AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. 607 



Tlie above table of farm stock is compiled from tbe Census Report for 1S60, 

 and the returns made to tliis department by its correspondents in January, 

 1864. The column for 1859 is taken from the census, that for 1864 has been 

 estimated. 



The plan adopted for taking these statistics could not have been put to a 

 severer test than in the formation of this table. In 1861, the usual increase 

 was checked by political events, for they broke up that heavy trade in stock, 

 and its products, which had always existed between the west and the south. The 

 war has made heavy demands for horses and mules, and greatly increased that 

 for cattle and hogs. The want of cotton has multiplied in an extraordinary 

 degree the number of sheep. The presence of war in some of the loyal States, 

 the scarcity of food in others, and the demands of the war, have caused an 

 unusual movement of stock from one State to another. Hence the usual per 

 cent, increase or decrease cannot be relied on as a means of determining 

 the numbers for 1864. Had this department been in existence in 1860, and 

 every year since then made estimates of tae amount of farm stock, more es- 

 pecially if the census returns of each county had been published, the difficul- 

 ties now existing would have been in a great measure removed. Still tht table 

 is given in full confidence of its general correctness. 



It will be seen from it that there is a general decrease of stock, except in 

 eheep, which have most gratifyiugly increased, and a very slight advance in 

 the numbers of cattle and cows. This table is instructive, for it points out 

 the direction that the industry of the farmer should take. 



By comparing the census returns of farm stock in 1850 and 1860 it will be 

 seen that horses increased 47 per cent, in that decade. The same rate of in- 

 crease would have given 184 per cent, for the increase from 1860 to 1864, and 

 the rate of increase should have been proportionally greater for the loyal 

 States. But instead of that rate of increase, which would have added 789,438 

 to the horses of these States, there is a decrease of 150,000. There should 

 have been, therefore, at least 939,438 horses more than we now have. Such 

 a deficit will require a supply that will not be equal to the demand for years 

 to come. A correspondent in Ohio writes that the farmers in his county were 

 quitting horses and cattle, and directing their attention to mules and sheep. 

 An evil in our agricultural operations is, that the farmer is governed too much 

 by present demand, and continues in the course it directs too long. The vast 

 .production of American agriculture can soon supply any want when concei>- 

 trated on the commodity needed, and hence over-pi'oduction Avill quickly 

 ensue. "Whilst mules and sheep are much needed, other wants should be re- 

 garded, and of these, horses should not be overlooked. 



The increase of mules from 1850 to 1860 Avas 102 per cent., and a like irk- 

 crease for the years embraced in the table of stock would be 40| per cent. 

 This would make an increase of 123,056, whereas the decrease is 20,762. 

 These facts point to the profit that awaits mule-raising. 



The increase of cattle and oxen from 1850 to 1860 was 32 per cent. The 

 samei-ate of increase would have made that for the four years from 1860 to 

 1864 for the loyal States 13f per cent., equal in number to 1,064,113. Yet 

 the increase has been but 24,291. 



Of cows, similar calculations show that the increase from 1850 to 1860 was 

 36 per cent., and for the four years of the table it should have been at least 

 14| per cent, for these States. This would have given an increase of 824,682, 

 but it is only 339^784. 



The progress in sheep husbandry is highly gratifying. The table exhibits 

 an increase of 9,242,119 since 1860, and if the increase of this spring is 

 added, the whole will not be less than 100 per cent., making the present num- 

 ber at least 30,000,000. The wool clip of this spring could not have been 

 less than 75,000,000 pounds. And looking to the high rates of all matejrial 



