year 1862 and at its close, were as follows: flour, Jan. 1, 1862, $5.40 to $8.25 per barrel; Dec. 31, $6.05 to $10. Wheat, Jan. 1, $1.26 to $1.52 per bushel; Dec. 31, $1.30 to $1.75. Corn, Jan., 65 to 68 cts. per bushel; Dec., 83 to 95 cts. Rye, Jan., 82 to 85 cts.; Dec., 90 to $1.02. Barley, Jan., 67 to 80 cts. per bushel; Dec., $1.33 to $1.55. The prices of other agricultural products showed a still greater appreciation. Cotton, as was to be expected, rose from 32 to 34 cts. in Jan., to 68 to 72 cts. in Dec. Rice, $6.75 to $7.75 per cwt. in Jan., was $9 per cwt. in Dec. Potatoes, $1.38 to $2.25 per bbl. in Jan., were $1.60 to $3 in Dec. Butter, which ranged from 11 to 21 cts. in Jan., was from 16 to 26 in Dec. Mess pork, $11.75 to $12.37 per bbl. in Jan., was $14.62 to $14.75 in Dec.

Three measures, enacted by Congress in the session of 1861-'2, had an important bearing upon agriculture. The first was the establishment of a distinct department or bureau of agriculture, which had hitherto been attached to the Patent Office. Isaac Newton, Esq., of Pennsylvania, was appointed the commissioner of the new department. Second, the passage of the Homestead bill, designed to encourage the development of the new lands of the West by actual settlers, who should, on certain conditions of loyalty and actual improvement of the lands for a term of three years, become the proprietors in fee simple of a small farm, by paying only the register's fee, was in effect a law for the promotion of agriculture, to which similar enactments on the part of some of the newer States also contributed; and third, the "Agricultural College Act," by which there were granted to each State 30,000 acres of land at the minimum price of $1.25 per acre, for each senator and representative they might have in Congress, according to the apportionment under the census of 1860, to constitute an endowment for at least one college, in which, without excluding classical or other scientific studies, instruction should be given in agriculture and the principles of the mechanic arts. Ten per cent. of the proceeds of the lands so granted might be used for the purchase of a farm or farms for practical instruction in agriculture, but no portion of it could be expended for buildings or furniture; and the remainder of the proceeds should constitute a permanent and inviolable fund, to be invested in stocks at not less than 5 per cent. (to be made good by the State if lost), the interest whereof should be applied to the teaching of "such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life." The several States, in order to avail themselves of the benefits of this act, must signify their acceptance of it within two years from its passage.

The establishment of the "Agricultural Department" seems thus far to have been of much

less advantage to the agricultural interests of the country than its framers had expected. The "propagating garden," established at Washington many years since by the Patent Office, is indeed maintained; and large quantities of seeds are distributed through the members of Congress to their constituents; but no effort has yet been made or proposed to obtain reports of the condition or prospects of the crops, analyses of soils and plants, or to ascertain the meteorology or climatic peculiarities of different sections of the country, the adaptations of their soil or temperature to different classes, species, or varieties of plants. The investigation of the grasses, cereals, and root crops most serviceable and profitable for each section, and the introduction of useful plants and fruits of other countries, or the development under favorable circumstances of some of the wild plants and fruits, are also objects properly coming within the scope of such a department, but as yet they have received little or no attention.

The encouragement of the immigration of practical agriculturists by means of "Homestead" acts, has been tried successfully in other countries less eligibly situated, and bids fair to produce good results here. Texas, before coming into the Union, had largely increased her population by land grants, and Missouri and Michigan have both offered State lands in small quantities to actual settlers, either entirely free or at a nominal price.

The "Agricultural College Act" cannot fail of effecting much good. The necessity of scientific instruction in agriculture has long been felt by many of the more intelligent tillers of the soil; and while some have sought instruction in the great agricultural schools of Germany and France, others have attempted to effect the establishment of such schools in this country, and with some success. The scientific schools attached to Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale colleges, each provide for instruction in some of the branches of agricultural science, and have proved of great advantage to the intelligent practical farmers who have availed themselves of the course; neither of these, however, has an experimental farm, and for the want of which they have been compelled to confine themselves to theoretical instruction.

