greater breadth sown. Sorghum has also increased in quantity in Illinois, the crop being one-quarter more than in 1862. The amount of cotton raised in the States north of the Ohio River is nearly 40 per cent. greater than in 1862. There has been a serious falling off in the quantity of root crops in all the States except Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, and West Virginia. The entire diminution of these crops is about 15 per cent. In the Eastern and Middle States the yield of apples, peaches, and pears was large, the markets being for a time glutted with peaches; but in the Western and Northwestern States the great frosts of the winter of 1863-'4 destroyed a large proportion of the fruit trees, and there was a scarcity of peaches and apples. The stock of apples in the market was so greatly reduced by exportation and the shortness of the crop, that in January, 1865, apples of ordinary quality brought from $5.50 to $8 per barrel at wholesale. The grape crop was fully up to the average, and larger quantities than usual were absorbed in the manufacture of wine. This has become a speciality at several points on the Hudson River, on the islands in and near Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, in the vicinity of Cincinnati, Ohio, along the Missouri and Osage Rivers in Missouri, and in California. The production of wine in California has reached an extent and excellence which enables the wine-growers of that State to enter into successful competition with the great vineyards of Europe, and it is rapidly increasing. horses, mules, and swine has slightly decreased from the great demand of the war; the number of working cattle and cows has remained nearly stationary from the same cause, but the number of sheep has increased 9,242,119. The clip of wool for the year, it is thought, will not fall much short of 100,000,000 pounds, while the consumption is about 150,000,000 pounds. The climate of California is found well adapted to wool growing, and the sheep are sheared twice a year there. The fall clip, the growth of the summer months, is short, dry, and brittle, and of inferior quality, answering to the low-priced India wools. Kansas and Nebraska, Central Illinois, and Texas are also excellent climates for wool growing, and the present price of wool has greatly developed the production of that staple. The production of molasses and sugar from the sorghum has increased during the year. The syrup or molasses is now refined on a large scale at Chicago and Cincinnati, and the result is very satisfactory; the unpleasant taste which had proved a serious objection to its use being removed by the refining process, and a syrup resulting which differs but little from the best sugar-house syrups of Stuarts, Woolsey, and other refiners. There seems to be a difficulty in making sugar from most of the sorghum molasses, probably from the fact that the cane is seldom perfectly matured when crushed. Small quantities of fair sugar have been produced, but for the most part it is used only in the form of molasses or syrup. Within the past two years the attempt has been made on There has been a heavy reduction in the a large scale in Illinois to cultivate the sugarnumber of swine fattened for market during beet for the production of sugar. It is yet too the year, owing mainly to the scarcity of corn early to pronounce definitely on the success of in 1863-4. This reduction amounts probably the enterprise, but it promises fairly. Four to nearly 40 per cent. The receipt of live hogs hundred and eighty thousand tons, one-sixth in New York in 1862 was 1,098,712; in 1863, of all the sugar used in the world, is now pro1,096,773; in 1864, only 657,092. The falling duced from the sugar-beet, mainly in France off in the exports of pork from New York as and its colonies, and there seems no good compared with those of 1863, was 60,000 bar- reason why we should not produce it as sucrels, or one-third; of cut meats, 88,000,000 cessfully as other nations. The amount of supounds, or very nearly one-half; and of lard, gar produced from the maple shows a consider77,000,000 pounds, or about two-thirds. In able increase over previous years, the season Cincinnati and Chicago the amount of pork having been a favorable one, and the high packed was larger than in 1863, but this was prices of sugars creating an unusual demand at the expense of the smaller packing points. for it. The number of hogs packed in the packing season of 1863-4 was 3,389,427. The season of 1864-5 is not yet (January, 1865) closed, but it is estimated that the number packed will be not far from 2,500,000. The number of swine in stock in 1864 in the loyal States, is estimated by the Commissioner of Agriculture to have been 16,140,712, a reduction of nearly a million since 1859. Of other farm stock, the number, according to his careful and reliable estimates, were as follows: Horses, 4,049,142; mules, 280,847; bulls and working eattle, 7,965,439; cows, 6,066,748; sheep, 24,346,391. The only considerable increase in live stock since 1859 (the year reported in the Census of 1860) is in sheep. The number of Of leguminous plants (peas and beans) the crop is somewhat less than in 1863, the falling off being mainly in peas, the bean crop being nearly or quite an average one. This crop has greatly increased in importance from the large army demand for it. The production of butter and cheese is nearly identical with that of 1863, but owing to the increased export demand and the depreciation of the currency, remarkably high prices have ruled for all dairy products. The following tables give the production of the principal staple agricultural products in each of the loyal States and Territories in 1864, as compared with the returns of 1862 and 1863. They are from the valuable bi-monthly reports of the Agricultural Department: GRAPE CULTURE.