350 



REPORT OP THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



BARLEY. 



This crop is grown only in certain districts, mainly on the P;u: i fit 

 coast, in New York, and in some of the 'Westeni Stntcs. Its product 

 is about a tenth as large as that of wheat, and its area about oae-ci^ht- 

 eeiitb. The increase has been nearly as large in proportion as that. v\ 

 wheat. Its rate of yield varies less than that of wheat, and averajrcfj 

 about 22 bushels, wliile the average of wheat is nearly 12 bushels. Tlnj 

 average value per acre during five years has been $13.90, while that oi 

 wheat has been only $11.0S. The comparison of two periods is as fol- 

 lows : 



This grain is the only cereal imported in any appreciable quantity. 

 The average annual importation and exportation of the last five years, 

 compared with the ten preceding, is as follows : 



Importation 



Exportatiou 



Net iuiports 



1871-'80. 1881-'85, 



Iix(8hels. 



6, 243, 268 



859, 078 



5, 384, 190 



BiisheU. 

 10, 0C8, 931 

 575, 653 



9, 493, 278 



Adding net imports to production, the average amoi,int for home con- 

 sumption in the decade was 39,088,842 bushels, and in the five years 

 since, 58,817,218 bushels per annum, an increase of over 50 per cent, in 

 the quantity consumed. An anomalous featuni in this supply is the fact 

 that tlic foreign barley is 16.1 per cent, of the whole quantity for con- 

 sumption, while in the ten years preceding if was only 13.8 per cent of all. 

 Will) ;ill our boasted ability to supply the Avorld with cereals, our de- 

 pt'iidiMice on foreign lands for barley is absolutely increasiug. While the 

 increase in population in eight years cannot be more than 20 per cent., 

 liie increase of barley consumed is 50 per cent. As the average value 

 per acre for five years has been $13.90 for barley and only $11.08 !br 

 wlicat (last year '$11.42 and $8.38), it would seem that routine cropping 

 Nhouhl give place to suggestions of thrift and a larger area be given to 

 barley-gTOwing. 



BUCKWHEAT. 



This crop has not been favored by suitable late summer and autumn 

 weather for tko best results since 1880. Frosts were destructive, es- 



