was first in the value of hay and forage, in the value of her potato 

 crop and miscellaneous vegatables; first in each of these: forest 

 products, as in flowers and foliage plants, in small fruits, dry beans, 

 buckwheat, nursery products, hops, and in onions, and in miscellaneous 

 crops; and stood second of all the States in the value of her orchard 

 fruits, maple products, and third, fourth and fifth in rank in other 

 important products. 



"Again, we have heard much which might lead us to think 

 that the productivity of the New York farms has been rapidly de- 

 creasing. Let me give you just a few figures on that subject. The 

 average product per acre in New York State during the ten-year 

 period from 1867 to 1876, of oats, was 32 bushels. In the last decade, 

 just closed, it was 32 bushels also; practically no change. In the 

 case of wheat, thirty years ago the average ten-year yield in fields 

 growing wheat in this State was 14 bushels; the average per acre; 

 in the decade just closed the average yield of wheat per acre in our 

 State was 18 bushels ; an increase of four bushels per acre. Barley, 

 30 years ago, 32 bushels per acre, and in the decade just closed 35 

 bushels per acre. These figures prove, if anything, that the fertility 

 of New York farms has not been lost. 



"How does New York State stand in comparison with the great 

 States of the West ? According to the figures published by our friend 

 whom we love to honor Secretary Wilson New York State holds 

 a high position when compared with other States as to yields per 

 acre. For example, of oats New York's average yield per acre is 

 32 bushels; the highest average yield per acre reported in any of 

 the Mississippi Valley States is 27 bushels per acre; 5 bushels per 

 acre less than New York. In the case of rye the average in New 

 York State is i6J bushels per acre, and this is exceeded by only 

 three of the Mississippi Valley States, the largest being i8J. Barley, 

 New York 25 bushels per acre, which was exceeded by four Mis- 

 sissippi Valley States. 



"What has been said could be extended at great length and could 

 be justified on many grounds. 



"Now, in spite of these figures, which seem to have a rosy 

 appearance, agriculture in New York States and in the East has 

 confronting it to-day some very serious problems. 



"We have heard Secretary Wilson in his most able and instructive 

 address discuss the value of food products, and the rising cost of 

 living. We hear rumblings of the difficulty of securing labor in agri- 

 cultural districts, and I can assure you that it is a very general dif- 



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