Preliminary returns indicate a decrease of 32,000 acres, 

 or 4.8 per cent, in the acreage of buckwheat, as compared 

 with last year. The average condition, 87.9, was 5.3 points 

 lower than last year and 2.9 points below the mean of the 

 August averages for the last ten years. 



The average condition of potatoes, 88.2, shows a decline 

 of 3.1 points during July, and was 4.8 points lower than 

 last year, but 4.3 points higher than on Aug. 1, 1898, and 

 2.2 points above the mean of the August averages for the 

 last ten years. 



Of the 13 principal sweet-potato-producing States, 5 re- 

 port an improvement during July and 6 a decline, the con- 

 dition remaining unchanged in the other two States. 



Preliminary returns indicate a reduction of 5.3 per cent 

 in the hay acreage. The condition of timothy hay, 79.9, is 

 6.8 points lower than at the corresponding date last year, 

 19.4 points lower than on Aug. 1, 1898, and 7.5 points be- 

 low the mean of the August averages for the last nine years. 



During July the changes in the condition of the tobacco 

 crop were almost wholly unfavorable. 



The condition of sugar cane in Louisiana is within 3 

 points of the normal, is 22 points higher than on August 1 

 last year, and 5 points above the ten-year average. Other 

 States report like favorable conditions. The condition of 

 sorghum is in the main favorable. 



The condition of rice is very high. 



While there has been a slight decline in the condition of 

 apples, there is not an important apple-producing State in 

 which the condition on August 1 did not exceed the ten-year 

 average. The indications still point to a phenomenally large 

 crop. 



There has been a marked improvement in the condition 

 of pastures, and in not a few States the condition is now 

 considerably above the ten-year average. 



In Massachusetts the average condition of corn was 92 ; 

 average condition of spring rye, 89 ; average condition of 

 oats, 96 ; average condition of barley, 89 ; acreage of buck- 

 wheat as compared with last year, 99, and average condition 

 93 ; average condition of tobacco, 98 ; average condition of 

 potatoes, 79 ; acreage of hay, as compared with last year, 



