16 
basis for, at least, an approximately correct average. From these I se¬ 
lect the following as illustrations, not all the worst cases, as will be 
seen by inspecting the list, but taken at random, and including those 
reporting from “no loss” up to a loss of nine-tenths the crop. The cir¬ 
culars were generally addressed to County Superintendents, and by 
them were in some cases submitted to the best posted farmers of the 
countv. 
%/ 
I give first the substance of the answers in reference to the amount 
of damage done : 
Cumberland County—The writer says the damage was very great: 
of his own crop three-fourths were destroyed. 
Cass County—No damage done. 
Edgar County—Damage to all crops about one-eighth. 
Edwards County—Crops damaged (but amount not stated.) 
Franklin County—Fully one-half the crops destroyed. 
Effingham County—Two-thirds the corn crop destroyed. 
Hardin County—Damage considerable (amount not stated.) 
Marion County—Nine-tenths of the corn destroyed. 
McDonough County—One-third the corn crop destroyed. 
Menard County—Crops damaged (amount not stated.) 
Piatt County—One-twentieth of all crops destroyed, corn less in¬ 
jured than other crops. 
Schuyler County—Damage heavy, on all crops amount estimated at 
$150,000. 
St. Clair County—Damage fully 60 per cent. 
Washington County—Loss on all crops one-fourth. 
Now let us take these statements, and by comparing them with the 
estimated average crop of corn as given by the Secretary of our State 
Agricultural Society in his circular of August 10th, 1876, see the 
amount of the loss, and from this ascertain the loss throughout the 
State: 
• 
Counties. 
Loss per cent. 
Average corn 
crop in bu’s. 
Loss in bushels. 
Cumberland. 
Va 
1,413,720 
1,060,290 
0 
3,133,284 
Edgar. 
Vs 
3,876,110 
484,574 
Edwards, (estimated). 
34 
529,450 
132,382 
Effingham. 
% 
2,386,600 
1,591,066 
Franklin. 
y 2 
1,729,504 
864,752 
Hardin, (estimated). 
Va 
390,885 
97,721 
McDonough. 
% 
6,640,370 
2,213,456 
Marion... 
9-10 
1,996,890 
1,797,200 
Menard, (estimated!. 
Va 
3,266,720 
816,680 
Piatt. 
1-20 
4,692,400 
234,620 
St. Clair. 
6-10 
3,788,882 
2,273,328 
Schuyler.. 
1-10 
4,089,830 
408,983 
Washington... 
% 
913,440 
608,960 
Totals. 
38,848,085 
12,584,012 
From this we see that the loss on 38,848,085 bushels,—the average 
crop in the counties named,—was 12,584,012 bushels or 32 per cent. 
If we simply add the per cent, without reference to the amounts 
and divide by the number of counties named, we have a loss of some 
thing over 38 per cent.; but the other is the correct method. If w^ 