The State of Michigan was the first to establish an agricultural college, having appropriated $50,000 for the purpose in 1855, and purchased a tract of 7,000 acres of land near Lansing, upon which were erected buildings for the institution. In 1857 the Legislature appropriated a further sum of $40,000, and in May, 1857, the first class was admitted. For some cause the college has within the past two years suspended operations. It is now under the care of the State Board of Agriculture. An agricultural college was incorporated in New York in 1853, but no means were provided for its support. In 1855 a subscription was commenced, and an act passed the Legis

lature in the same year, loaning the college $40,000 for twenty years without interest, provided a like sum could be raised by private subscription. This amount, and a considerable sum in excess of it, was raised, a farm of 700 acres purchased in Ovid, Seneca county, and buildings erected sufficient for the accommodation of 150 students; the first class was organized in Dec. 1860, but the college was closed from the depression produced by the war, and has not since been opened. The "People's College" at Havana, Schuyler county, was also intended to be partially agricultural in its character, and has a farm of 200 acres; buildings have been erected, but it is not yet opened for students. The Maryland Agricultural College was incorporated in 1856, and is located on a farm of 400 acres, ten miles north of Washington, D. C.; $50,000 were raised for it by subscription, and the State makes an annual appropriation of $6,000 for its support. It was opened for students in 1860 and is still in operation. Its course of instruction differs but little from that of ordinary colleges, and it does not require manual labor from the students. The Minnesota Agricultural College was incorporated in 1858, and has a farm of 320 acres in Glen county, but has not yet erected buildings.

Iowa has purchased a farm, and made a beginning toward the erection of buildings for an agricultural college; but has as yet no organized school. Illinois and Wisconsin have also taken some legislative action relative to such institutions. Oregon, at the session of her Legislature in Sept., 1862, incorporated a State agricultural college at Eugene City, Lane county. There are also collegiate institutions for instruction in agriculture established by private enterprise near Chicago, Illinois, and near Cincinnati, Ohio.

The most complete organization for agricultural training in this country, and the only one now in operation which gives a course approaching in thoroughness and extent the agricultural colleges of the continent of Europe, is the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania, situated on a farm of 400 acres in Centre county, near Bellefonte, not far from the geographical centre of the State. This college was projected in 1853, and incorporated in 1854, at first under the name of the" Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania," which was changed in 1862 to that of Agricultural College of Pennsylvania." The State Agricultural Society appropriated $10,000 toward its establishment; the Legislature in 1857 granted $25,000, upon condition that $25,000 more were raised by private subscription. A second sum of $25,000 was granted upon the same terms; and in 1856 Gen. James Irvin gave 200 acres, and sold 200 more at a low price to the trustees, froin his estate in Centre county, for the location. Centre county raised about $15,000 in addition for the college, and, including the State appropriation, there had been raised in 1859 about $103,000. The buildings were, however, but partially erected, and re

