When harvested oats had the condition of 74 per cent, 12 

 points below 1895 and 3.8 below 1894. The condition has 

 fallen 3.3 points since August 1. Reports from most of the 

 important States are that oats are largely a failure as a money 

 crop. Rains appear to have been the chief cause of damage, 

 supplemented by heavy winds, rust and army worms. 



The average condition of buckwheat is 93.2, as against 

 87.5 last year and 69.2 in 1894. Drought, grasshoppers, 

 rain, winds and heat brought down the condition 2.8 points 

 during the month. 



The average condition of Irish potatoes is 83.2, against 

 94.8 August 1, a decline of 11.6 points. All but ten States 

 show a decline. Drought, aflecting chiefly the late crop, is 

 given as the cause in certain localities, but generally the crop 

 has suffered from excessive rains, which aggravated a ten- 

 dency to rot. Blight and rust, with potato bugs and other 

 insects, have also operated against the crop. The condition 

 is 7.6 points lower than last year, and, with the decreased 

 acreage, will tend to keep the crop much below the phenome- 

 nal one of 1895. 



The figures for sweet potatoes show a material decline in 

 most States, including those where the crop is most largely 

 grown, but as most of the crop was dug before this decline 

 commenced the loss will not be as great as might be sup- 

 posed. Drought is the chief cause of the decline. 



The average condition of tobacco is 81.5, a fall of 5 points 

 since August 1. The greatest fall in condition was in Mary- 

 land, 41 points, while a number of States show a considera- 

 ble advance in condition. The average is 1.1 points below 

 that of last year but is 7 points higher than that of 1894. 

 Drought and excessive heat are the principal causes of de- 

 cline, while the tobacco worm has done considerable damage 

 in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee. 



The area under clover seed is set at 93.2, that of last year, 

 which was only 68 per cent of the area of 1894. The aver- 

 age condition is 78.7, against 64.4 a year ago, which indi- 

 cates that there will be more marketable seed than last year 

 in spite of the decreased area. Drought and excessive heat 

 have worked some injury but more is reported from excessive 

 moisture and the consequent growth of weeds. 



