Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1871 — Agricultural Report. [ARTICLE]

Agricultural Report.

The following statistics are given in the December report of the Department of Agriculture at Washington: “ The estimates of the com product for the past years have rarely indicated a very near approach to a full crop. The crop of 1859 (as reported by the census) was 838,000,000 of bushels. The increase of population (about twenty-five per cent.) would require in 1869 an increase of more than 200,000,000 to keep up the same ratio of production. The estimate of 1869 was only 884,009,000, showing an increase in ten years of only 46,000,000, or five per cent., to counterbalance an advance in population of twenty-five per cent. That of 1868 was little larger, and less by a hundred millions than a full crop of maize. The present is undoubtedly, in proportion to population, and probably in proportion to acreage, the largest crop since that recorded by the census. From a preliminary calculation, upon local returns from 749 counties, the total product of this year is made to exceed 1,100,000,000. This would give about 28 bushels per acre this year, upon the assumed acreage (39,000,000 acres), against twenty-three and a half bushels upon a little more than 37,000,000 acres last year.

“ The greatest relative increase appears in Illinois, where the crop of 1869 was very short, amounting to sixty-five per cent, in aggregate bushels; Indiana is placed next, at fifty-five per cent ; Michigan, thirty-seven; Wisconsin, thirty-three ; Ohio, thirty; Minnesota, twenty-three; Kentucky, twenty-three; lowa, nineteen; New York, eighteen.” Referring to the continued dry weather during the past season, the report contains valuable aud suggestive matter. It is found that in New England the drouth was of longer continuance than elsewhere, and its effects in that section were more disastrous than elsewhere. The more sandy soils both of the New England States and New York are too light fora summer of high temperature, while the stronger 6oils and peaty lands' withstood the heat and matured the crop remarkably well. The same thing was apparent along the Atlantic coast to South Carolina, the sandy lands suffering most; but yet from

New York to South Carolina the average was large, better soils and good cultivation giving fine yields. In the MishiKHigtpi Valley, a few counties report short cro|», and in some cases report inferior quality, the grain “ light, chaffy, and loose on the cob" as In ycmon County, Mo. Short ears of fairquality resulted from tlledrouth in other soils, and an earlier maturity is frequently noted. It ii|>])carH from returns received by the Dcg>artincnt that in some localities where rain was abundant in spring und drainage imperfect, the late planted corn, If deegtly plowed and well cultivated, matured best. This was the case in the West, and even on the southern Atlantic coast; yet the dry ugdands of the South and Southwest matured better the earlier planting. At various points the reports show remarkably fine i rops of corn. With regard to winter grain, the report states that accounts of fall-sown wheat and rye are generally favorable. Fields are green anil promising; in some too great luxuriance apgieara. Many reptorts of increased acreage are received from different parts of the country; a few accounts of decreased acreage are also received. California is still enlarging her wheat area. Destruction by the fly is serious in Beaver county, Penn.; Knox county, Tenn.; Barry and Clinton counties, Mich. Red rust has appeared in Cass county, Ind. The ground has been too dry for early sowing in Eastern Maryland. On the contrary, ill parts of Missouri seeding has been obstructed by incessant rains. The condition of wheat at this date is somewhat above an average.