quired over $40,000 more for their completion, and other expenditures to the extent of $15,000 more were needed to fit it for a true agricultural college. In 1861 the Legislature granted a further appropriation of $50,000, which enabled the corporation to complete their buildings and furnish the necessary apparatus and implements. The college was opened for pupils in 1858; four classes had been organized in the summer of 1862, and two classes had graduated. The trustees had secured at the beginning the services of Evan Pugh, Ph. D. and F. C. S., as the president, and he spent two years in Europe visiting the agricultural colleges, collecting a library and cabinet of geology and mineralogy, and familiarizing himself with the methods of instruction there pursued, and returned in 1860 to take charge of the college. Besides his duties as president, Dr. Pugh also acts as professor of chemistry, scientific agriculture, mineralogy, and geology. There are four other professors: one of English language and literature, and moral and intellectual philosophy; one of botany, physiology, zoology, horticulture, and gardening; one of the mathematical sciences, and one of the science and art of veterinary surgery; two assistants in analytical chemistry, and five superintendents of the farm, nursery garden, &c. The course of study occupies four years, and the student who passes succesfully the several examinations and presents a thesis, receives on graduating the degree of bachelor of scientific agriculture (B. S. A.). After a fifth year of study he may receive the degree of master of scientific agriculture (M. S. A.). There are partial scientific and practical courses, without degrees, for those who are unable to take a full course. The course of study comprises for the first year arithmetic and elementary algebra, horticulture, elementary anatomy and physiology, physical geography and elementary astronomy, English grammar and composition, elocution, history, practical agriculture, and the details of management on the college farm. For the second year, advanced algebra and geometry, general chemistry, vegetable anatomy and physiology, zoology and veterinary surgery, geology, paleontology, practical agriculture and horticulture, logic and rhetoric. The studies of the third year are: surveying, navigation, levelling, drafting with the use of instruments, analytics, trigonometry and calculus, natural philosophy, chemical analysis, veterinary surgery, entomology, agricultural botany, practical agriculture and pomology, political and social economy. fourth year's studies are analytical geometry, differential and integral calculus, engineering, drafting, mechanical drawing, quantitative chemical analysis, veterinary pharmacy, gardening, agricultural accounts and farm management, moral and intellectual philosophy. Every student is required to perform three hours' manual labor on the farm or in the garden, nursery, or orchard daily. The cost of board and tuition, room, rent, and washing, is $100

The

per annum, and incidentals bring it up to about $125. In 1862 the college had 110 students. The tendency, especially in the Western States, to perform the heavy labors of gathering and securing the crops by the aid of machinery, has stimulated the inventive genius of the people to the utmost, and every year, even at a period when the great interest seems to centre in firearms, projectiles, and other implements of war, witnesses the applications at the Patent Office of a host of inventors of mowing machines, reaping machines, machine rakes, hoes, cultivators, corn shellers, threshers, drills, seed planters, steam ploughs, cow milkers, &c., &c. In 1861 about 400 patents were issued for agricultural implements, and the number was not much less in 1862. Among these were 25 for beehives, 51 for cultivators, 26 for churns, 70 for harvesting implements, 26 for corn planters, 41 for ploughs, 45 for seeding machines, 19 for threshing machines, and smaller numbers for a great variety of other implements. At the international exhibition at London in 1862. 11 of the 85 awards to American exhibitors were for agricultural machines and implements. One of them, the milking machine of Kershaw and Colvin, attracted much attention from the English farmers.

The culture of fruit is yearly becoming a more important branch of American agriculture, and the improvement of the qualities and the selection of the best varieties for cultivation, is a topic of great interest. Many portions of the Northern and Western States possess especial adaptation to fruit crops; among these are notably Northern New York and Ohio, the lower peninsula of Michigan, and Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, for apples and pears; and New Jersey, Delaware, Southern Pennsylvania, Western Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Southern Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, for peaches. In the size and lusciousness of its fruits, California bears away the palm, though it will find a formidable rival in Eastern Oregon, which is destined to be the fruit garden of the Pacific.

Efforts have been made during the past year, and with considerable success, to obtain opinions from large numbers of intelligent fruit growers in different sections of the country relative to the varieties of fruit best adapted to profitable cultivation in their respective regions. The following statement, condensed from the "American Agriculturist" for May, 1862, gives the result of the opinions of seventyseven eminent fruit growers in the different sections of the Union, in regard to the best varieties of apples, sweet and sour, winter and summer, for cultivation in each section.

In New England reports were received from 17 fruit growers, all of them distinguished for long experience and thorough knowledge of fruit culture. Fourteen of these pronounced the Early Harvest the best summer apple (not sweet), and fifteen the Sweet Bough the best sweet summer apple; after these the Red

