22 



Rye. — The injuries to tliis crop are not great, being in Connecticut, Maryland, 

 Ohio, Iowa, and Minnesota one-tenth, and in other States less. There is a small 

 decrease in this crop. The yield in 1862 was 21,254,956 bushels, nnd in 1863, 

 20,798,287 bushels ; decrease, 456,669 bushels. 



Barley. — There is not much difference in the crop of barley between this and 

 last year. It has been injured more than the rye crop, and hence the decrease 

 is greater. It was injured tivo-tenths in New Hampshire, and one-tcntli in Maine, 

 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota. 

 The crop of 1862 was 17,781,464 bushels, and in 1863, 16,760,597 bushels— a 

 deciease of 1,020,867 bushels. 



Oats. — Tliis crop is injured two-tenths in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Minne- 

 sota, and one-tenth in Maine, New Hampshire, Vennont, Connecticut, New York, 

 Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa; one and a half tenths 

 in Massachusetts and Ohio, and one and a quarter tenths in New Jersey. But 

 with all this injury it is a greater crop than last year, which was so much injured 

 by the rust in the western States. The crop of 1862 was 172,520,997 bushels, 

 and of 1863, 174,858,167 bushels— an increase of 2,337,170 bushels. 



Flaxseed. — According to the census of 1860, the whole number of bushels of 

 flaxseed in the United States was but 611,780 bushels, of which 550,456 were 

 raised in the loyal States. The increase of the last year was greatly over this 

 amount, but we have no means of making a reliable estimate of it. Assuming 

 that the increase of 1862 over 1859 was 50 per cent., the crop of last year 

 would have been 825,684 bushels. The general average increase according to 

 the tables of this month is four-tenths, or 40 per cent., which would make the 

 crop of this year 1,155,958 bu!^hcls. The basis of the crop for the estimate of 

 1862 is too vague to render calculations for each State necessary, but the States 

 gi'owing flax most largely in 1859 show a heavy per cent, increase in 1863. 



Hay. — It was supposed that the drought in the west and the rains in the east 

 at the time of the hay harvest would materially and injuriously affect the crop 

 of hay. But its quality in the \vest is represented as excellent, and the damage 

 in the east is much less than anticipated. The crop of this year is about twenty 

 millions of tons, and about one and a half million less than last year. 



Corn. — The frosts of August and September have been very fatal to this 

 national crop of our country. In the western States, where it is nearly all 

 grown, the drought of spring was severe generally, and continued in many 

 localities nearly to the first of August. The corn crop was consequently kept 

 back, and the later planted was but recovering from this drought when the frosts 

 of August 28, 29, and SO destroyed it in low places where it was not 

 protected by fogs, and all of it was arrested in ripening by the continued cold 

 weather, until the more genei'al and tar more fatal frost of September 18 

 completely stopped all further growth. 



The inqiiiries addressed to the correspondents of this department sought to 

 reveal the extent of the damage, and the means adopted by the farmers to save 

 the injured corn. The replies have been cai'efully examined, as well as an ex- 

 tensive correspondence accompanying the circulars. The newspaper accounts 

 have not been overlooked, and all go to sustain the result exhibited in the table. 



The corn crop of 1862 Vv'e estimate at 586, 704, 474 bushels 



That of 1863 at 449,163,894 " 



Decrease 137, 540, 588 



The tables of these and other crops will be found on pages 14, 14, 16, and 17 

 of this report. 



What is the vahie of the injured corn ? is an inquiry that has been made in 

 the October circular. But the general statements of our correspondents show 



