384 
promise, with a remarkable absence of the usual drawbacks. Every 
county in Maryland reported a full average condition, and some, 20 per 
cent. above. Only seven counties in Virginia fell below average, while 
most of the counties of North Carolina were above; but farther south 
rust and insect-ravages had already left their mark upon the growing 
crops. These destructive influences, aggravated by local freshets, af- 
fected the crops of the Gulf States and Southern inland States, (except 
West Virginia,) so that, at the end of June, the whole wheat-field south 
of Virginia and the Ohio River indicated a condition of but three-fourths. 
of average. West Virginia continued to improve, and rose to 15 per 
cent. above average before harvest. A general improvement was noted 
in the States north of the Ohio River, but the injuries from winter-killing 
were too severe and extensive to be repaired. All of the States west of 
the Mississippi improved during June, except Nebraska; Mississippi 
and Kansas rising above average. During this month the condition of 
the crop on the Pacific coast fell below average. 
Spring-wheat, on the 1st of July, had fallen to 15 per cent. below aver- 
age. In the New England States, it had improved; but this improve- 
ment was more than counterbalanced by the imperfect conditions of 
growth, aggravated by insect ravages,in the great spring-wheat regions. 
of the Northwest. The Pacific States also reported improvement; but 
our August returns indicated a decline during July, which still further 
reduced the general condition, especially from the depredations of 
insects in the Northwest. On the 1st of September, the general esti- 
mate of condition for both winter and spring wheat was 81 per cent, of 
a full average. 
Our October returns, as a general thing, indicate an advance in the 
wheat yield of those States in which the yield of 1875 had fallen below 
that of 1874, and vice versa; but in some States, especially in the 
Northwest, there is a falling-off from even the reduced yields of 1875, 
viz, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, 
Kansas, and Oregon. In the New England States, extreme summer 
temperature at a critical stage of the crop is complained of, together 
with occasional injuries of the midge. In some parts of Maine, early 
sowings yielded lightly, while later sowings were very satisfactory. In 
the Middle States, the marked increase in New York and Delaware more 
than counterbalanced the slight decline in Pennsylvaniaand New Jersey ; 
but the increased yield of this section is not sufficient to repair the 
losses of 1875 so far as to bring the crop up to the standard of 1874. 
Maryland and Virginia have made up their losses of 1875; but the 
decline in the other South Atlantic States, in the Gulf States, and in 
the Southern Inland States, more than absorbs their previous gains. 
upon the crop of 1874. Frederick, Maryland, reports that fields. 
treated with phosphate excelled others in yield, and the crop exhibited 
a better color; Calvert made the best crop for many years. Kentucky, 
West Virginia, and Ohio have considerably increased the yield of 1875; 
but that showed a great reduction from the previous year. The other 
States north of the Ohio report a reduced yield, making the crop of this 
region about 14 per cent. less than in 1875, and nearly one-fourth less 
than in 1874. The western and northwestern counties complain of 
destructive insect ravages. West of the Mississippi, the crop of 1875 
was a little larger than that of 1874; .but that of 1876 shows a decline 
or 27 per cent. from its predecessor. Insect ravages were numerously 
reported, and the grasshoppers made their annual incursion in the 
northwestern counties in time to injure the spring-wheat. Reports of 
their ravages also come from Several points in the Territories. On the: 