Astrachan had 13 votes, William's Favorite 7, Saps of Wine 3, and Golden Sweet 6. For autumn apples the Porter and Gravenstein had each 13 votes, the Fall Pippin 8, the Fameuse 4, and the Maiden's Blush and Northern Sweet 3 each. For winter apples, the whole 17 pronounced the Baldwin best, and of other varieties, the Rhode Island Greening had 14 votes, the Roxbury Russet 11; Hubbardston Nonsuch 7; Peck's Pleasant 6, and the Esopus Spitzenberg and Northern Spy 3 each. The Ladies' Sweeting was the only winter sweet apple commended. In New York the first prefences in summer apples were the same as in New England; of 17 fruit growers all declared for the Early Harvest, 16 for the Sweet Bough, and 13 for the Red Astrachan. In other varieties the selection differed from that of the New England fruit culturists; the American Summer Pearmain and Early Joe receiving 4 votes each, and the Early Strawberry and Primate 3 each. In autumn apples, in the State of New York, the Fall Pippin stood highest, receiving 14 votes, the Gravenstein next with 13 votes, the Porter 11, the Hawley 4, and the Twenty Ounce and Primate each 3. The northern sweet autumn apples most approved were Jersey Sweeting, Autumn Bough and Northern Sweet. Of winter apples, New York, like New England, gave the first preference to the Baldwin, and the second to the Rhode Island Greening; but after these, the Esopus Spitzenberg had 11 votes, the Roxbury Russet 7, Northern Spy and King of Tompkins County each 6, Hubbardston Nonsuch and Swaar each 4, Westfield Seek-no-further and Newtown Pippin each 3. Of sweet winter apples, the Talman Sweeting was the first favorite, having 10 votes, and the Ladies' Sweeting the next. From New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, 13 fruit growers reported. Their preferences for summer apples were the Early Harvest, Red Astrachan and American Summer Pearmain, and for sweet apples the Sweet Bough and Golden Sweet. In autumn apples the Rambo stood highest, receiving 7 votes; next the Fall Pippin and Porter, each having 5 votes; and the Maiden's Blush and Smokehouse each 4. The Jersey Sweeting was the only autumn sweeting approved. In winter apples the Baldwin was the first choice, having 9 votes, and next in order the Rhode Island Greening and Smith's cider apple, having 6 votes each; the Roxbury Russet and Fornwalder, having 4 votes each, and the Northern Spy and Ridge Pippin, having 3 each. The Ladies' Sweeting was the only winter sweet apple named.

From Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan 16 fruit growers reported, and of them 12 gave their suffrages for the Early Harvest, and 6 for the Red Astrachan, among summer apples; while the Summer Queen, and Summer Rose, the Carolina Red June, and the Benoni had each their admirers. Of sweet summer apples the Sweet Bough and Golden Sweet were the favorites.

Among autumn apples the Rambo occupied the highest place, receiving 12 votes, while the Fall Pippin had 10, and the Maiden's Blush 8; other favorites, receiving 3 votes each, were the Porter, Gravenstein, Lowell, Late Strawberry, and Fall Wine. Of sweet fall apples none but the Jersey Sweeting was named. Of winter apples, the Yellow Bellflower received the most votes, and next in order, having 5 votes each, were the Rhode Island Greening and the Belmont; then followed the Westfield Seek-no-further, Rawle's Janet, the Wine Sap, Smith's Cider, and Rome Beauty. The Broadwell and Talman Sweeting were the favorite sweet apples.

From Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Utah, 9 reports were received. In summer apples the Early Harvest, Red Astrachan, and Carolina Red June were the favorites, while the Keswick Codlin had 3 votes. Of sweet summer apples the High Top was the only one named. In autumn apples the Rambo, as generally throughout the Middle and Western States, takes the lead, followed by the Maiden's Blush, Fameuse, and Fall Pippin, while the Pumpkin Sweet is preferred as a fall sweet apple. Among winter apples the Yellow Bellflower is the prime favorite, and after this in their order Rawle's Janet, the Wine Sap, Westfield Seek-no-further, and Golden Russet. Talman's Sweeting is the only winter sweet apple named. From Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Minnesota five reports were received. Of summer apples, the Early Harvest, as everywhere else, was first. After this the Carolina Red June and the Red Astrachan, and for a sweet apple the Sweet Bough. Of autumn apples, none save the Gravenstein was named. Among winter apples, Rawle's Janet occupied the first place, and after it the Yellow Bellflower, Wine Sap, Fornwalder, Limber Twig, and Pryor's Red.

