REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 405 



harvested, deducting abandoned and replanted areas, wliicli wei'e larger 

 than ever before, the yield averages 10.4 per acre. The loss was not 

 material iu the northern belt. Michigan, the highest latitude iu which 

 winter wheat is grown, suffered less than usual, and made a large crop, 

 one of the best recorded ; its surface was well covered with a blanket 

 of snow until into April. There was some protection in Northern Ohio, 

 and a comparatively good crop on a limited area. The loss in New 

 York was also slight, and not very severe in Pennsylvania, with some 

 exceptional areas of greater damage. The central belt between 30° and 

 40° of latitude received the full effect of the winter's severity. The 

 South is usually exempt from injury by winter freezing, but not en- 

 tirely the past season. The signs of injury in spring were visible even 

 iu the extreme South. 



Cotton promised a large crop, on an increased acreage, and has made 

 nearly a medium one, in aggregate volume exceeded hy the crop of 1882, 

 and approached somewhat nearly only by that of 1880. 



Other crops have enjoyed conditions favoring medium abundance, 

 with some exceptions, notably the potato crop, which was injured se- 

 verely by rot in the latter part of the season. 



Altogether production has been abundant, more than ample for do- 

 mestic consumption, in everything except the products which are always 

 insufficient, as sugar, barley, rice, and subtropical fruits. 



TEMPEEATUKE Am) EAETEALL. 



The temperature of April was a full average on the Atlantic coast 

 and the Eastern Gulf States, and still higher in the Western Gulf States, 

 in Tennessee, and in all the region west of the ]Missouri. It was an av- 

 erage in the Ohio Valley and in the Mississippi Valley ; and slightly 

 below average in the Lake region and in Florida. May temperature 

 was uniformly lower than an average in all the country east of the 

 Rocky Mountain region, and higher thence to the Pacific coast. In 

 June temperature was normal in the East, the South Atlantic States, 

 Western Gulf States, but low in the Ohio Valley, the Lake region. Up- 

 per Mississippi, the Missouri Valley, and extreme Northwest. It was 

 nearly an average in July. August was unusually cool throughout the 

 West, and in September somewhat below the average, except in the 

 Northwest. 



Rainfall was deficient in April from Pennsylvania to Florida, and es- 

 pecially abundant in the Missouri Valley. The May precipitation was 

 above the standard in all of the States south of New England, normal 

 in the Ohio Valley, and deficient in the Lake regious and the Northwest; 

 but the Lower Lake region had an excess in June, as did the East, the 

 Lake region, and the Missouri Valley in August. The Southern Atlaiitic 

 States were visited with extreme rainfall in September, while the qu;in- 

 tiiy was small north of Maryland. As a whole, there was a more eqnal 

 I ' i -tribution than usual, and greater exemption from droughts. Injuries 

 ti) growing crops were greater from floods and excessive moisture tliau 

 liom drought. 



