AMERICAN FARMER'S ECONOMIC POWER. 39 



In 1865 the pounds of beef slaughtered were 70,000,- 

 000 ; in 1885, only 10,000,000. The potato crop in 1845 

 amounted to 4,767,000 bushels ; in 1885 it was reduced 

 to 3,584,000 bushels. 



In 1845 the production of wool reached the fine figure 

 of 1,015,000 pounds ; in 1885 the insignificant amount of 

 255,000 pounds. 



Most startling, however, is the fact that, while the 

 total value of property rose from S573)343>286 in 1850 

 to $2,795,000,000 in 1880, the value of farm property 

 only rose from $121,935,641 in 1850 to $164,288,956 in 

 1880. That is to say, while the valuation of the property 

 of the people of the whole State increased by 171 per 

 cent, in thirty years, the per capita valuation of the 

 farmers' property increased by only 30 per cent. ; the 

 value of farm land declining $5,929,142 in the ten years 



i875-'85- 

 As in Massachusetts, the production of grain in New 



Hampshire has declined. In 1853 it amounted, in wheat, 



Indian corn, rye, buckwheat, and oats, to 2,988,982 



bushels ; but in 1880, to only 2,665,912 bushels. 



In 1853 the production of potatoes was 4,304,916 

 bushels, in 1880, 3,358,828 ; of hay, 598,854 tons in 

 1853, in 1880, 583,665 tons ; of cheese, 3,196,663 pounds 

 in 1853, in 1880, 807,076 pounds. 



The value of live-stock for this State was $8,871,901 

 in 1853, and only $9,812,064 in 1880 — an increase of only 

 a fraction over 10 per cent, in twenty-seven years. The 

 production of fruit has no doubt much increased, but 

 with this exception and the slight increase in live-stock 

 and that of butter, the falling off has been alarmingly 

 large in every line. 



' This decline was from $116,629,849 to $110,700,707. 



