644 
American Farm Crops. 
I therefore venture to suggest that planters should keep the 
following points in \'iew : — 
1. Do not plant larch in wet, undrained soil. 
2. Select plants free from disease. 
3. Do not plant too closely. Four feet apart is quite near enough 
in most cases and, in sheltered situations, five feet is preferable. 
4. Plant hardwoods with the larch. 
5. ■ Keep down the herbage. If hoeing is considered too expen- 
sive, this can be effected by mowing with a short scythe. 
6. Thin in good time. 
The last point is somewhat indefinite, but it may be elaborated 
by saying that as soon as the branches of one tree press upon those 
of another, so as to interfere with the healthy development of 
suflicient foHage, thinning should be resorted to. A too early thin- 
ning is a mistake from which a plantation will generally recover, 
but if thinned too late the result is often fatal. 
Robert Andeeson. 
AMERICAN FARM CROPS. 
The United States Department of Agriculture has recently issued 
an "Album of Agricultural Graphics," which is in some sense a 
companion to the " Album of Agricultural Statistics," referred 
to in the Journal last year (Vol. I., 3rd Series, p. 657, — a map 
of the United States being given on page 659). The present 
elaborately-prepared publication comprises a series of ten outline 
maps of the United States, each of which illustrates, by means of 
different shades of colour and peculiarities of mechanical drawing, 
the average yield and value per acre of one of the chief farm crops 
in every State or territory. The figures both of yield and value 
are based on official returns, and with regard to both the average of 
ten years is taken. 
The mean results for the United States come out as follows : — ' 
Crop 
YieM 
per acre 
Value per 
acre 
1 
Crop 
Yield 
per acre 
Value per 
acre 
bushels 
£ a. 
bushels 
£ s. d. 
Corn (i.e. maize) . 
241 
119 5 
Potatoes .... 
76-2 
7 19 n 
Wheat 
12-0 
2 19 
lb. 
Oats 
26-6 
1 14 0 
Tobacco .... 
727-1 
12 16 3 
Rye 
11-9 
1 14 5 
Cotton .... 
168-1 
3 5 4 
21-7 
2 13 2 
tons 
Buckwheat . . . 
12-8 
1 14 4 
Hay 
119 
2 6 2 
With reference to the yield per acre, it is observed in the short 
report which prefaces, and to some extent summarises, the graphic 
• The values, which are of course ^\\cn in dollars, have been here through- 
out reduced to English currency. — R. H. R. 
