31 



Table of comparison between 1863 and 1864. 



1863. 



1S64. 



Increase. 



Decrease. 



Total, bushels 888,546,554. 959,821,150 



Total tobacco, pounds 163, 353, 082 140, 503, 760 



Total bav, tons IS, 346, 730 18, 004, 366 



Total Acreacre 55, 136, 248 ! .53, 950, 797 



Total value of crops $955, 764, 322 1, 440, 415, 435 



71,274,596 



$484,651,113 



22, 849, 322 



342, 364 



1,185,451 



Explanation and comment on the foregoing tables. 



The first of these three tables exhibits the amount, the yield per acre, the 

 total acreage, the frice per bushel, &c., and the total value of each of the crops 

 .named in the several States. The amount is estimated from the returns of cor- 

 respondents in tenths, increase or decrease, of the preceding crops, and the 

 yield per acre and frice per bushel, &c., from their returns also. The average 

 yield per acre and the average price per bushel, &c., are ascertained for each 

 State from them. The total acreage is derived by dividing the yield per acre 

 into the amount of the crop, and the total value by multiplying the price per 

 bushel, &c., into the amount. 



A more accurate way would be to make this division and multiplication into 

 the crops of each comity, instead of into the estimates for each State, but this 

 cannot be done, for the Interior Department has not yet published them as 

 given by the census returns of 1860. The returns of each State, as given in 

 the abridged census report, is the basis upon which the amount of the crops 

 for 1862, 1863, and 1864 have been estimated. But as the excess of one 

 county is much counterbalanced by the deficiency of another, or more than 

 counterbalanced by a third, the general result, in this way, from the many returns 

 for each State, affords a much closer approximation than would be supposed at 

 first view. This fact Ave have determined by various means. 



The prices for 1863 were taken in November of that year, and for 1864 on 

 the 1st day of January, 1865. This time is best to show the value of the 

 crops to the farmer, as so large a portion of the crops is sold in October, Novem- 

 ber, and December. 



The table of comparison, between 1863 and 1864, exhibits much that is in- 

 teresting. There is a large increase in the number of bushels of grain, 

 (71,274,596,) a decrease in tobacco of 22,849,322 pounds, a decrease of hay of 

 342,264 tons, a decrease in the acreage of 1,185,451 acres, but an increase in 

 value of $484,651,113. 



The first increase is from the corn crop, which regained nearly all of its loss 

 in 1863 ; the second from the condition of the currency, and is a subject of not 

 only present but future intfrest. 



The value of the crops, the market value of gold when the prices were taken, 

 and thfi per cent, increase of the value of both, are as follows : 



Years. Value of crops. 



1862. 



1863., 



1864- 



$706,887,495 



955,764,322 



1,410,415,435 



Eate of i^oA. 



131 

 147 

 '227 



Gold, increase Increase value of crops 

 per ce:it. per cent. 



12 

 54 



35 

 50 



An examination of the increase of the different crops in 1863 shows that it 

 was chiefly in those most demanded by government for war purposes, hence 

 the difference between 12 per cent, and 35 per cent., being 23 percent, may be 

 attributed to the advance in value occasioned chiefly by the war demand. The 



