257 



Several kiuds of wheat distributed by t!ie Department are i)roving 

 desirable acquisitions. The Ushak variety has been sold in Virginia 

 for $5 per quart. The Touzclle, a French variety, is claimed to be 20 

 per cent, better than any other in Culpejier, Virginia. The Fultz wheat 

 is a very promising variety, though it has had but one year's distribu- 

 tion. The Tappahannock, first distributed nearly ten years ago, has 

 .been highly esteemed in various sections of the country, but appears to 

 be declining at some points, as an old variety. 



In Maine, only two counties send reports of condition less than 110. 

 The great wheat county of Pennsylvania, Lancaster, which has yielded 

 2,000,000 bushels, stands at 75, while the Stateaverages but GO. In Ken- 

 tucky the figures in several prominent counties range from 110 to l.j.J. The 

 uplands of West Virginia are less favorably reported than the Kanawha 

 Valley. Throughout the Soutli, as shown in extracts from correspond- 

 once, the crop is better in quantity and quality than for many years. 

 In Dallas, Texas, the yield is reported as ranging from 21 to 37 bushels 

 per acre; in Williamson, from 2.5 to 35 bushels; in Blanco, 10 bushels, 

 through the county, many of the fields producing- 20 to 30 bushels per 

 acre. In Tennessee similarly large yields are reported; in Knox County, 

 from 27 acres GOO bushels of Tappahannock being thrashed, or nearly 

 2G bushels per acre. While the average for Ohio is low, Scioto County 

 reports the best crop in twelve years. Throughout the Ohio Valley the 

 harvest is late, many reports making it two weeks later than usual. The 

 wheat-fields of Missouri have been devastated the present year by win- 

 ter frost, by chinch-bugs, which have eaten whole fields of spring- wheat 

 as fast as the plants appeared, by the Hessian fly, and by destructive 

 floods which have deluged bottom-lands. A field of 7,000 acres, yield- 

 ing 20 bushels per acre, is reported as the property of one farmer of 

 Alameda County, California. 



New York. — Tafes : Crop prospects improved. Jefferson : Such winter- wheat as 

 escaped wiuter-killiuj? looks well. Spring grain on low land partly drowned out ; on 

 drier lands it is greatly improved ; will be average. JVijomiixj : Promises 15 bushels 

 l>cr acre. Steiibe)) : Winter- wheat about 78 per cent.; spring crop promising. Genesee : 

 Two-thii'ds of a crop. Catturau-oxs : Prospects favorable. Dutchess : Late rains have 

 improved the crops. Otsego : Spring grain fine. Livingston : Winter- wheat past re- 

 demption on clay soils, but many fields have been greatly improved by late rains ; 

 crop less than half of last year's, which was the best in fifty years. Queens : Light ; 

 harvested in good condition. Eric : W^inter-wheat looks well, but is spotted. Onon- 

 daga : Winter-wheat thinned by freeziug, but doing finely now ; heading heavily. 



Maixe. — York : Growth rank. 



New Jeusky.— Morris : Improved by late heavy rains. Monmouth : Grain of good 

 quality. G-loueesfer : Yield 20 per cent, below'average. 



Pennsylvania. — Westmoreland : Fultz wheat doing finely. Franklin : ' ' Shelter weed " 

 has taken the place of wheat, to a great extent, but it does not pay. Lebanon : Very 

 short in straw ; old Mediterranean the best ; fancy varieties almost a total failure. 

 Cumberland: Harvest two weeks late. Lancaster: Crop improved. Bucks: Short and 

 thin, but of fine quality. Luzerne; Wheat that escaped winter-killing is 10 per 

 cent, above average in condition. Berks : Stand thin, but heads large and filling 

 well ; crop about three-fourths of an average ; harvest about 4tli of July. Bradford: 

 Improved by late warm and copious rains. Mifflin : Winter-killed ; not over a half 

 crop. Tioga: Winter-wheat better than was expected. Fayette: Half killed by win- 

 ter and injured by the fly. Clinton : Winter-wheat a failure ; or at most not over half 

 a crop. Clearfield : Measurably recovered from winter cold ; harvest late ; fears of 

 rust. Indiana : Promising. Elk : Greatly improved by late copious rains. North- 

 umberland : Winter-wheat will yield double the estimate of the spring, or about half 

 a crop. Lehigh : The wheat that came up has fine heads and is promising. Lycoming : 

 Thin through winter-killing, but large-headed and greatly improved by late fijte 

 weather. Butler: Improved by late timely rains; crop half average. York: Well 

 filled. Montgomery : Half a crop ; shortened by drought. 



Makylano. — Baltimore: Thin on the ground but well headed ; no injury from in- 

 sects or rust; crop about half average. Fultz wheat a great acquisition. Talbot: Not 

 over a half crop. Washington: Scarcely four bushels per acre, Montgomery: Prospects 



