcnxed with the great 

 number of counties where the drought does not prevail, the injury is brought 

 down tct its proper proportional amount. 



4. Tiie favor given to the first m )nthly report is gratifying to the Department. 

 The purpose had in view meets with general approbation, and letters communi- 

 cating it are constantly received. The ditticulties that surround the undertaking 

 seem to be appreciated by many, and the time essential to perfecting the plan is 

 accorded by all. 



5. The wheat crop is safely harvested, and it is one of the best, if not the very 

 best, ever grown in the United States. It is not free from local injuries, but 

 this is true of every year. A correspondent from Indiana thus writes on the 3d 

 day of August : " Wheat threshing has been in progress for ten days, and shows 

 a greater damage from the midge than was anticipated. On one farm last year 

 the yield was an average of twenty bushels per acre ; this year five. Some 

 farmers put the average below eight l)ushels ; my opinion is that the crop for this 

 county will not vary much from ten bushels per acre." Although the threshing 

 often exhibits injuries not bi'fore suspi'cted by the farmer, yet the returns to tbis 

 Department since spring show a much less injury to the crop than usual. It must 

 be regarded as a most excellent one now, but the returns next month, which will 

 be based on the threshing, may somewhat modify this opinion. An interesting 

 inquiry with every farmer is, " What will be the probable foreign demand for 

 wheat?" Large as was the crop of last year, the general activity at home in 

 most branches of business, and the heavy foreign demand, assured to him remu- 

 nerative prices. So long as the war lasts the same home demand will prevail, 

 but present indications are not favorable to so great a foreign demand. All 

 accounts represent the English crops as very favorable, but still they may be 

 much injured before they are harvested. This Department ought to be placed 

 in close connexion with our consuls abroad, so tiiat interrogatories, similar to 

 those answered by our hom(3 correspondents, might be addressed to them. 



The fdllowing table shows the exports of breadstutis from the port of New 

 York for the first seven months in the years 1861, 1862, and 1863, ending July 

 31 of each year: 



1861. 1862. 1863. 



Wheat flour barrels . . 1,484,599 1,780,733 1,441,220 



Rye flour barrels.. 6,5r.7 5,581 4,079 



Corn meal barrels.. 64,304 97,720 79,894 



Wheat bushels.. 11,990,578 9,906,370 8,835,633 



Rye bushels . . 257,842 938,457 358,537 



Oorn bushels.. 5,178,335 7,222,475 6,441,593 



