AGRICULTURE. 



13 



Pears. The pear-crop falls below the small 

 crop of 1875. The extensive prevalence of the 

 tivc-disease known as pear-blight appears to be 

 the leading cause of this diminution. Its prev- 

 alence and effect in reducing the crop to a 

 greater or less extent are noted in New York, 

 New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Louisiana, 

 Texas, West Virginia, Illinois, and Iowa. The 

 only States in which the product does not fall 

 below that of last year are New Hampshire, 

 103; Vermont, 100; Wisconsin, 119; Iowa, 

 105 ; Oregon, 101 ; no one of which produces 

 a large crop. In the remaining States the de- 

 cline is about 20 per cent. 



Grapes. The returns indicate a product 

 somewhat less than in 1875. The small crop 

 in New England averaged better than last year. 

 Pennsylvania returns 103, but in the other 

 States north of the Potomac the falling-off 

 averages about 12 per cent. There appears to 

 be a reduction from last year in the Southern 

 States, averaging about 10 per cent. In the 

 interior, east of the Mississippi, the product is 

 less than in 1875, the greatest reduction 19 

 per cent. being in Illinois. West of the Mis- 

 sissippi, Arkansas reports a falling-off of 32 

 per cent., Missouri of 15. In California the 

 product is reported 2 per cent, larger than last 

 year. 



Except in localities where the yield was re- 

 duced by the effects of the hard winter or late 

 spring-frosts, the almost exclusive cause of re- 

 duction has been a widespread tendency to 

 mildew and rot. 



Winter - Wheat. December returns indicate 

 that the acreage in winter- wheat has been in- 

 creased about 5 per cent, over that of the pre- 

 vious year. The small area sown in the New 

 England States is fully maintained, and some 

 additions were expected to be made. All of 

 the Middle States return an acreage equal to 

 that of last year, except New York, which 

 loses 8 per cent. The South-Atlantic coast 

 States report a considerable increase, a small 

 deficiency in Georgia being overcome by a 

 marked increase in North Carolina and South 

 Carolina. In the Gulf States, Alabama and 

 Mississippi report an increase which over- 

 balances the decline in Texas. Florida and 

 Louisiana grow but insignificant crops. The 

 inland Southern States all report an increased 

 acreage. North of the Ohio River, Michigan 

 and Wisconsin report a decrease of wheat- 

 acreage ; but the other States report increased 

 breadths, enlarging the acreage of this section 

 about 3 per cent. West of the Mississippi 

 River, Missouri enlarges her acreage at least a 

 third, Kansas one-eighth, and Nebraska nearly 

 a half. The Pacific States also report a large 

 increase. 



The condition of the crop appears from the 

 returns to be about 10 per cent, above average 

 on the whole. The Atlantic slope, from Mary- 

 land northward, enjoyed very favorable condi- 

 tions of seeding and growth, though the Hes- 

 sian fly has done considerable damage in sev- 



eral counties of Pennsylvania, especially in 

 early-sown wheat. Later-sown crops give 

 greater satisfaction. With the exception of 

 South Carolina, the South Atlantic and the 

 Gulf States are below average. Drought re- 

 tarded both the sowing and the growth of the 

 crop in many counties. Injuries by grasshop- 

 pers are reported in several counties of Texas. 

 A depressed condition is also noted in Arkan- 

 sas and Tennessee, the latter being 10 per cent, 

 below average. Grasshoppers are complained 

 of in a few cases, but drought was a more 

 general cause of disaster. West Virginia and 

 Kentucky show a superior condition, though 

 seeding was somewhat late on account of 

 drought. All the States north of the Ohio 

 River report a superior condition, especially 

 Ohio and Indiana, which enjoyed remarkably 

 fine conditions for seeding and growth. In 

 several localities of Illinois and Wisconsin the 

 wheat appears to be better rooted than visual, 

 and better prepared to resist the trying fluctu- 

 ations of winter in those States. West of the 

 Mississippi River, Minnesota and Iowa report 

 a condition slightly above average, while the 

 other States of this region are considerably 

 deficient. Grasshoppers were very destructive 

 at many points, necessitating a resowing of the 

 crop. Wheat sown late to avoid this pest 

 has started very imperfectly. In California, 

 good rains during October facilitated plowing 

 and wheat-seeding, causing a considerable en- 

 largement of acreage, but in several counties 

 the moisture has not been sufficient to bring 

 out the crop. Oregon reports a very promis- 

 ing crop. From Dakota come reports of grass- 

 hopper damages. In the Choctaw Nation, In- 

 dian Territory, the crop is reported as very 

 satisfactory. 



Winter-Rye. The acreage in winter-rye in 

 1876 does not materially differ from that of 

 1875. A small increase is shown in New Eng- 

 land and in the States north of the Ohio River, 

 which about counterbalances the decline. in the 

 other sections; the Pacific States report no 

 appreciable change. 



The condition of the crop, on the whole, is 

 about average. A superior condition appears 

 in the Middle States, South Atlantic States, in 

 the States north of the Ohio River, and on the 

 Pacific slope, while in the other sections there 

 is a deficiency. 



Is Production declining ? Agricultural 

 speakers and writers often give the impres- 

 sion, without positive assertion, that we pro- 

 duce less in proportion to population than 

 formerly. If this is so, we eat less than for- 

 merly, for we export more. But no intelli- 

 gent person, after due deliberation, will assert 

 that we feed less to farm-animals, or live less 

 generously ourselves, than our fathers fed and 

 fared. A statistical answer in the negative 

 has been made by the statistician of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture, in an address deliv- 

 ered before the Agricultural Congress at itp 

 last session in Philadelphia. 



