358 



THE ILLINOIS FAHMEE. 



Deo. 



Crops of 1863. 



From the Report of the Coramis- 

 fiioner of Agriculture we make up the 

 following estimated condition of the 

 crops of this State for the current year 

 as compared with 1862, in bushels : 



1863. 1862. 



Wheat 81,408,163 52,212,500 



Rve 983,190 981,322 



Barlv 1,205,042 1,175,651 



:; Oats" 19,681,420 17,892,200 



Corn 83,013,681 138,356,135 



Buckwheat 314,602 431,336 



Potatoes 4,611,083 6,444,404 



(Total 141,017,081 197,494,568 

 Decrease 56,477,487 



The oat crop shows a gain of 1,78 9,- 



220 bushels, while all the others except 



f; barley fall short to a very alarming 



' extent. The corn crop for the loyal 



States is set down 



1862 586,704,474 



1863 449,163,894 



Deficit 137,540,580 



Exported in 1862 11,680,342 



Should we export the same amount 

 this year we should come short, 126,- 

 860,338 bushels, or if we have that 

 amoant of old corn in the country we 

 can feed and otherwise use and export 

 the same amount that we did in the 

 year 1862. It is well known that in 

 all times of high price or scarcity we 

 use less, and in this case we shall show 

 a marked one of economy. In nearly 

 every part of the State the hog crop is 

 being sent to market in a half fattened 

 condition, and the same may be said of 

 cattle. Last year an immense num- 

 ber of head of cattle were brought into 

 the Central part of the State to be fed, 

 now we hear of none at all. "We find 

 the value of the frosted corn for feed- 

 ing less than supposed. We made the 

 attempt to fatten our own hogs on it, 

 but Wj^ been compelled to resort to 

 old c^fcand only use the new in shock 



to winter the neat stock. Fortunately, 

 we had a good stock cf old corn, suffi- 

 cient for our own use the next two 

 years. 



Those having stock to feed are pay- 

 ing seventy-five to eighty cents a bush- 

 el for it for this purpose, while the best 

 of the new crop is dull sale at fifty 

 cents a bushel. 



These facts go to show that the corn 

 crop for domostic use is of vast impor- 

 tance and subject to great fluctuations 

 in price. "We may well ask if this is 

 to continue to be so. Most certainly 

 until our farmers adopt a better mode 

 of housing it. We grow little corn for 

 sale, but as we have good well roofed 

 cribs, and while the price ruled low it 

 was stored, and the result is that we 

 have a surplus from the three past sea- 

 sons, that is of '60, '61, and '62. The 

 former weare now feeding to our hogs, 

 and find it in most excellent condition. 

 If every farmer had good cribs they 

 would not be compelled to sell what 

 they have left over, while without them 

 they have no alternative but to sell or 

 have it rot on hand. "With our small 

 surplus of fifteen hundred bushels now 

 worth seventy-five cents in the crib, 

 we have a profit of several hundred 

 dollars over the cost of our cribs, while 

 the cribs will be good for many years 

 to come. So much for having corn. 



We had supposed that the year 1858 

 would have given the whole iarmirg 

 community a lesson in housing or rath, 

 er the want of housing corn that would 

 not soon be forgatten, but five years 

 and the lesson is repeated in a more 

 startling form, and one in which it is 

 hoped some heed will be taken. 



Until the next season is sufliciently 

 advanced to determined the crop all 

 farm products must rule high. Anoth- 



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