22 



ANNALS OF HOKTICULTURE. 



however, the figures are studied more closely the returns are 

 not altogether satisfactory. For a number of years past the 

 tropical fruit trade of this port has been increasing very rap- 

 idly. There was an increase in 1893, it is true, but it was not 

 nearly as great as in previous years. If we take the fall and 

 winter months, there is an actual decrease as compared with 



1892, the imports for the last five months of the year being 



1893, $439,203; 1892, 449,763. We began the present year 

 most brilliantly, but the fruit trade has not kept up to what it 

 promised. It will be well for those who think there is no dan- 

 ger of New Orleans losing this trade, and that the high port 

 charges do not tell against this city, to take these facts and fig- 

 ures into consideration." 



Potatoes. — "The November returns of the Department 

 of Agriculture relative to potatoes give the estimated aver- 

 age yield per acre, in bushels, and the quality of the product 

 on a basis of 100 as a standard. The yield per acre as aver- 

 aged for the whole country is 72.2 bushels. This is 7.8 bush- 

 els less than the average for a ten-year period ending 1889, 

 about 20 bushels less than in the large crop year, 1891, and 10 

 bushels greater than the product last year. Strong evidence 

 substantiating the correctness of the returns, and the closeness 

 with which the reports of condition indicate final yield, is again 

 afforded in the consolidated reports of our country correspond- 

 ents for the present month. In 1891 the October condition was 

 91.3, and the estimated average yield per acre, returned in No- 

 vember, 93.9 ; in 1892, October condition 67.7, and yield 62 

 bushels; in the present year, October condition 71.2, and yield 

 72.2 bushels, a remarkable parallel fluctuation. The general 

 quality is shown to be good, and though the dry weather tended 

 to reduce their size, the tubers are generally sound and mealy. 

 The percentage of quality stands at 89. In New England the 

 yield is reported good, and the quality excellent, with but little 

 if any rot, except in the States of Vermont and Connecticut. 

 Rot appears to be jjrevalent in sections throughout New York, 

 and complaints of this trouble have been received from Ken- 

 tucky, Arkansas, and Missouri. The Southern States were par- 

 ticularly fortunate in the early crop of potatoes, but late 

 planted suffered severely from the drouth, and the same is 

 true in a few sections of the West, but there, generally, both 

 early and late varieties were much reduced in yield. Many 

 counties in the central West report importations of potatoes for 

 consumption, from more favored localities. The mountain 

 States report good crops, especially where irrigation was used. 

 The Pacific States have an average crop of good quality." 



Sweet Potatoes. — The sweet potato crop was rather be- 

 low that of 1892 : 



