451 
FLAXSEED. 
Incomplete returns from Ohio indicate a product equal to that of last 
year; Indiana, 1 per cent. less; Illinois, ‘having an extraordinary crop 
last year,) 15 per cent. less. These three States represent over three- 
fourths of the entire crop. Among other States in which the produc- 
tion is of any account, Iowa alone indicates an increase over last year 
New York, 1 per cent. less. Scattering returns from the States west of 
the Mississippi indicate that the production of flax is extending. In 
Missouri, less than half of the counties making returns for this crop 
reported any for the census of 1870; in Kansas, only 4 out of 17; and 
in Nebraska, only 1 ont of 10. 
FRUIT. 
APPLES.—Almost the only complaint about the apple crop is that its 
superabundance has greatly diminished its market value. Maine re- 
turns a yield 20 per cent. below that of the previous crop, the causes 
being previous injury to the trees by caterpillars, depredations by them 
this season, and, in the southwest part of the State, too dry weather 
for the maturing of the crop. Vermont falls 4 per cent. below, ascribed 
to the effects of the severe winter. Drought and September storms 
reduced the figures in New Jersey to 95, in Delaware to 55, and in Vir- 
ginia to 92. Missouri reports a production falling 28 per cent. below 
that of 1875. Severe spring-frosts, canker-worms, coddling-moths, an 
insect allied to chinch-bugs, hail-storms, and, chiefly, premature falling- 
off from causes not explained, are the principal sources of reduction. 
With these exceptions, in the entire section north of the 36th parallel, 
and east of the Pacific slope, the yield exceeds that of last year; the 
average excess for the whole area being not less than 17 percent. The 
excess in New York is 22 per cent.; Pennsylvania, 23; Ohio, 41; Michi- 
gan, 24; Indiana, 39; Illinois, 16; Wisconsin, 54; Iowa, 43; New 
Hampshire, 63. The coddling-moth was destructive to the crop in Utah. 
In California and Oregon, the product was slightly less than last year. 
In the Southern States, in which the crop is of less account, the general 
yield is considerably below that of last year, owing mainly to drought. 
South Carolina alone comes up to 100. With rare local exceptions, the 
quality is reported as superior; the fruit being comparatively large, 
fair, and free from worms. 
The following statements, selected and condensed from notes of our 
reporters, are given as indicating the general drift in respect to yield, 
quality, and prices: In New York, Albany returns a good crop, very 
low in price; Otsego, a very abundant crop, lower in price than for 
years; Genesee, so abundant that the best winter-apples sell for $1 per 
barrel ; Sullivan, so abundant that many will be left ungathered ;, Mon- 
roe, the largest crop ever known; Onondaga, very abundant and fine; 
in Allegany, the best sell on the trees at 15 cents per bushel, and many 
_ Inay be had without money and without price. In Pennsylvania, Clear- 
field, Mifflin, Tioga, Westmoreland, and Armstrong report abundant 
crops of very fine quality; in Mifflin, winter-apples sell at 15 cents per 
bushel; in Bucks, the September gale blew 75 per cent. of the fruit from 
the trees. The same gale destroyed two-thirds of the crop in Kent, 
Delaware, and did immense damage to it in Cecil, Maryland; Baltimore 
County reports a large crop, but, contrary to the general tenor, of in- 
ferior quality. In Virginia, the statements respecting quality are uni- 
formly favorable, ranging from good to very fine. In portions of Ten- 
