REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 



563 



CORN. 



The average price of corn is 36J cents, which is one cent lower than 

 the average for 1879, where the supply in proportion to population was 

 quite as large. It has been lower but twice in ten years, in 1877 and 

 1878, after two previous years of abundance. It is highest in Florida. 

 80 cents per bushel, and the lowest price is 18 cents in Nebraska; Kan- 

 sas, 22; Iowa, 23; Missouri, 26; Illinois, 31; Minnesota, 33; Indiana 

 and Wisconsin, 34; Michigan, 40; Ohio, 41; Kentucky, 43. It is 52 in 

 Pennsylvania. 54 in New Jersey, and 00 in New York. The range of 

 valaesin the South Atlantic States is from 43 in Delaware to 08 in South 

 Carolina, and 80 in Florida, increasing in the order of movement, except 

 that Georgia reports 70 cents. In the more western States, it is 45 

 in Tennessee, 54 in Arkansas, 61 in Alabama, 62 in Mississippi and 

 Texas, and 67 in Louisiana. 



The differences in value of corn in counties of the same State are 

 very wide, owing to relative abundance or scarcity, transportation 

 facilities, or other causes. Nebraska returns 18 cents per bushel as the 

 State average for corn, while in Otoe County the value is 23 cents, and 

 in Boone 12 cents. In several counties in Kansas corn is worth but 15 

 cents; in several others farther west, as Ford and Ness, 40 cents, where 

 it is scarce and in demand, while the State average is 22. 



In several of the eastern counties of Iowa the price is returned at 30 

 cents, in Des Moines 35 cents ; the range is from 15 cents in Monona to 

 40 in Delaware. The range of prices in Minnesota is from 20 to 50 

 cents. A greater difference is seen in Missouri, between 12 cents in 

 Ilolt County and 50 in Saint Francois, though 20 and 25 are more fre- 

 quent figures for other counties. 



Farther west prices are higher, with similar margins of local differ- 

 ence. Very few counties in Ohio report lower than 30 cents, and a 

 large number between 30 and 40, while 50 is given as the average for 

 Adams, Highland, Holmes, Hocking, Harrison, Jackson, Knox, Mus- 

 kingum, Noble, and Perry. In Geauga, Guernsey, and Belmont the 

 price is 60, and in Jefferson 65 cents. Among the highest returns from 

 New York is 60 cents for Schenectady and Westchester, the lowest 

 40 cents from Niagara, and 50 cents Chautauqua, Genesee, Jefferson, 

 and Wyoming. A similar range is observed in Pennsylvania, Lebanon 

 reporting 40 and Lancaster 50 cents. Higher prices prevail in New 

 England, from 65 cents to $1 (in Aroostook) in Maine; 65 to $1 in New 

 Hampshire; 62 to 75 in Vermont ; 60 in Franklin to 85 in Dukes, Mas- 

 sachusetts ; 69 in Kent to $1 in Newport, Rhode Island, and from 60 in 

 New Haven to 75 in New London, Connecticut. 



In the South still wider differences are apparent. The range is from 

 40 cents to 80 in Virginia, and the same in North Carolina. In Georgia 

 from 50 cents to $1, though in most counties from 60 to 80 cents. It is 

 gratifying to observe that very few counties in any of the cotton States 

 report higher than 75 cents. 



WHEAT. 



The average farm price of wheat is 65 cents per bushel, against 91 

 cents last December. The December price in thirteen years has previ- 

 ously been below $1 per bushel but five times— in 1874, 1878, 1880, 1882, 

 and 1883. The average in Nebraska is 42 cents, 45 in Kansas, 46 in 

 Dakota, 50 in Minnesota, 55 in Iowa, 62 in Missouri, 63 in Illinois, 67 in 

 Indiana, 74 in Michigan, and 75 in Ohio. The average home-grown 



