31 



eastern States. The northwestern had rains in Julv, but the latter part of their 

 season was luifavorable. The crop is 3,903,782 bushels less than that of 1863. 



Hay. — Although this crop is 1,620,096 tons less than that of last year, yet 

 its superior quality will fully compensate for its decrease in weight. It was 

 harvested in the best condition. 



Having no basis upon which to estimate the quantities of the following crops 

 they cannot be reduced to numbers, but their comparative increase or decrease 

 by tenths can be noticed. 



Flax-seed. — In the States of New York and Minnesota there is a decrease — 

 in the former State of one-third of a tenth, and in the latter of one and one- 

 third tenth from the crop of 1S63. But the other States show a large increase, 

 ranging from one-tenth to four-tenths. The increase in lint is not so great, but 

 is much in advance of the crop of 1S63. 



Sorg/iu?n. — In the States Avhere this molasses product Las been raised in con- 

 siderable quantities, as in most of the western, there is no great increase above 

 1862, except in Illinois, where it is two and a quarter tenths. But in nearly all the 

 eastern there is a large increase ranging from one to seven tenths. How far the 

 frost of the 9th of October has injured this crop in the west is not yet known. 

 But it was imusually backward by reason of the long drought ; and premature 

 ripening by frost is unf;xvorable to the production of molasses, either as to quan- 

 tity or quality. We much fear that our fanners will again experience an un- 

 successful season in this new molasses product. 



Cottan. — The returns from counties in which this product is grown are not 

 many, but, compared with 1862, they show a considerable increase, ranging 

 from one to five tenths. In Illinois it is four-tenths, or forty per cent. 



Root crops. — There is a large decrease in these in nearly all of the States 

 except Connecticut and "West Virginia. In Vermont there is a small increase, 

 but potatoes are not embraced under this head. 



Fattening hogs. — There is no column of our tables so important as the one 

 that exhibits the number of hogs now fattening. Last year similar inquiries 

 were made, and our estimate, from the returns to them, of the decrease in the 

 number of fattened hogs in the principal hog-producing States of the west was 

 stated at 806,139. The close of the packing season for all the western States 

 showed the decreased number to be as follows : 



1862-'63. 1863-'6i. 



Packed 4, 084, 582 o 3, 291, 105 



Shipped 307,503 98,322 



4, 392, 085 3, 389, 427 



3, 389, 427 



Decrease 1, 002, 658 