Taking the whole country, the following apples seem to be most generally approved and adapted to all the varieties of climate: for summer apples the Early Harvest, Red Astrachan and Sweet Bough; for autumn the Fall Pippin, Porter, Gravenstein, and Rambo; for winter the Baldwin and the Rhode Island Greening.

A few other varieties, more lately introduced, but possessing high merit, receiving only single votes in these reports, are yet worthy to be named. Among these are the Early Bough and the Summer Paradise among the summer apples; the Willis Sweeting, and the Fall Orange among the autumn varieties; the Vandervere, an apple of admirable flavor, the Prentiss Russet, and the Moore and Pound Sweetings among the winter apples.

A similar, though less extensive canvass in regard to pears, gives this result, the pears being named in the order of their value: Standards-Bartlett, Flemish Beauty, Lawrence, Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre Giffard, Rostiezer, Winter Nelis and Beurre Superfin. Dwarfs Louise Bonne de Jersey, Rostiezer, Duchess

D'Angoulême, White Doyenne, Beurre Diel, Eastern Beurre, Fondante D'Automne, Beurre D'Anjou, Vicar of Wakefield, Winter Nelis, Tyson, Kirtland, Doyenne, D'Ete, Seckel, Flemish Beauty, Bartlett, and Glout Morceau.

In grapes, the following seems to be the verdict of the best grape growers: North of lat. 43° the best wine grapes are the Delaware and Clinton; the best table grapes, the Delaware, Hartford Prolific, Concord and Logan. Between 40° and 43°, for wine, the Delaware, Chester, and Catawba; for the table, the Delaware, Rebecca, Diana, and Isabella. South of 40°, for wine, the Catawba and Delaware; for the table, the Delaware, Catawba, Rebecca, Diana, Isabella, and To Kalon. In strawberries, there is much diversity of opinion; but the prevailing sentiment seems to be in favor, for family use, of the Triomphe de Gand, Hooker's, and Wilson's seedlings. Other varieties may be better for market purposes.

ALABAMA, one of the States bounded on the south by the Gulf of Mexico contains, an area of 50,722 square miles and in this respect is the fourteenth in comparative size. In population it is the thirteenth in rank, containing 964,201, of whom 526,431 are whites, 2,690 free colored, and 435,080 slaves. Of the whites 270,190 are males; 256,081 females; of the slaves 217,766 are males and 217,314 females. In density of population it is the twentieth in rank, having 19.01 inhabitants to the square mile. Its ratio of increase per square mile, during the last ten years, has been 3.80. The number of slaves manumitted during the ten years preceding 1860 was 101, and the number of fugitives was 36. The mortality in the State during the year ending May 31st, 1860, was 12,760, of whom 6,753 were males, and 6,007 females. The most fatal diseases were consumption, croup, diarrhoea, typhoid fever, and pneumonia. The number of violent deaths was 549 males and 356 females, nearly all of which were accidental. Deaf and dumb, 235. The value produced in iron founderies during the same period was $142,480; coal 10,000 bushels; value of lumber produced $2,017,641. Flour and meal, $807,502. Spirituous liquors distilled, 528,800 gallons. Capital invested in cotton manufactures, $1,306,500; Spindles 28,540, looms 663; annual products, $917,105. Capital invested in the manufacture of woollen goods, $100,000; spindles, 1,000; looms, 20. Annual products, $218,000. Value of leather produced, $340,400. The improved lands amount to 6,462,987 acres and the unimproved 12,687.913 acres. The cash value of farms is $172,176,168; value of live stock, $43,061,805. The crop of cotton amounted in 1860 to 997,998 bales of four hundred pounds each. Wheat, 1,222,487 bushels; rye, 73,942; corn, 32,761,194; oats, 716,435; rice, 499,559 pounds; tobacco, 221,284 pounds; wool, 681,404 pounds. Miles of railroads, 748; cost of construction, $17,591,188.

The amount of cotton received at Mobile, the