REMARKS ON THE FOREGOING TABLES. 



The last circular contained various questions relative to fruits, j^rains, 

 and stock. Some of these, it was known, could not be answered definitely; 

 but as statements were made which represented the fruit crop of the west 

 as destroyed, and its wheat crop much injured, it was proper to ascertain, 

 at the earliest moment, what grounds ther© were for these statements. Some 

 of these questions had necessarily to be renewed in subsequent circulars, 

 in order to ascertain the condition of the growing crops at more subsequent 

 periods of their growth; but the backwardness of the spring has made it 

 impossible to answer several inquiries as definitely as was desired. For 

 these causes, the next circular will be much like the last one as to the sub- 

 jects of its inquiries, and on this account it is not necessary to publish a 

 portion of the table, made from the answers to the last circular, especially 

 as to fruits and grain crops. But the condition of these on the 1st of April, 

 when the returns were sent to the department, will be stated generally. 



1. Fruits. — In the eastern States, Maryland, and in most sections- of the 

 middle States, the fruit buds are not seriously affected. Indeed, in some of 

 them they are in a better condition than is usual at this time of the year. 

 They promise an excellent crop. But in the west and northwest, the injury 

 both to the trees and fruit buds is undoubtedly great, as much so as ever 

 before experienced. The extreme rigor of the winter thei'e, in its most ex- 

 traordinary changes, has been noticed heretofore, and will be seen more 

 fully in the instructive tables furnished by the Smithsonian Institution, in 

 the meteorological part of this report. The apple buds have been injured; 

 those of the peach killed, and many of the trees too, and pear and cherry 

 trees seriously affected. It is not necessary, however, to particularize lo- 

 calities, that the extent of their injuries may be noticed, for fuller and more 

 certain returns will be given in the next bi-monthly report. 



2. Grain crojys — The crops sown last fall are promising in the eastern 

 States, for the winter has been favorable to them. But in Pennsylvania and 

 Maryland, and in all the western States, except Wisconsin and Minnesota, 

 where spring wheat is chiefly sown, the condition on the first of April was 

 unfavorable. General apprehension existed that the severe weather in Feb- 

 ruary and March, when the ground was bare of snow in large districts, had 

 injured it seriously; but where there was snow it was doing well. We 

 think there is an overestimate of the injury, for the cold, although severe, 

 was steady, calculated to turn the blades brown, but not to destroy the 

 root. In tills belief we have the more confidence from a few of the later 

 returns. One of these says that wheat thought to be killed was looking 

 better. The dry cool weather of March was unfavorable to restoring its 

 appearance, but the snows and rains of the latter part of the month and of 

 April will do much to revive it, if in the condition we hope. But it is a 

 winter that will test the value of drill sowing over broadcast, and of early 

 over late putting in. To these matters we hope our correspondents will give 

 special attention. 



Bye, barley, and. clover. — These have not suffered as much as wheat, but 

 their condition on the first of April was not as favorable as usual. The 

 amount of clover seed sown this spring is a full average. 



3. Cattle. — A reference to the table will show that there is a marked de- 

 crease in the number of fattening cattle at this season of the year. This was 

 to have been expected from the scarcity of food in the west, the high price 

 of it in the east,. and of the decreased number of cattle from the govern- 

 ment demand. The returns indicate a decrease of nearly three-tenths, or 

 thirty per cent., in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan; of two and 

 a half tenths, or twenty-five per cent., in New York, Iowa, and Illinois; and 