-The culture of the grape, both for wine-making and for table purposes, has come to be one of the largest agricultural interests in some sections of the country, and is proceeding with rapid strides. The grape is cultivated in almost every township of the Northern States for table use, and there has been for several years past an extraordinary rivalry in regard to the varieties best adapted for cultivation for this purpose. It seems to be very generally conceded that the Isabella, a favorite table-grape in Southern New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, is more subject to the blight, and is a less fruitful bearer than some other varieties. The Catawba, a favorite wine-grape in some sections, is liable to rot, and is hardly equal for the table to other varieties. The Hartford Prolific, which is earlier by two weeks than any other of the popular grapes, is an abundant bearer, but is thickskinned and not particularly fine flavored. The Concord, an admirable grape, is not very prolife, and does not succeed very well north of latitude 46°. The Delaware, also an excellent grape and more hardy, is not usually a free bearer; and, owing to attempts to propagate it from immature buds, has fallen into undeserved disrepute. The Iona, a seedling produced by C. W. Grant, a vine-grower at Iona Island on the Hudson, has been adjudged, during the past year, the premium offered by Hon. Horace Greeley for the best table-grape in all respects. Dr. Grant claims for it, and his claim seems to be maintained, that it is early, a good bearer, not subject to blight or rot, of fine flavor and thin skin. This grape can hardly fail to have an extensive introduction. Of other varieties having a local reputation, are the Adirondac of Northern New York, the Maxatawney, a favorite in Pennsylvania, the Cuyahoga, Lydia, and Mottled, originating in Northern Ohio, and much liked there; the Clinton, a hardy but not very palatable variety; the Diana, which has not maintained its first reputation, and the Israella, a new seedling of Dr. Grant's, which may prove valuable. Of the strictly wine-grapes, the Norton's Virginia seedling and the Herbemont are highly prized. The culture of the grape for wine-making is now extensively prosecuted in five localities, and a sixth is about entering very largely upon its production. These are: 1st. Iona Island and Croton Point on the Hudson, where Dr. Grant and Mr. Underhill have extensive vineyards; the Isabella, Catawba, and Iona being the principal varieties cultivated for wine. 2d. The Cincinnati Wine district, extending fifteen or twenty miles around that city, in which the Catawba is almost exclusively raised. 3d. The Northern Ohio Wine district, embracing two distinct sections: one from five to twenty miles east and west of Cleveland along the lake shore, and raising the Cuyahoga, Catawba, Norton's Virginia, and other wine-grapes; and the Island Vineyards in Ottawa County, embracing Danbury and Catawba Island townships on the mainland, and Put-in-Bay township, including the three islands of South, Middle, and North Bass in Lake Erie. Here the Catawba grape stands preeminent, though some others are cultivated. 4th. The Missouri Wine district, of which Hermann on the Missouri River is the centre, and which extends for fifteen or twenty miles around it. Here the Norton's Virginia seedling is preferred, though many are cultivating the Herbemont and some the Catawba and the Delaware. 5th, and par excellence the Wine region of America, California. The largest wine-producing counties are Los Angelos, Anaheim, Santa Clara and Sonoma, but there are considerable vineyards in other counties. There have been more than twelve millions of vines set in the State, and eleven-twelfths of them within the past seven years. The Mission grape, an old and perhaps indigenous variety, is as yet the most abundant of the bearing vines; but all the European and Eastern varieties have been set, and most of them are doing well in the fine deep soil of the State. One million five hundred thousand gallons of wine were sent to market in 1864, and it is believed that the product of 1865 will not fall short of two and a half million gallons. The wines of the State are of excellent quality, and improve with age. A sixth wine district is about coming into notice in Central Illinois; some of the prairie lands proving well adapted to grape-culture. These various wine districts, like those in Europe, not only require different varieties of the grape, but make wine of different qualities, and adopt different modes of cultivation, and different processes in the manufacture of the wine. The northernmost wine districts usually dwarf their vines; and whether cultivating the Catawba, the Cuyahoga, the Delaware, or the Iona, train them to short posts, giving them 1 the benefit of as much sun as possible. The wines produced in these districts are generally light in body or in the per cent. of alcohol they contain, and somewhat acidulous, resembling the Rhenish wines and clarets in strength. In the Missouri district the vines are trained on trellis, and the Norton's Virginia and Herbemont grapes are preferred. The wine is stronger, and resembles Port in color, astringency, and percentage of alcohol. In California wines of all grades are made; most of their best wines, however, have considerable body, and some of them a decided astringency. The California Port and Sherry are not inferior in quality to their European congeners. The Muscatel and Angelica seem to be rather cordials than wines, containing from 22 to 30 per cent. of alcohol, and, it is said, are made by adding brandy to the unfermented must, and clarifying. They contain about 16 per cent. of grape-sugar. Careful investigations have been made within the last year, to ascertain the aggregate number of degrees of heat requisite during the season or cycle of growth to perfecting our best known varieties of grapes, and the temperature necessary at the commencement of growth, the average mean of the summer, the mean temperature of the hottest month, and the mean temperature of September, required by each. These