604 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



caused a lieavy advance in com in districts where not unfreqtiently itliAdbeen 

 used as a fuel. The scarcity in many sections forced an emigration of stock 

 into these districts that at once raised the price from almost nothing to ona 

 that contributed much to raise the general average price of 1863. The differ- 

 ence between currency and gold had some influence on prices, but by reference 

 to table No. 11, in a subsequent part of this report, it will be seen that the 

 general increase in gold value of the month of November, 1863, was but 18 

 per cent, over the same month in 1862, the times when the prices were re- 

 ported to the department. Yet the increase of these prices was 100 per cent. 

 As the wheat crop was nearly the same in both years, and the export trade 

 not greatly less in 1863, the price of wheat will more nearly show the differ- 

 ence in currency and gold values. The crop of 1863 was less than that of 

 1862 by 4,279,244 bushels, its increased total value 19 per cent., and the in- 

 creased price per bushel 22 per cent. Here the relative influence of currency 

 and supply are seen. Similar facts will serve to explain the remaining crops 

 of the tables. It is proper to add that like tables have not heretofore been 

 made, either in America or Europe, and that the lesson taught by them is as 

 instructive as the table is novel. 



TABLE RELATING TO FARM STOCK. 



The presence of civil war caused a cessation of the heavy trade in farm 

 stock betAvcen the west and the south, and following it came an extraordinary 

 demand for the same from the government. The influence of both had a strong 

 tendency to lessen the amount of stock, except in sheep, the demand for wool 

 causing a rapid increase of them. Under such circumstances it became neces- 

 sary to determine the condition of the farm stock, and in January cu-culara 

 were issued for this purpose. The following tables exhibit the returns to the 

 circulars, showing those for the several States in tenths and the estimated 

 aumbers from these returns and those of the census of 1860. 



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