The table of comparison between 1863 and 1864 exhibits much that is important. The increase in the bushels of grain is large, and the decrease in the pounds of tobacco raised is also great. The decrease in acres cultivated is 1,185,451, but the increase in the value of the above crops is $484,651,113. The first increase is from the corn crop, and the last may be attributed to an increase in the currency, or a spirit of speculation. General summary of the amount of the crops of 1865, compared with those of In the western States the wheat crop is very deficient in quality. It has been estimated by the department that the deficiency in both quantity and quality is 26,241,698 bushels; in quantity alone 12,172,944 bushels. The quality of the corn crop is excellent, and that of the remaining crops is believed to be an average. The number of bushels in 1865 exceeds those of 1864 by 215,071,411. The prices, average, and value of the crops of 1865 will not be calculated until February next. The greatness and excellence of the corn crop must be gratifying to all. The balance of the appropriation for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1865, remaining unexpended on the 1st of December, 1864, was $95,891 51. There was appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1866, $155,300. The expenditures from December 1, 1864, to November, 1865, amount to $152,614 70, leaving an unexpended balance of $98,584 81. Since my last report of the special appropriation of $20,000 "for investigations to test the practicability of preparing flax and hemp as a substitute for cotton," there has been expended $4,500 40, leaving a balance of $10,500 remaining in the United States treasury. The increasing demand made upon the department for the agricultural report, which is yearly becoming more extended and urgent as the appreciation of its value and usefulness is widened and intensified, induces me to ask Congress for an additional number of copies. The limited number allowed for circulation by the department forbids a very liberal distribution among those engaged in agricultural pursuits, who especially desire and seek the information it contains ; many of whom are dependent upon the department for their supply. A single copy to each of its correspondents would alone absorb nearly the entire annual allotment to the department. There should also be retained a sufficient number of each volume for the future supply of foreign exchanges, libraries, and agricultural and kindred associations. Respectfully submitted, ISAAC NEWTON, His Excellency ANDREW JOHNSON, President. REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, SIR: The revenues of this department for the year ended June 30, 1865, were $14,556,158 70, and the expenditures $13,694,728 28, leaving a surplus of $861,430 42. The ratio of increase of revenue was 17 per cent., and of expenditure 8 per cent., compared with previous year. The portion of the revenues accumulated in depository and draft offices, under the supervision of the Finance office of this department, was $7,136,024 46; collected by the Auditor, $2,329,855 08; and retained by postmasters for salaries and office expenses, $5,090,279 16. The estimated expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1867, are $18, 678, 000 The revenues estimated at 10 per cent. increase over For this deficiency no special appropriation will be required, as the standing appropriations for the last three years, under acts of March 3, 1847, and March 3, 1851, amounting to $2,100,000, are unexpended. It will be necessary, however, to make special appropriations from the treasury for steamship service between San Francisco, Japan, and China, for six months, from January 1 to June 30, 1867 .... Also for steamship service between the United States and Brazil for eight months of the current year, commencing November 1...... And the whole of next year. $250,000 100, 000 150, 000 500, 000 'The number of postage stamps issued during the year was 387,419,455, representing... Stamped envelopes, 25,040,425, representing... Stamped wrappers, 1,165,750, representing.. Making in all..... $12, 099, 787 50 724, 135 00 23, 315 00 12, 847, 437 50 An increase of $1,873,108 over the previous year. The amount sold was $12,399,727 85, being $1,623,138 27 more than the previous year. The introduction of stamped envelopes bearing a request for the return to the writers of unclaimed letters has considerably increased the sale of envelopes, and is believed to have diminished the returns to the Dead Letter office. Business cards are printed on envelopes without additional cost when ordered in quantities not less than one thousand for the same parties. To encourage the purchase of request envelopes, the law should be changed so as to allow the return of such letters to the writers free of postage. As stamped envelopes are cancelled by use, and therefore safer against fraud than those with stamps attached, it is submitted whether the Postmaster General should not be authorized in his discretion to furnish them as the separate stamps are now, without reference to the cost of manufacture. New stamps have been adopted of the denominations of 5, 10, and 25 cents for prepaying postage on packages of newspapers forwarded by publishers of news-dealers under the authority of law, whereby a revenue will be secured hitherto lost to the department. Under the act for the relief of postmasters who have been robbed by bodies of armed men, seventy-seven cases have been decided, and allowances made to the amount of $4,207 75. Appended hereto is a tabular statement exhibiting the annual receipts and expenditures of this department from January 1, 1831, to June 30, 1865. The results are as follows: Aggregate receipts... Deficit... $200, 311, 894 47 244, 748, 881 59 44, 436, 987 12 Averaging as follows: Receipts, $5,806,141 87 per annum; expenditures, $7,094,170 48 per annum; deficit, $1,288,028 61 per annum. CONTRACTS. The mail service in operation on 30th June, 1865, embraced 6,012 routes, or the aggregate length of 142,340 miles, costing $6,246,884, (exclusive of compensation to route and other agents, amounting to $556,602 75.) Railroad, 23,401 miles, costing.. Steamboat, 13,088 miles, costing.. Celerity, &c., 105,851 miles, costing... $2,707, 421 359, 598 3, 179, 865 The aggregate miles of transportation were 57,993,494: Railroad Steamboat. Celerity, &c..... 24, 087, 568 2, 444, 696 31, 461, 430 The cost, per mile, for transportation by railroad was 11 cents; steamboat, 143 cents; celerity, &c., 10 cents. The increased length of routes was 3,168 miles; of transportation, 1,678,137 miles; and of cost, $428,415. For other details of the contract service see Appendix. Until September 15, 1864, the service on the Lincoln and Portland route was performed by the California Stage Company, at the rate of $90,000 per annum. Under proposals for continuing the service until 1866 and 1868 the only bidder was the same company, at $250,000 per annum, which, being regarded as excessive, was accepted only to June 30, 1865, for the purpose of again inviting competition. This was done by advertisement, dated October 12, 1864, under which the California Stage Company was again the only bidder, at $300,000 per annum, which was declined. The service was, however, offered to the contractor for another year at the compensation of $200,000 per annum, which was refused. Arrangements were then made with responsible parties to convey the mail at $225,000 per annum to June 30, 1866; after which it is hoped the service will be performed at more reasonable rates. The overland mail service from the Missouri river to California is performed under two contracts, one from Atchison to Salt Lake City, and the other from the latter place to Folsom City. On the western division the service has been performed with reasonable regularity, while on the eastern portion it has been more or less irregular, owing, as alleged by the contractors, to high water, bad roads, and hostilities of the Indians, disappointing the expectations of the department as to the value of the service. Railway post offices have been established on several leading railroads, and arrangements are in progress for their introduction on other lines. The result, so far, encourages the hope that the system, by accelerating the transmission of correspondence, and lessening the number of distributing offices, will be of permanent advantage to the postal interests of the country. The work of preparing post-route maps, under the appropriation of the last Congress, is progressing favorably. The net amount of fines imposed on contractors, and deductions made from their pay during the year, was $56,443 37. The number, description, and cost of mail bags, mail locks and keys purchased, appear in a tabular statement annexed. The increased expenditure for bags, compared with previous years, was owing to the wants of the army and the increase of free and printed matter. The number of routes ordered into operation in States lately in rebellion is 241; their length 18,640 miles; and compensation $721,949; a reduction, compared with former cost of service in those States, of $881,109 per annum. This, |