346 
WISCONSIN - STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
raised, and in aggregate value of product—how much would be 
added to its value by even a small improvement in quality or 
quantity per acre? 
The following facts and figures will show the importance of 
the subject, and should lead us, both, to avail ourselves of the 
improvements made by others, and to make greater personal 
efforts to much better cultivation and increased production. 
The total value of all cereals in 1869, as reported by the 
Agricultural Department, including cotton, tobacco and hay, 
was $1,849,179,843; being one-tenth part of the value of the 
real estate of the country. The value of the corn crop was 
$658,582,700 ; hay $337,662,600 ; cotton $303,600,000 ; wheat 
$247,099,120; oats $137,347,000. The relative value of yield 
per acre, as governed and controlled by the prevailing prices of 
the year, are in the following order : Tobacco, potatoes, cotton, 
barley, hay, corn, buckwheat, oats, rye and wheat. Vermont 
has the greatest average value of corn ; and New Han pshire 
the greatest average value of wheat; Kansas has the largest 
yield ol corn to the acre, being 48.4 bushels; and Georgia the 
smallest, 21 bushels. Oregon had the largest yield of wheat 
to the acre, 19 bushels; and South Carolina the smallest, 6.6 
bushels. From these statements, it appears that the corn crop 
stands first in aggregate valuation and yield, and wheat next 
to the last; deducting the largest average yield of wheat from 
the largest average yield of corn, there remains a difference of 
29.4 bushels in favor of the corn crop. In comparing these 
relative statistics year after year, the same, and even a greater 
difference will be found in favor of corn over wheat. This 
leads us to inquire, what is the best plan for us to pursue, 
whereby we may increase the yield of corn, the golden crop 
of the world. 
The varieties of corn are numerous, of all colors and des¬ 
criptions, large and small, eight, ten and twelve rowed. Every 
variety of soil and climate has some kind more or less adapted 
to its peculiarities. Of these many kinds it is only by actual 
trial that we can learn what varieties are best adapted to our 
