448 
the northern border of the Gulf, where but little hay is grown or saved, 
the crop was generally in advance of the drought; the dry weather com- 
mencing about the time of harvesting, and thus greatly contributing to 
good curing. The only States out of New England not returning a 
product greater than in 1875 are New York,“Delaware, and Alabama, 
100; Mississippi, 93; Louisiana, 88; Kansas, 97; Nebraska, 95. The 
falling-off in the latter two States is owing, in part at least, to the fact 
that better cereal crops than last year weakened the motives for “ put- 
ting up wild hay.” States indicating a large relative increase in prod- 
uct are California, 59 per cent.; Virginia, 35; Kentucky, 33; New 
Jersey, 30; Illinois, 20; Tennessee, West Virginia, and Ohio, 15; Texas, 
14; Michigan, 13; Arkansas, 11. 
As a rule, to which the exceptions are few and slight, the quality is 
superior to that of last year’s crop, both in respect to intrinsic excel- 
lence and the condition in which it was cured and housed or stacked. 
The States returning an average quality not superior to that of the 
previous crop are Maryland, 100; North Carolina, 99; Mississippi, 95 ; 
Louisiana and Arkansas, 97; Minnesota and Oregon, 98. Indiana re- 
ports an average superiority of 21 per cent.; Kentucky, 15; Vermont, 
Ohio, and Illinois, 11. In the latter two States, the crop was greatly 
damaged last year by excessive rains during the entire harvest season. 
Our reporters this year oceasionaliy note injuries by wet weather in 
harvest, the most important of which are injuries to the clover crop, 
while curing, in parts of Indiana and Illinois; but statements that the 
crop was cured without injury, or in the best condition, are the rule. 
County returns of unprecedented crops are frequent. In Pennsylvania, 
Sullivan reports a crop more abundant than ever before; Tioga, the 
heaviest product ever gathered, all housed in good condition. The prod- 
uct in Henrico, Virginia, was never exceeded ; Bath also produced much 
the best crop for years, and secured it in excellent condition. William- 
son, Tennessee, reports immense quantities, mostly German millet, put up 
in fine condition; Lincoln, Kentucky, an immense crop of excellent 
quality ; Sandusky, Ohio, the best crop ever grown. Unprecedented and 
well-saved crops are also returned from Howard and Wabash, Indiana; 
Fayette, Illinois; Walworth and Outagamie, Wisconsin; Henry, lowa; 
Maries, Missouri; and Sonoma and Placer, California. 
BEANS. 
Returns from all sections indicate that the product is about 7 per cent. 
less than last year. Grasshoppers in the Northwest and drought in 
other sections are the principal causes of reduction. The States in 
which the product is not less than in 1875 are Delaware, 100; Vermont, 
101; California, 102; North Carolina, 103; Florida and Arkansas, 105; 
Wisconsin, 110; Oregon, 122. Among these States, last year, Wiscon- 
sin reported 85 and California 82, as compared with the crop of 1874. 
As dry weather prevailed very generally during the season of curing, 
the quality (which is not specifically reported) is probably better than 
average. 
PEAS. 
In the Northern States, returns for this crop have exclusive reference 
to the product of shelled peas, for table use or for provender; but in 
the Southern States, while varieties tor table use are included, the prin- 
cipal crop is of the variety known as cow-peas, of which the vines con- 
stitute an important forage-product. Texas returns a product 5 per cent. 
