Ixxii INTRODUCTION. 



Buckwheat is an important crop in many sections of the United States. It has properties which 

 render it peculiarly well suited to take the place it occupies among our grain crops. It is not botani- 

 cally a cereal, but it affords a highly nutritious grain, which is used to a considerable extent as food for 

 man and animals. It can be sown later in the season than any other grain-crop. In favorable sea 

 sons, and on good soil, the yield is very large. It is so rampant a grower that it smothers out weeds, 

 and is frequently sown for this purpose. It is also grown as a green-crop for ploughing under as 

 manure. Being sown so late in the season, it can be grown on land that is too wet for other crops. 

 On the other hand, it succeeds well on rough, hilly land, where almost any other crop would perish. 



The total production of buckwheat in the United States and Territories in 1840 was 7,291,743 

 bushels, in 1850 8,956,912 bushels, and in 1860 17,571,818 bushels. The crop of 1860 was nearly 

 double what it was in 1850, showing a larger increase than any other grain-crop. 



The following table shows the amount of buckwheat raised in the New England States in 1860, 

 as compared with 1850: 



I860. 1850. 



Connecticut 309, 107 229, 297 



Maine 339, 519 104, 523 



Massachusetts 123, 202 1 05, 895 



New Hampshire 89, 996 65, 265 



Rhode Island 3, 573 1, 245 



Vermont . . 225, 415 209, 819 



1,090,812 716,044 



There is a large increase in the crop of buckwheat in the New England States in 1860, as com 

 pared with 1850; but the crop of 1850 was less than in 1840, being 778,084 bushels in 1840, against 

 716,044 bushels in 1860. 



The largest increase is in Maine. The crop of buckwheat in this State in 1840 was 51,543 bush 

 els, in 1850 104,523 bushels, and in 1860 330,519 bushels. 



Connecticut raised 303,043 bushels of buckwheat in 1840, 229,297 bushels in 1850, and 309,107 

 bushels in 1860. These fluctuations in the produce of buckwheat are doubtless caused by the season, 

 as this crop is more dependent on the weather than any other. 



The following table shows the amount of buckwheat raised in the middle States in 1860, as com 

 pared with 1850 : 



I860. 1850. 



New York 5, 126, 307 3, 183, 955 



New Jersey 817, 386 878, 934 



Pennsylvania 5, 572, 024 2, 193, 692 



Maryland. 212, 338 103, 671 



Delaware 16, 355 8, 615 



District of Columbia .. 445 378 



11,744,855 6,369,245 



In Pennsylvania and New York buckwheat is an important crop, and the above figures show that 

 its cultivation is rapidly increasing. The crop has nearly doubled in these States since 1850. The 

 grain is used extensively as food for sheep in winter, and there are few crops which for the labor 

 attending it afford a better profit. 



The following table shows the amount of buckwheat raised in the western States in 1860, as 

 compared with 1850: 



