~ 
524 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
be heartily welcomed; but when changes are proposed, crude and im-_ 
practicable, or plausible but impotent, all looking backward or down- 
ward, there is little encouragement for the consideration of new 
schemes for statistical collection. 
CURRENT CROP STATISTICS. 
In a study of agricultural production, its changes and progress, 
the factor of meteorology is not to be disregarded. Its influence in 
the present season has excited much attention, as it has caused great 
irregularity in rate of yield and changes in market prices. In con- 
sidering the productiveness of the year, the records of the Signal 
Service are called into requisition at the outset, and arranged to 
facilitate a clear general view of the temperature and rain-fall of the 
season. 
The temperature of the growing season was slightly below the aver- 
age in the Eastern and Middle States, and a deficiency somewhat 
greater was recorded for the Southern Atlantic States and for the 
Rio Grande Valley. It was quite normal in the Eastern Gulf States 
for the season, slightly higher in May, and a little lower in June. 
In the Valley of the Ohio, of the Missouri, the Lake regions, and the 
Northwest, temperature was decidedly high, the increase commenc- 
ing in April in Missouri Valley and the Northwest, and falling be- 
low normalin August. In the Ohio Valley and Lake region no in- 
crease was recorded until May; high temperature continuing throu 
August in the valley, and declining earlier in the Lake country. At 
least one-fourth of the usual difference in temperature of the season 
between the Ohio Valley and the Gulf region was eliminated, and 
from May to July, inclusive, the difference was much less, being 
wholly obliterated in July. 
Rain-fall was above the average in the Middle Atlantic region, 
deficient in the Hastern and in the Southern Atlantic States, less 
than normal by about 2 inches in the Eastern Gulf States, the de- 
ficiency becoming larger farther West, and throughout the interior 
valleys northward to the Lakes. 
The following summary shows the unusual deficiency in these re- 
gions, and at the same time the normal and seasonable supply of the 
extreme Northwest, thus explaining the comparative productiveness 
of Dakota the present season : 
Rain-fall. 
Departure 
Districts. Morin of 1887 from 
series of | For 1987, |*2e normal. 
years. 
Inches. Inches. Inches. 
Ne welt lars dl so 9 eis cci sie fovc recto: 19,0) lass seve etSls w tchelsi> wile mise REO eee etos 23. 83 20.11 —3. 72 
MigdlerAtlantiG’, 2c *omecin son seres Halon oie cieiseita te anio: qahe cl eer eeee 22.36 23. 34 + .98 
SoOuchyAtAnviGs ee Nas. Sach ciseeicielele che wisn Secs nae ecehise a eee eee 31.19 28. 54 —2. 65 
Masher GUE, oe ois eis /nta oe orcs clciaie oie aie Saws ce wes su see osicd ieee eaee 29. 96 28.05 —1.91 
MVESTSKIU GUL Be, lee vial dha dat crete ne Sale ee eee cele tah cakeeee 23.94 18. 25 —5. 69 
Olio Walley and Tennessee:. hiss ee here ea ete eles Seer 23.7 19.40 —4, 31 
HOWE AKC MOSIONS Mette cick eiacreislecerale Raia eeleriesaiee Rice preeiee er etree 19. 24 13.95 —5. 29 
Wipper La keme giGin cs votes sis oeiele.rasaereameclirctcok Sone eleainte oe eteinets 19.95 | 13.51 —6.44 
MO LEE EEN OLLIWESbi ns Hebe sole Se tioisien sind aise ener te ala ets nelalein eee 14.57 | 14. 07 — .50 
Upper Mississippi Valley 23.51 15. 37 —8.14 
MissourieVialley seen ssees- 2 cece tere 3 yee 22.38 19. 31 —3. 7 
North Pacific coast .. 13.11 14.77 +1. 66 
Middle Pacific coast... 4.26 2. 68 —1.58 
