25 
WINTER-WHEAT. 
The acreage in winter-wheat is about equal to that of the previous 
crop in the New England and Middle States, where the condition is full 
average on the whole. A small fly, description not given, injured the 
crop somewhat in Warren, New Jersey. Several counties in Pennsyl- 
vania report early-sown crops superior in condition to those later sown. 
In the South Atlantic coast States a small decrease in area sown, in 
Maryland and Virginia, is fully compensated by the increased acreage 
of the other States of this region, especially of South Carolina, which 
has enlarged her area ll per cent. The condition of the crop on the 
first of December was full average, or above, in all the States except 
Virginia, which discounts her expectations 2 per cent. Some complaints 
of poor seed and of the ravages of the fly are here noted. The benefits 
of early sowing are also apparent in several counties. The use of 
Fultz wheat has led to a thinner seeding in some localities. The prospect 
is fully as good, if not better, further down the coast. The use of Navassa 
phosphates in fertilization is noted in Lincoln, North Carolina, In the 
Gulf States, the acreage has increased about 12 per cent., Texas having 
added 20 per cent. The condition is considerably above average in all 
but Texas, where it is estimated at 7 per cent. below. The seeding ap- 
pears to have been late, and drought at several points has prevented 
the crop from coming up as rapidly as was desired. In Bosque, Texas, 
the seeding was delayed by grasshoppers and drought. 
In all the inland Southern States there is a reduction of acreage 
amounting to about 5 per cent. on the whole. In West Virginia, the 
condition is about 4 per cent. above average, but in the other States of 
this region it is estimated at about the same rate of decline. Unusual 
pains were taken in many counties in preparing the ground, and in 
putting in the seed. GrasShoppers injured early-sown crops in Ohio 
and Hardin Counties, Kentucky. Complaints of poor seed have been 
received from several counties. 
Of the great wheat-producing States north of the Ohio River, only 
Michigan equals her acreage of last year; Ohio declines 5 per cent., 
Indiana 13 per cent., IHinois 19 per cent., and Wisconsin 3 per cent. ; the 
reduction of area in this region is about 10 percent. Ohio alone reports 
a full average condition; Michigan and Indiana are 10 per cent., and 
Illinois and Wisconsin 5 per cent. below. Late seeding is noted in 
several counties where the crop is not very promising. 
In the States west of the Mississippi, Minnesota alone has inereased 
her very small acreage of winter-wheat. Iowa has reduced hers very 
materially, as, also, have Missouri and Kansas. In Minnesota and lowa 
the condition is fall average, but in Missouri the outlook is quite dis- 
couraging in a large number of counties. The drought and lack of 
snow indicate a severe exposure of the grain to ‘winter. freezing. 
Lincolu County reports the presence of the fly, while in Jefferson, a small 
red grasshopper eats the plants as fast as they come up. Drought 
injures the crop in several counties of Kansas and Nebraska, but other 
counties report a very fine prospect. On the Pacific coast, California 
reduces their acreage, and Oregon quite heavily. In California the 
condition is below average, though the rains have fallen very copiously 
and earlier than usual. In Oregon the season, up to-December 1, was 
very favorable. The following notes, from our December correspond- 
ence, will illustrate the prospects of the coming crop: 
New JERsEY.— Warren: A small fly has injured the crop. 
PENNSYLVANIA.—Sullivan: Looking badly. Indiana: Early sown looks promising, 
late not so good; planting delayed. Trion: Wheat looks well. Montour: Looks well. 
