AGRICULTURE It is a matter of difficulty to describe a continent so vast as America in all its agricultural bearings; and it will perhaps be best, therefore, to note the characteristics of each State or Territory as they occuin alphabetical order, all the figures being taken from the census of 1870. Alabama-area, 14,961,178 acres,* is a moderately fertile State, with a large percentage of the population engaged in tilling the soil. Its productions are Indian corn or maize, wheat, oats, rye, cotton, rice, sugar, and potatoes. The average size of the farms is 222 acres. Arkansas-area, 7,597,296 acres, possesses some vast alluvial lands, remarkable for fertility; but in other places the soil is poor, and the climate is exceedingly changeable, The bulk of the population is agricultural, and the productions are maize, wheat, oats, rye, rice, sugar, tobacco, potatoes, and hay. Average of farms, 154 acres. Arizona-area, 21,807 acres, can scarcely be called an agricultural State, though the value of production per acre is greater than that of any of the Atlantic States except New Jersey. Its chief products are maize, wheat, barley, and fruits, such as figs, oranges, and lemons. Average size of farms, 127 acres. California-area, 11,427,105 acres, contains some of the richest land in the world, and can grow almost *These figures do not represent the total area of the State, but only of cultivated land. everything. Its products are wheat, barley, maize, oats, cotton, tobacco, rice, hops, hemp, tea, coffee, wine, olive, and fruits of every kind; and the average size of the farms is 482 acres. Colorado-area, 320,346 acres, has some good grazing lands, but the greater portion is unprofitable for cultivation. The products are wheat, maize, oats, and barley, which thrive at an elevation of 7,500 feet. The average size of farms is 184 acres. Connecticut-area, 2,364,416 acres, grows maize, oats, rye, buckwheat, wheat, barley, tobacco, and hay, while it furnishes great quantities of milk for the New York market. The valley of the Connecticut river has the richest land in New England. The average size of the farms is small, only 93 acres. Dakota-area, 302,376 acres, is very well adapted for cereals, the ordinary yield of wheat being 30 bushels to the acre, although of such natural fertility is some of the land, and especially that of the Red River Valley, which divides Dakota from Minnesota (p. 42) that upwards of 70 bushels of Indian corn to the acre have been grown. Its products are wheat, maize, and oats, and the farms average 176 acres. Delaware-area, 1,052,322 acres, cultivates maize, wheat, and oats, together with fruit, immense quantities of which are sent to the New York market. From 3 to 4 million baskets of peaches are shipped annually, and the yield of strawberries in 1874 was 7,470,400 quarts. Average size of farms, 138 acres. Florida-area, 2,373,351 acres, possesses great quantities of swamp land, fit for the production of tropical Wheat is very little grown, but a considerable crops. amount of maize, oats, cotton, tobacco and indigo. Florida is also one of the chief market gardens for New York and Philadelphia. Farms average 232 acres. Georgia-area, 23,647,941 acres, is somewhat of the same character as Florida, the chief crops being maize, wheat, oats, cotton (in the production of which it is the second State), tobacco and rice. Average size of farms, 338 acres. Idaho-area, 77,139 acres, has only about onethird suited for agriculture. Oats, wheat and barley are its chief cereals. Size of farms, 186 acres. Illinois-area, 25,882,861 acres, is one of the most fertile grain producers in America, in 1873 being the first in the production of maize (56 bushels to every inhabitant) and oats. It also grows large quantities of wheat, besides barley, rye, flax, tobacco, hay, and produces extensively in garden and orchard yield and honey. The average size of farms is 128 acres, but some are of enormous extent, one farm in Ford County containing 40,000 acres. Indiana-area, 18,119,648 acres, ranks fifth in the States as to farm produce, and in the yield of maize and wheat. Oats, rye, tobacco, vegetables, and great quantities of fruit are also grown. Average of farms, I12 acres. Iowa-area, 15,541,793 acres, has a less acreage of barren land than any other State, and in 1873 was first in the production of wheat, second in maize, and third in barley and oats. Maize, indeed, is often so abundant, that it is burnt for fuel. Farms average 134 acres. Kansas-area, 5,656,879 acres, is a State of great fertility and with an excellent climate, though the variations of temperature are sudden and great. It produces maize, wheat, oats, hay, potatoes and tobacco, and in 1873 the average yield of maize was 39 bushels to the acre, greater than that of any other State except California. The average of farms, 138 acres; though many are of great size, and it must be remembered that while the area under cultivation is comparatively small, there are millions of acres waiting to be utilized as soon as sufficient population and means of transport are provided. Kentucky-area, 18,660,106 acres, is a large grower of maize, and a moderate one of wheat, oats and rye, while its great staple is tobacco, of which it produces more than any other State. Hemp, too, is much grown. Average size of farms, 158 acres. Louisiana-area, 7,025,817 acres, grows some maize, oats and wheat, but only in a small proportion to its industrial crops, which are cotton, sugar-cane and rice. Farms average 248 acres. Maine-area, 5,838,058 acres, while producing maize and oats, vegetables, fruit (especially apples), maple sugar, and a considerable quantity of hay, is also a dairy farming State, and devotes much attention to the rearing of horses for the New York market. Average of farms, 98 acres. Maryland-area, 4,512,579 acres, is by no means one of the leading agricultural States, except in the crop of tobacco, in which it ranks fifth. It produces, however, fair quantities of maize, wheat, oats and sweet potatoes, Size of farms, 167 acres. Massachusetts-area, 2,730,283 acres, grows maize M as its principal cereal, and is a market gardening State; but the fact that only 72,810 people out of the 579,844 in the whole State are engaged in agriculture, shows that Massachusetts finds more profit in attending to her manufactures. Average of farms, 103 acres. Michigan-area, 10,019,142 acres, has a good deal of fertile land, but more that is cold and unprofitable, with a rather severe climate. Nevertheless, Michigan grows large quantities of wheat, maize and oats, together with much fruit, particularly apples, pears and grapes, the orchard value of the State ranking much higher than could have been expected from its northerly situation. Average size of farms, IOI acres. Minnesota-area, 6,483,828 acres, stands very high in its production of wheat, oats and maize. The enormous increase of the wheat yield in this State, which includes the famous Red River Valley, may be gathered from the fact that in 1850 only 1,400 bushels were grown, while in 1870 this had risen to 18,866,073 bushels. The average of the farms is 139 acres, but some of them in the Red River Valley are of gigantic extent; one in particular is mentioned as occupying 30 square miles. In 1878 an area of 20,900 acres was planted with wheat, the yield being 250,000 bushels. This district, which is is about 400 miles in length by 70 in breadth, may be said to be the richest wheat-growing land in the world. Mississippi-area, 13,121,113 acres, has maize for its chief cereal, but its staple productions are cotton, |