16 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



sum}Dtioa and exportation. The cereal supply promises to average 

 about 52 bushels to each unit of population. Winter wheat suffered 

 greater injury during last winter than in any season since 1866. Sev- 

 eral millions of acres were given up to spring crops, and the remaining 

 breadth scarcely averages 10.5 bushels per acre. The spring and win- 

 ter wheat together is approximately estimated at 350,000,000 bushels. 



The corn croi) promises a volume 10 per cent, greater than that of 

 last year, or nearly two thousand million bushels, and that of oats will 

 probably exceed six liuudred million bushels. There has been a large 

 reduction of the expected yield of potatoes in consequence of the serious 

 prevalence of rot in New York and various degrees of injury from the 

 same cause in other States. 



The increase in cotton area insures a crop of nearly 6,000,000 bales at 

 the rate of yield no greater than that of last year. The high promise of 

 the early season has not been maintained, though condition is not yet 

 as low as in 1884 at this date. It is safe to say that the crop will be 

 between 6,000,000 and 7,000,000 bales, and, however short and unfavor- 

 able the i)icking season, only exceeded by the crop of 1882. 



Included among the unfinished investigations of the year is the be- 

 ginning of an imj)ortant statistical work, an agricultural survey of the 

 resources, rural industries, and capabilities of the Eocky Mountain 

 region. It is a work of great practical utility, tending to the industrial 

 development of that broad domain and the enlargement of the material 

 resources of the country. 



In addition to statistical injguiry which relates directly to the condi- 

 tion of growing crops and the yield thereof, there have been instituted 

 inquii'les, by specialists, into certain branches of agricultural and hor- 

 ticultural industry, and the reports, as soon as completed, will be laid 

 before the public. 



DIVISION OF GARDENS AND GROUNDS, HORTICULTURE, ETC. 



The duties of this division embrace all that relate to practical horti- 

 culture, floriculture, tree-culture, and landscape gardening. 



Questions having for their solution the relative value of economic 

 plants of new or untried kinds, and the probability of their successful 

 commercial culture in climates and localities suitable for their complete 

 growth, and the proper course to be pursued in their introduction, 

 propagation, and dissemination, are subject matters which pertain to this 

 division. 



There are many plants of great economic value which, so far as growth 

 is concerned, can be placed in suitable climates in this country, but 

 which, for various reasons, cannot at present be recommended or en- 

 couraged as offering a probability of profitable culture. 



Others, again, such as are nearly of a tropical nature, can only be pro- 

 duced in limited areas, with the prospect of an occasional failure during 

 seasons of more than usual severity. 



