54 BEE CULTURE. 



thirty-two per cent. The states of the Ohio basin, with Michigan and 

 Wisconsin, stood thirty-nine per cent, in 1850, forty-one in 1860, and forty- 

 four in 1870 and 1876. Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska 

 produced seven per cent, of the entire crop in 1850, fifteen per cent, in 1860, 

 twenty-one per cent, in 1870, and twent3''-eight per cent, in 1876. The in- 

 crease in Kansas has been very raj^id of late, nearly equaling in amount 

 this year the crop of Missouri. Iowa grows more than four-tenths of the 

 crop in this section. Illinois produced about 250,000,000 bushels this year; 

 Iowa, 155,000,000 , Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas rank next, in order 

 named. There has been an aggregate increase in area of production of 

 about 2,000,000 acres. 



"The potato croj) falls considerably below an average. Drought is given 

 as the principal cause of diminishing yield, though beetles, grasshoppers, 

 blight, rust and rot had especial localities to themselves. There is also a 

 general decline in quality. 



"Of other crops, we note that the entire production of hay is eight per 

 cent, above last year, and five per cent, better in quality; beans, about 

 seven per cent, less than last year; buckwheat, eight per cent, less ; sor- 

 ghum, fourteen per cent, above ; tobacco, not quite so favorable as last year. 

 The decrease is in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Vir- 

 ginia, North Carolina and Tennessee ; Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and 

 Illinois report an increase, that of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois being very 

 large. The quality of the entire cr.op is about as last year. 



"In fruit, ajjples exceed last year's crop in all the states except Maine, 

 Yermont, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Missouri, and in all the Southern 

 States except South Carolina. The only complaint in the other states is 

 superabundance, which diminishes the value greatly. Pears fall below last 

 5^ear, the blight being the principal cause. G-rapes, somewhat less than 

 last year, mildew and rot being principal agents in the decrease. 



"The acreage of winter wheat put in last fall increased five percent, 

 over previous year, and the condition appears to be about ten per cent, 

 above average, taking the entire country. The fly has done considerable 

 damage in several counties of Pennsylvania, especially in early sown wheat. 

 With the exception of South Carolina, the South Atlantic and Gulf States 

 are below average in condition. West Yii'ginia and Kentucky, and all the 

 states north of the Ohio Eiver, show a superior condition, especially Ohio 

 and Indiana. In some western localities grasshoppers destroyed first sow- 

 ing, necessitating a second, which has started very imperfectly. -In rye, 

 the average is about with that of last year, and condition an average." 



BEE CULTURE. 



Prof. Cook sends us an extended report of the bee-keeping experience 

 during the year at the Michigan Agricultural College, the main points of 

 which we summarize. In the spring the apiary grounds were surrounded 

 by numerous honey-producing shrubs and trees, among them bass-wood, 

 locust, crab-apple, shad-bush, &c. Most of these have done well — a few have 

 died. These have been kept mulched, and the ground about them well 

 spaded all the season. More evergreens have also been set out, some for a 

 wind-break, others for shade for bees, and some Concord grapevines and 

 Virginia creeper, for shade. Some of the latter has been set about the 

 house, that it may climb upon it, and has already made a fine growth. 

 Several kinds of bee-plants of more or less repute were also planted, the 

 following of which have done well, and all yielded bloom except the two 

 first, which will not bloom till another season : Yellow trefoil clover, yellow 



