by the government and the people. In 1872 the Department of Agriculture was established by act of Congress, for the purpose of collecting statistics, introducing from foreign lands seeds of new plants, testing their adaptability to our soil and climate, and disseminating information to the farmers. Agricultural colleges have been established in many of the states, and agricultural periodicals are published in nearly all parts of the country.

But farming is, as yet, a business rather than a profession. Too much land is superficially cultivated and soon exhausted. The very perfection of the labor-saving machines and implements, in which this country surpasses all others, promotes the process of wearing out the surface soil. In all the older states there are large tracts which formerly produced twice as much corn or wheat to the acre as they produce now. It has become doubtful whether farming pays in New England; and the country population there is gradually decreasing. The older tobacco plantations of Maryland and Virginia have been in many instances abandoned, and a large proportion of the southern cotton lands have ceased to yield profitable returns. The yield of wheat fifty years ago in Ohio was 30 bushels to the acre; to-day it is not quite 15. An English traveler was surprised by the extraordinary productiveness of the wheat fields near Albany, N. Y., in 1775, which yielded from 30 to 40 bushels per acre, with inferior cultivation. In 1855 winter wheat yielded 71⁄2 bushels and spring wheat but 5. The present method of farming will probably prevail as long as farmers can go West and obtain fresh land for a comparatively low price. But when the vast amount of virgin soil yet awaiting the arrival of the husbandman shall have been all taken up and made to yield its dormant treasures, lands will necessarily increase in value, thoroughly scientific cultivation will become profitable, and agriculture will rise to the dignity of a learned profession.

According to the last census report, the aggregate area of the farms of the United States comprised 407, 735,041 acres, or about 21 per cent. of the entire surface. Of this amount 189,000,000, or somewhat over 9 per cent., were "improved" i. e., cleared land, used for grazing, grass, or tillage, or lying fallow. These figures show what an immense amount of land is yet open to the settler. In 1860, the improved lands comprised 163,000,000 of acres, and in 1850, 113,000,000. The rate of progress will hereafter, probably, not fall short of 4,000,000 of acres per annum. At this rate it will still take about two hundred and fifty years before the cultivable portion of the United States (somewhat more than one-half the entire area) will be improved.

The total area in woodland was 159,310,177 acres, or 39 per cent. of the aggregate of acres in farms. The Southern states are remarkably well wooded; the twelve states from Maryland to Tennessee averaging in woods 52 per cent. of their farm area;

the New England states have 32 per cent. of woods; the Middle states 28 per cent; and the Central states, from West Virginia to Nebraska, 32 per cent. The territories are not rich in woods, except Washington, which has 44 per cent. California has but 4 per cent. of its farm area in woodland; Nebraska, 10; Kansas, 11; Iowa, 16; Illinois, 19; Indiana, 39; Ohio, 31; Kentucky, 48; and West Virginia, 51.

The cash value of farms in 1870 was $9,262,803,861 (against $6,645,045,007, in 1860); and of farm implements, $336,878,429. The wages paid during the year amounted to $310,286,285, and the value of all farm products, including betterments and increase of stock, reached the large sum of $2,447,538,658; in addition to which the orchards produced $47,335,189, and the market gardens, $20,719,229. New York, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri, rank first in the value of farm products.

The value of animals slaughtered or sold was $398,956,376; of home manufactures, $23,423,332; and of forest products, $36,808,277. If these sums are added to those of the farm, orchard, and garden products, the grand total of agricultural activity amounts to $2,974,781,059, or about $80 for each inhabitant of the country.

The live stock comprised 7,145,370 horses, 1,125,415 asses and mules, 8,935,332 milch cows, 1,319,271 working oxen, 13,566,605. other cattle, 28,477,951 sheep, and 25,134,569 swine. The total value of all live stock was $1,525,276,475.

The census returns of domestic animals include only those on farms. No provision is made for enumeration of horses, cattle, and other animals, kept for work, milk, and fattening, in cities, or those in transitu to the feeder and butcher. The statistician or the Department of Agriculture estimates the number of cattle not on farms, in 1870, 4,273,973, or 15 per cent. of the aggregate returned; and the number of horses, 1,547,370, or 18 per cent.

Illinois had the largest number of horses, 853,738, or 34 horses to every 100 inhabitants; then follow Ohio with 609,722, or 23 horses to 100 inhabitants; New York, with 536,861, or 12 horses to 100 inhabitants; and Indiana with 497,883, or 30 horses to 100 inhabitants.

Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama, had the largest number of mules and asses. The Northern states had but few.

The principal sheep-raising states are Ohio (about five million sheep), California (two and two-third millions), New York (over two millions), Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (from one to two millions each.)

The subjoined table shows to what extent each state and territory participates in the grand sums above given;

In 1870 there were in the United States 2,659,985 farms, which had an average extent of about 150 acres. Over one-half of the farms covered from 20 to 100 acres. According to the classification of the census report, 0.3.per cent. of all the farms were be3 acres; 6.4 per cent. had from 3 to 10 acres; 11.1 per cent., from 10 to 20 acres; 31.9 per cent., from 20 to 50 acres; 28.3 per cent., from 50 to 100 acres; 21.2 per cent., from 100 to 500

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0.6 per cent., from 500 to 1,000 acres; and but o.2 per cent. more than 1,000 acres.

The average size of farms has considerably decreased since 1860; except in Wisconsin, where no change has taken place; in Massachusetts, where it has increased from 94 to 103 acres; and in California where it has risen from 466 to 482 acres. In North Carolina it has decreased from 316 to 212 acres; in South Carolina, from 488 to 233; in Mississippi, from 370 to 193; in Texas, from 591 to 301. In the central states the decrease is less marked; and was from 146 to 128 in Illinois; from 114 to III, in Ohio; from 211 to 158, in Kentucky; and from 165 to 134, in Iowa.

Irrigation. That portion of the United States which includes the Cordilleras and the Great Plains, suffers, as has been stated, from either scarcity or absence of moisture. Agriculture there will always be impossible, except in favored spots, which admit of irrigation from the rivers and creeks. But even in the most favored states of the Mississippi valley irrigation would be exceedingly profitable. The yield of meadows would thereby be doubled and trebled, and that of the grain fields at least greatly increased.

The great staples of the United States are the cereals-corn wheat, rye, oats, and barley; potatoes, rice, tobacco, cotton, wool,' and dairy products.

Indian Corn, or Maize, is the only cereal indigenous to the American continent, and is the most extensively cultivated foodplant of the United States. It requires great summer heat, and hence our climate is peculiarly adapted to its culture. The northern limit may be represented by the summer isotherm of 65°, which excludes northern Maine, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, the valley of the St. Lawrence, and the larger portion of the Pacific coast. Its yield varies from 30 to 80 bushels to the acre. The total product amounted in 1870 to 760,944,549 bushels. Illinois produced over one-sixth of the whole amount; Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio, each a little over one-twelfth; and then followed Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Wheat requires a cooler climate than corn, and its range extends farther north, but not as far south. It is, on the east of the Rocky Mountains, a reliable crop as far as the Saskatchawan valley, in 54° lat., and on the Pacific coast as high as 60° lat. The average yield, with careful cultivation and good soil, is about 30 bushels to the acre. Forty bushels is considered an extraordinary crop, but in the irrigated region of Utah and Colorado a yield of 60 bushels is not exceptional. In 1870 there were produced in the United States 112,549,733 bushels of spring wheat, and 175,195,893 of winter wheat; together, about 288,000,000 bushels. Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, and Illinois