Progress of the Season. 



The Crop Reporting Board of the Bureau of Statistics 

 of the Department of Agriculture (Crop Reporter for Octo- 

 ber, 1908) finds that the condition of the corn crop on 

 October 1 was 77.8, as compared with 79.4 a month earlier, 

 78 on Oct. 1, 1907, and 79.7, the ten-year average on Octo- 

 ber 1. The decline in condition during September was thus 

 about 2 per cent, compared with a decline of 2.7 per cent 

 last year, and an average decline for the past ten years of 1.6 

 per cent. 



The preliminary estimate of the average yield per acre 

 of spring wheat is 13.2 bushels, compared with 13.2, the 

 final estimate in 1907, and 13.8, the average of the past six 

 years. The indicated total production of spring wheat is 

 about 23,080,000 bushels, as compared with 224,645,000 

 bushels, the final estimate in 1907. The quality is 88.2, as 

 compared with 88.8 in 1907, and 85.9, the average of the 

 past six years. The production of spring and winter wheat 

 combined is about 660,020,000 bushels, as compared with 

 634,087,000, finally estimated last year. The quality of all 

 wheat is 89.4, as compared with 89.9 last year. 



The average yield per acre of oats is about 24.9 bushels, 

 as compared with 23.7 bushels, finally estimated in 1907, 

 and 29.8, the average of the past ten years. A total yield of 

 789,161,000 bushels is thus indicated, as compared with 

 754,443,000, finally estimated in 1907. The quality of the 

 crop is 81.3, against 77 last year, and 86.1, the average of 

 the past ten years. 



The yield per acre of barley is about 25 bushels, which 

 compares with 23.8 bushels, the final estimate for 1907, and 



25.5, the average of the past ten years. A total production 

 of 167,482,000 bushels is thus indicated, as compared with 

 153,597,000 in 1907. The average quality is 89.3, against 

 88.2 last year, and 87.6, the average of the past ten years. 



The average condition of buckwheat at time of harvest was 



81.6, as compared with 87.8 on September 1, 80.1 at har- 

 vest in 1907, and 81.8, the average condition at harvest for 

 the past ten years. 