particulars are of great importance to vine-growers as a guide to the variety of grape best adapted to their purpose. They have been made the subject of an elaborate and able paper by Mr. James S. Lippencott, of Haddonfield, New Jersey, in the Government Agricultural Report for 1863. We can only briefly notice the conclusions at which he arrives. "Those places which have a summer temperature of 66.5°, a hot month of 70°, and a September of 60°, will ripen the Delaware, Clinton, Perkins, Logan, and some other very hardy varieties. The temperature of their growing season corresponds to a mean of 65° and upwards, and an aggregate of heat of about 8,000° F. This district includes many parts of New England and New York, Northern Pennsylvania, Northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa." "Those places which have a summer of 70°, a hot month of 72°, and a September of 63°, will ripen the Concord, Hartford Prolific, Diana, Crevelling, &c. Their season of growth corresponds to a mean of 67°, and an aggregate of 8,500 and upwards. This district covers part of the southeast and south coast of New England, valleys of Hudson and Mohawk, neighborhood of the minor lakes in Western New York, southern border of Lake Ontario, Southern Michigan, Southern Wisconsin, etc." "Those places which have a summer of 72°, a hot month of 73°, and a September of 65°, will ripen the Isabella and Rebecca. Their growing season corresponds to a mean of 70°, and an aggregate of 10,000° of heat. They are not found in the State of New York, except in the southeast extremity, lower valley of the Hudson, and near some of the minor lakes, but appear on the southern border of Lake Erie, in Northern Indiana and Northern Illinois." "Those places which enjoy a summer mean of 73°, a hot month of 75°, and a September of 65°, will ripen the Catawba and Anna. Their growing season corresponds to a mean of 72°, and an aggregate of 11,000. They are not found north of New York City and vicinity, or the southeast counties of Pennsylvania, Middle New Jersey, or Southern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, or Missouri. There is one exception to these localities, viz., the islands and peninsula near Sandusky, in Lake Erie, where the Catawba, owing to the effect of the water on the temperature, will ripen completely during most seasons." "Those places which bask under a glowing summer of 74°, a hot month of 75°, and a September of 75°, like Los Angelos County and some other portions of California, other circumstances being favorable, may ripen the most tender European wine grapes to perfection." In 1862, at Waterloo, N. Y., the Delaware grape and the Hartford Prolific were 122 days from leafing to ripening; the Union Village, 125; the Clinton, 127; the Diana and Concord, 133; the Rebecca, 138; the Isabella and Catawba, 142; the To Kalon, 144; while the Anna was still unripe at the end of 154 days. The average temperature from leafing to maturity, was about 64.6°, that from leafing to blooming about 59°, the hottest month about 69°, and from bloom to ripening about 67.5°. There is, however, another element which must enter into the possibility of the successful cultivation of the vine, viz., the amount of humidity in the climate. If the period from leafing to blooming be sufficiently humid to develop favorably these processes, the vine will succeed in maturing its grapes perfectly with a very slight amount of rain thereafter, provided only the heat is sufficient. The dry, and during the summer almost rainless, climate of California is better adapted to the cultivation of the grape than the rainy districts of Southern Oregon, or the lower portion of the Apalachian chain in East Tennessee, Western North and South Carolina, and Northern Georgia. In these the grape matures with difficulty, and lacks sweetness. Yet, from the greater equability of its temperature, an inland climate is preferable for the lighter wine-grapes to the mainland, notwithstanding its greater humidity, but will hardly produce the strong wines of a dryer and more tropical latitude. There are many indications that portions of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, will yet prove the finest wine regions of the Atlantic slope, possessing, as they do, the qualifications of rich soil, genial temperature, and moderate humidity. The following table exhibits the exports of produce from New York for 355 days of 1863 and 1864, and the prices ruling in December, 1864, in New York and Chicago: For the sake of future comparison, a table is added showing the number of acres in each crop in 1863, the value of the crop, the price per bushel, &c., and the yield per acre: JAMES OF PROD- Acres Value of cultivat'd crop in in 1863. 1863. Price in Yield per The temperature and the average rain-fall in each State exert so much influence on the quantity and quality of the crops, that the following table, though not later than the close of 1863, cannot fail to be of great interest to all who are engaged in agricultural pursuits. The intelligent young farmer will find these tables an infallible guide in regard to the culture of some Indian corn..acres 15,312,441 $278,118,972 80 69 9-10 25 9-10 crops on which he might otherwise be disposed .do. 13,098,936 198,249,108 1 14 0-10 18 8-10 .do. 1,439,607 20,651,117 1 03 0-10 18 9-10 to venture. The cotton crop, which requires ..do. 6,686,174 107,116,893 62 8-10 25 4-10 during the months of its growth a warm, moist .do. 557,299 18,674,465 1 11 0-10 21 8-10 climate, will not answer in California, because Backwheat...do. 1,054,060 12,654,301 82 2-10 15 0-10 Potatoes. .do. 1,129,804 54,961,290 55 6-10 99 6-10 during those months the rain-fall is very scanty. .do. 15,641,504 248,677,122 18 50 0-10 117-100 Nor is that climate favorable to Indian corn, Tobacco......do. 216,423 24,385,744 for the same reason. The tables for 1864 will appear in the next volume. Wheat Bye Barley Hay Total...... 55,186,248 $958,489,012 14 9-10 754 6-10 |