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cotton culture was concentrating on these lands from the less fertile and pro- 
ductive States east, and any calamity which befalls the plant here must be felt 
in the aggregate of the crop. ‘There can be little doubt as to the crop being at . 
least half below that of last year, and not one-tenth part of the crop reported 
in 1860, and which has been mentioned in another part of this report. 
How these lands, so valuable for the future cultivation of sugar and cotton, 
are to be saved, is a question of serious import to the whole people of the Union. 
By consulting the very exhaustive and invaluable report made by Captain Hum- 
phreys and Lieutenant Abbott, upon the Mississippi river, much matter of the 
utmost importance will be found. 
They have divided the valley into two sections, one above and the other be- 
low Red river. Of the section above there is not less than 6,000,000 acres 
tillable, which if once reclaimed would not be worth less than $25 per acre. 
If well under cyltivation $10 per acre would not be considered a high rent. 
Below the Red river there was, more than a million acres under cultivation 
which was then valued at $100 per acre, making an aggregate of upwards of 
seven millions of acres, of the value of two hundred and fifty millions of dollars. 
To reclaim and protect this land will cost not less than $25,000,000, with all 
the work now done in the way of protection. They show that the only safe 
and sure method is by levees, and to make them effective and ultimately useful 
they shoald be done by the general government, and upon a plan which they 
have mentioned after long consideration, and submit in their report. The cost 
would be less than four dollars per acre, and would be cheerfully paid by the 
land owners, or could be easily collected from the land, as its enhanced value 
would insure its prompt collection. 
I would suggest that the subject has a national importance that will warrant 
you in calling the attention of Congress thereto. 
Of the various crops mentioned in the foregoing report, cotton has the most 
dangers to surmount. It is hardly possible that the plant will be equally suc- 
cessful over the large region where it has been planted, or that it will escape 
the many enemies that usually assail it in its progress. I can only say that a 
partial failure will be considered most disastrous by nearly every planter who 
has engaged in its cultivation. 
I am, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant, 
THEODORE C. PETERS. 
Hon. Isaac NewTon, 
Commissioner of Agriculture. 
IMPORTATION OF SHEEP. 
There is a general revival of interest in long-wool sheep. The Cotswolds, of 
the improved English breeds, are the most popular. Mr. Burdett Loomis, of 
Connecticut, proposes to go to Europe for the purpose of enriching his flocks 
with the best blood attainable. Others have recently made valuable importa- 
tions. The following correspondence has arisen from the anxiety of importers 
to conform to the Treasury regulations relative to rinderpest : 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
Washington, D. C., June 15, 1867. 
Str: A correspondent of this department, an importer and breeder of thor- 
,ough-bred long-wool sheep, is desirous of knowing whether, under present in- 
structions for executing the law of Congress guarding against rinderpest, any 
restriction of the importation of such stock now exists. I have never heard of 
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