424 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



This prediction was fully verified in the final record of the crop, 

 w hich showed 1,551,000,895 bushels, and the rate of yield 22.7 bushels 

 per acre, about 3 per cent, less than the indications reported by the 

 Press Association within two days after the occurrence of the destruc- 

 tive frosts of September. 



WHEAT. 



There was a decrease of the wheat area harvested in 1883 of over 

 600,000 acres, though the April returns indicated a small enlargement 

 of the breadth of winter AYheat seeded in the fall. More than a million 

 acres were either plowed up or abandoned as the returning spring re- 

 vealed the injury done by frost. 



Condition of winter wheat was lower than in 1881, and in May indi- 

 cated a reduction in product of 77,000,000 bushels. The expectation 

 was fully realized. The recorded estimates of the harvest of the two 

 years were 504,185,470 and 421,080,160 bushels, respectively, though 

 the yield of spring wheat was good and the area somewhat enlarged. 

 The tendency in the spring- wheat region is towards decrease of breadth 

 in the older settlements, and increase in the new lands. A decline in 

 yield soon follows the imperfect cultivation and weeds of the pioneer 

 wheat-fields. The production of wheat, winter and spring, was below- 

 an average, the rate of yield being 11.6 bushels per acre, on a reduced 

 breadth. With a loss of 83,000,000 bushels, as compared with the pre- 

 vious crop, there was still nearly enough for consumption and exporta- 

 tion, leaving a large surplus by reason of the excess of old wheat of 

 1882 carried over. 



OATS. 



The substitution of spring oats for winter wheat helped to increase 

 the area in this cereal, which is estimated at 20,324,902 acres, an in- 

 crease of nearly two million acres. The season was much more favor- 

 able for oats than for wheat, and the yield per acre was fully as large 

 as in 1882, while the product was larger by 83,000,000 bushels. The 

 abundance had the effect to reduce the average price from 37.5 cents 

 to 33 cents per bushel. 



BARLEY. 



This cereal, of which a supply is never grown in the States, was 

 increased slightly in area, and produced at the rate of 21.1 bushels per 

 acre, an aggregate as estimated of 50,136,097 bushels. The crop main- 

 tained a comparative high condition through the season. 



RYE. 



There was a small increase in the area of rye, from 2,227,880 to 

 2,314,754. The season was less favorable, and the rate of yield was 

 reduced from 13.4 bushels to 12.1 per acre, and the product from 

 29,960,037 to 28,058,583 bushels. It was affected by conditions unfa- 

 vorable for wheat, but to a less degree. 



BUCKWHEAT. 



This crop, which is grown mainly in the higher latitudes and late in 

 the season, was affected disastrously by the frosts of September. The 

 reduction in the product harvested was from 11,019,353 bushels in 1882 

 to 7,668,954 in 1883. 



