1863. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



383 



THE CROPS OF 1863. 

 We have received a brief summary of a most 

 important report on the crops of the country. 

 The report gives a statement of the amount of the 

 summer and fall crops in the loyal States, for 1862 

 and 18G3. We shall probably have occasion to 

 refer to this subject again more fully, and at pres- 

 ent give only the abstract of the report. The 

 monthly report for September is said to be much 

 the best yet issued, and will soon be ready for dis- 

 tribution. 



The answers returned to the circulars for Sep- 

 tember of the Agricultural Department, asking 

 information of the condition of the crops, are giv- 

 en in tenths, above or below the crops of 18G2. 

 During tlie summer the Department made an esti- 

 mate of the amount of the crops of 1863. This 

 estimate was based on the census returns of 1860. 

 As tlie crop of 1859, which was taken by the cen- 

 sus, was below an average, and that of 1862 much 

 above it, allowance was made for this difference, 

 varying in its amount according as the agricul- 

 ture of each State required. The general per 

 cent, increase of each State was added. One- 

 fourth of the amount given in the census was 

 struck off from the returns for Missouri and Ken- 

 tucky, on account of the war. Thus calculated 

 the crops of 1862 were made the basis for esti- 

 mating those of 1863, according to the tenths, in- 

 crease or decrease of each State, as reported by 

 the correspondents of the Department. 



The summer crops of wheat, rye, barley and 

 oats for 1862 and 1863 are as follows: 



Wheat. Rye. Barley. Oats. 



Total, 1S63, ha. 101,068,239 20,708,-2S7 ]r,,760,597 174,858,107 

 Total, lS62,bu. 189,993,500 21.254,956 17,781,464 172,520,997 



*1,074,739 • t-456,669 tl.020,867 *2,o27,170 



•Increase, t^ecrease. 



The fall crops of corn, buckwheat and potatoes 

 or 1862 and 1863 are as follows : 



Com. Buckwheat. Potatoes. 



Total, 1862, bush 586,704,474 18,722,995 113.533,118 



Total, 1803, bush 449,163,894 17,193,233 97,870,035 



Decrease 137,540,589 l,i29,762 15,663,083 



The monthly report of the Department for 

 September shows that the amount of wheat and 

 flour exported to all countries for the year ending 

 September 1, 1863, is 40,686,308 bushels, and of 

 corn 11,680,343 bushels. The domestic consump- 

 tion, then, is as follows : 



• Bushels. 



Wheat crop for 1862 189,903,500 



Exported 40,086,308 



Domestic consumption 149 ,307,192 



Corn crop for 1862.. 586,704,474 



Exported 11,680,342 



Domestic consumption 575,024,1.32 



These exports and domestic consumption ex- 

 hibit the relative magnitude of the foreign and do- 

 mestic markets. 



The report examines the probable foreign de- 

 mand for breadstuffs during 1864, and shows that 

 the principal portion of our exports of breadstuU's 

 are purchased in the English markets ; that the 

 average annual importations of all grains with 

 Great Britain and Ireland are 94,278,949 Ameri- 



can bushels; but in 1860, the importation was 

 135,38(5,434 American bushels, and in 1.S61 142,- 

 529,106 American bushels ; that il was as great 

 in 1802, but not so large in 1863 ; that from the 

 present condition of the crops in England, the 

 demand for 1804 would return to the general av- 

 erage, rather than to the great amount since 1860; 

 that the home demand for 1S64 would be, at least, 

 equal to that for 1863, and tiiat the condition of 

 the currency would remain as favorable as it now 

 is ; that hence the amounts of wheat and corn for 

 1864 would be as follows : 



I'uahtls. 



Wheat crop for 1%Z 191 ,00-<,'239 



Domestic consumption 149,3 j7, 192 



Lcfivinp for export 41 .701 .047 



Corn crop for 1SG3 4 ". MOo S94 



Domestic consumption 57').024,132 



Leaving;' a dtlicicncy of. 125,800,238 



which must be provided for by greater economy in 

 feeding, and a greater proportional consumption 

 of wheat. 



The number of stock Hogs is about the same 

 as in 1S62, and about five ])er cent, below a gen- 

 eral average in condition. These were early turn- 

 ed on the frosted corn. 



The Buckwheat crop is not as much injured as 

 was generally supposed, l)ecause most of it is pro- 

 duced in the States of New York, New Jersey 

 and Pennsylvania, where the frosts of August 30 

 and Sept. 18 did not injure the crops materially. 



The Tobacco crop of 1863 is larger than that 

 of last year by nearly fifty millions of pounds, al- 

 though the frosts in the Western States were very 

 injurious to it. But about one-half the crop there 

 had been gathered before tlie frost of September 

 18, and seventy-five per cent, more ground had 

 been j)]anted tlian in 1862. 



The Hay crop of 1S62 is estimated at 21,603,- 

 645 tons; that of 1863 at 10,080,482 tons, a de- 

 crease of 1,623,163 tons. Its quality is good. 



The Meteorological division of the Keport is 

 much larger than usual ; giving a full description 

 of the frosts of August 30 and September 18. 



■WHY HOGS EAT ASHES, &c. 



Mr. Mechi, of Tip-Tree Hall, England, has dis- 

 covered that pigs, wiien shut up to fatten, are 

 very fond of cinders, tuid improve in condition by 

 eating a certain portion of ibem every day- Some 

 persons are unable to account for this singular 

 propensity in swine. Poultry are very fond of 

 egg shells, lime, sand, S:c., and it is well known 

 these substances are necessary in order to form 

 the shells of eggs, and to furnish material for the 

 bones of fowls. 



Now, it is reasonable to suppose that swine eat 

 ashes and cinders for the purpose of supplying the 

 material for their bones, and this singular instinct 

 in animals so low in the scale of intelligence, is 

 truly wonderful, for oshes contain the ingredients 

 which are necessary to form bones, viz., carbonate 

 and sulphate of lime, and magnesia, clay, silica 

 gelatinized and made soluble by the fire. 



When hogs are at large, they take in clay and 

 silica with their food, and eat bones and roots 

 which contain the necessary ingredients ; but 

 when they are pent up they endeavor to supply 

 the material necessary for keeping up their frames 

 by devouring ashes and cinders. Let them have 

 plenty of them. 



