27 



"The enormous yield of tobacco in 1863, of whicli we received iii this mar 

 ket over 132,000 hogshaads, and therefore inu3t have been fully 175,000 

 hogsheads, taking in the consumption in the west and stocks still held there, 

 has been a matter of surprise even to the best informed." 



We believe the crop of 1863 is larger than here stated. To the 132,000 

 hogsheads received at New York, there were inspected in 1864, at Baltimore, 

 52,873 hogsheads. This alone makes the crop received at New York and 

 Baltimore 184,873 hogsheads. The consumption of that which has been 

 inspected elsewhere, and of that which was consumed without inspection, could 

 not be less than 35,000 hogsheads. If so, then the crop of 1863 may be repre- 

 sented as 219,873 hogsheads, equal to 263,847,600 pounds, estimating the 

 hogshead at 1200 pounds. 



As reported by this department, the tobacco crop of 1863 was 267,267,920 

 pounds. 



The second test of the plan of the department is in its estimated decrease of 

 the number of hogs. In 1863-'64 the number packed and shipped in the west 

 was 3,291,105. The estimated amount, as stated in the bi-monthly report of 

 September and October, for the season of lS64-'65, was 2,340,469, being a 

 decrease of 950,636. The returns, as far as received, show a decrease of 

 488,047 on 1,750,344 of last year's packing, being equal to a deficit of 917,656 

 on the whole number packed last season. So close an approximation would be 

 regarded with favor in ordinary circumstances ; but tinder the remarkable 

 changes Avhich the hog crop has endured from the loss of the corn crop in 1863, 

 it presents an estimate that will command great confidence in the plan adopted 

 here for the estimates of crops. 



Henry Milward & Co.'s provision circular of Chicago, of January 11, has the 

 following comments on the pork market : 



" The returns from the various packing points come in but slowly ; but they 

 all show more than even the estimated deficiency : and we see no reason to 

 change our original opinion, that the total deficiency will be at least 800,000 

 head, and may reach, and possibly exceed, 1,000,000, &c., &e., &c." 



CINCHONA PLANTS. 



On the 13th of January plants of Clnrhona condanunca (Peruvian bark tree) ap- 

 peared at the agricultural garden in basins in which seed had been sown. They 

 came up by hundreds in less than one month from the time of sowing. The 

 seed, however, were in excellent condition Avheu received from their native 

 country, having been gathered when thoroughly ripe in September last, and 

 subjected afterwards to careful treatment. In trials with Cinchona at the Kew 

 gardens in London, some years since, germination took place at the end of three 

 months. 



The present species of Peruvian bark tree is from the vicinity of Loxa, in 

 Southern Ecuador, and is one of established reputation. It is believed to be 

 well adapted to cultivation in a great part of California, in the mountain regions 

 east of that State where cold is not extreme, in the mountains of the interior of 

 Texas, and in other locations in our country. 



