AGRICULTURE. 



11 



per cent, in New York, 81 in New Jersey, 7 in 



lViiii*\l\ni.i:i, 11 in Ohio, and 8 in the i-nt in- 

 country. Tliis was occasioned in part by the 

 very low prices realized for last year's crop. 

 New York, growing one-fifth of the entire 

 rn>[>, and more than twice the quantity of any 

 dtlu-r Stato, falls off from last year 49 per cent. 

 Other States (in the order of importance) fall 

 of: Pcnns\ 1 \ania, 44 per cent. ; Ohio, 82; Illi- 

 nois, 86; Michigan, 68; Wisconsin, 10; Iowa, 

 34; Indiana, 20; New Jersey, 68. The entire 

 crop is about 34 per cent, less than the pre- 

 vious 0110. There is also a very general de- 

 cline in quality. 



Sweet Potatoes. The crop of 1875 was a fair 

 one in both yield and quality ; that of this year 

 very nearly equals it in both respects. The 

 greatest falling-off in yield is in Louisiana 25 

 per cent. owing to a general and severe 

 drought at the critical season. The same cause, 

 operating in a less degree, reduced the product 

 below that of last year, 13 per cent, in Florida 

 and Alabama, 12 in Mississippi, and 7 in Geor- 

 gia. The average reduction is not over 8 per 

 cent, in any other State, while in a majority 

 of those producing the crop the yield equals 

 or exceeds that of 1875. The excess averages 

 11 per cent, in Kentucky, 9 in New Jersey, 8 

 in South Carolina, 7 in Missouri, 5 in Delaware, 

 4 in California, and 2 in Tennessee, West Vir- 

 ginia, Indiana, and Kansas. A majority of the 

 States growing sweet potatoes, and those pro- 

 ducing the larger part of the crop, also report 

 an average quality equaling or exceeding that 

 of the previous crop. 



Hay. The reported entire product is 8 per 

 cent, above that of last year, and the average 

 quality about 5 per cent, better. Maine returns 

 a product 2 per cent, greater than that of 1875, 

 which was 10 per cent, above the previous crop. 

 In the other New England States there is a de- 

 cline in product averaging 12 per cent., owing 

 to the severity of the drought before the crop 

 was cut. In the remainder of the country, ex- 

 cept on the northern border of the Gulf, where 

 but little hay is grown or saved, the crop was 

 generally in advance of the drought; the dry 

 weather commencing about the time of harvest- 

 ing, and thus greatly contributing to good cur- 

 ing. The only States out of New England not 

 returning a product greater than in 1875 are 

 New York, Delaware, and Alabama, 100; Mis- 

 sissippi, 93; Louisiana, 88; Kansas, 97; Ne- 

 braska, 95. States indicating a large relative 

 increase in product are California, 59 per cent. ; 

 Virginia, 35 ; Kentucky, 83 ; New Jersey. 30 ; 

 Illinois, 20; Tennessee, West Virginia, and Ohio, 

 15; Texas, 14-, Michigan, 13; Arkansas, 11. 



As a rule, to which the exceptions are few 

 and slight, the quality is superior to that of last 

 year's crop, both in respect to intrinsic excel- 

 lence and the condition in which it was cured 

 and housed or stacked. The States returning 

 an average quality not superior to that of the 

 previous crop are Maryland, 100; No~th Caro- 

 lina, 99 ; Mississippi, 95 ; Louisiana and Arkan- 



sas, 97; Minnesota and Oregon, 98. Indiana 

 reports nn average superiority of 21 per cent. ; 

 Kentucky, 15; Vermont, Ohio, and Illinois, 11. 

 In the latter two States the crop was greatly 

 damaged last year by excessive rains during ihe 

 entire harvest season. The reporters this year 

 occasionally note injuries b.y wet weather in 

 harvest, the most important of which are inju- 

 ries to the clover-crop, while curing, in parts 

 of Indiana and Illinois ; but statements that 

 the crop was cured without injury, or in the 

 best condition, are the rule. County returns 

 of unprecedented crops are frequent. In Penn- 

 sylvania, Sullivan reports a crop more abun- 

 dant than ever before; Tioga, the heaviest 

 product ever gathered, all housed in good con- 

 dition. The product in Henrico, Va., was never 

 exceeded ; Bath also produced much the best 

 crop for years, and secured it in excellent con- 

 dition. Williamson, Tenn., reports immense 

 quantities, mostly German millet, put up in 

 fine condition ; Lincoln, Ky., an immense crop 

 of excellent quality ; Sandusky, Ohio, the best 

 crop ever grown. Unprecedented and well- 

 saved crops are also returned from Howland 

 and Wabash, Ind. ; Fayette, 111. ; Walworth 

 and Outagamie, W5s. ; Henry, Iowa ; Maries, 

 Mo. ; and Sonoma and Placer, Cal. 



Beans. Returns from all sections indicate 

 that the product is about 7 per cent, less than 

 last year. Grasshoppers in the Northwest, and 

 drought in other sections, are the principal 

 causes of reduction. The States in which the 

 product is not less than in 1875 are Delaware, 

 100; Vermont, 101; California, 102; North 

 Carolina, 103; Florida and Arkansas, 105; 

 Wisconsin, 110; Oregon, 122. Among these 

 States, last year, Wisconsin reported 85 and 

 California 82, as compared with the crop of 

 1874. As dry weather prevailed very gen- 

 erally during the season of curing, the quality 

 (which is not specifically reported) is probably 

 better than the average. 



Peas. In the Northern States, returns for 

 this crop have exclusive reference to the prod- 

 uct of shelled peas, for table-use or for prov- 

 ender; but in the Southern States, while 

 varieties for table-use are included, the prin- 

 cipal crop is of the variety known as cow-peas, 

 of which the vines constitute an important 

 forage-product. Texas returns a product 5 

 per cent, above a fair crop in 1875; but in all 

 the other Gulf States the product was largely 

 reduced by drought. In Clarendon, S. C., and 

 Wilkes, Ga., the crop was also damaged by 

 early frost. In the northern tier of Southern 

 States the product fully equals that of last 

 year. Among the Northern States, Minnesota 

 returns a product 38 per cent, above last 

 year's short crop ; Vermont and Delaware re- 

 turn 100. In the remaining States east of the 

 Missouri, the product falls somewhat below 

 that of 1875. Kansas reported last year 83 

 per cent, above the previous crop ; this year 

 21 telow, reduced by grasshoppers. Nebraska, 

 last year, 122 ; this year, 100. California pro- 



