530 - REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. | 
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good crop of apples was secured, and a moderate crop in many oi, 
counties of New England, with a partial crop in New York.- ee 
CORN. 
This crop is distinctively American. Though grown in southern — 
Europe and in South America, the product of the United States com-_ 
prises nearly three-fourths of the maize of the world. Its importance 
in the rural economy of this country is shown by the fact that its’ 
present area is 51 per cent. of the breadth of all cereals, and its last 
product, less by one-fifth than an average crop, is 55 per cent. of the — 
quantity of all cereals. 
The supply to each unit of population is far greater than the ag- ¥, 
gregate supply of all cereals in all other countries. Itwas, in 1849, 25.5 
bushels; in 1859, 26.7 bushels; in 1869, 19.7 bushels; in 1879, 35 
bushels. Since 1880 there has been only one season, 1885, of average | 
yield. The decline is due to meteorological causes rather than to de- 
clining fertility. 
While it is not exported largely, as grain or meal, there is another 
form of exportation, as pork products, and in much smaller measure 
as beef and spirits, which helps prices. Still its price is very little 
dependent on foreign markets, so large and varied are its uses at — 
home. It has happened that the high value set by home demand 
has almost entirely shut off foreign orders for grain and greatly re- 
duced the foreign trade in secondary products of maize. 
Ft eb. ee 
‘ 
The fluctuations in prices have been great, from 63.6 cents in 1881 — 
to 32.8 in 1885, due to the relative size of the crop. The value per 
acre for the decade.1870 to 1879 was $11.54 per acre; for eight years 
past $9.82. The former was slightly increased by the foreign de- 
mand for meat products prior to 1880, and the latter is slightly de- 
pressed in sympathy with the tendency of an era of low prices. 
Comparing the statistics of eight years with those of the preceding 
decade, while the acreage has increased very nearly with the incre- 
ment of population, the product has not, averaging 1,616,718,567, a 
quantity less than that of the good crop year 1880. 
The following table exhibits recent maize statistics, and presents a 
comparison with the previous decade: 
‘ | l 
Ake * Average | Average | Avera; é 
eae Hoot ge oduc- pag ee Total atee value per| Met | avait . 
: Pp. Ee: bushel. | per acre. | per acre. 
Bushels. Acres. Cents. | Busheis. 
TEED 28 Ac. tae Nemera.t tect Nort else 1,717, 434,543 | 62,317,842 | $679,714, 499 39.6 27.6 $10. 91 
PBS eb lkee eI Rae Mice apices obs 1,194, 916,000 | 64,262,025 | 759,482,170 63.6 18.6 11. 82 
Thea cel & SHAS ae oe a ADEM TOS 1, 617,025,100 | 65,659,546 | 783, 867,175 48.4 24.6 11.94 
a1 05 RASA LSS Pie Ree Bt RI 1,551, 066, 895 | 68,301,889 | 658,051, 485 2.4 22.7 9. 63 
ROE hat sock Stier ec lciete oseeior 1,795, 528,000 | 69,683,780 | 640,735, 560 35.7 | 25.8 9,19 
TESS S 2 Stones Soe eet eevee anton 1, 936, 176,000 | 73,180,150 | 685, 674, 630 | 32.8 26.5 8.69 
ifocl fete HERS oun ono qoOdf 1, 665, 441,000 | 75, 694, 208 610, 311, 000 36.6 | 22.0 8. 06 
TBRV AG AC hee en teen ee 1,456, 161,000 | 72,392,720 | 646, 106,770 | 44.4 20.1 8.93 
TOPE Roose eee Serer 12, 938, 748,538 |551, 442,160 |5, 413,943, 289 |... igi tes e|e- se Seahe | aS oe a hes 
Annual average... .... 1, 616,718, 567 | 68,930,270 | 676,742, 911 41.9 | 93.5 | “9,82 
Annual average for f bs pice Sa} “al 4 
preceding ten years. 1, 184,486,954 | 43,741,331 504, 571, 048 42.6} Qi 1 11.54 
| | ; 
The home consumption of the ten-year period averaged 25 bushels 
per capita ; of the recent period of eight years, about 27.5 bushels, a- 
10*per cent. increase, Therefore, while the average yield per acre 
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