Crop Report

The number of acres of growinsr wheat in the State last May as shown by the supervisors' returns, was 1,513,919; the average yield per acre as found by tlireshingis 16.40 bushels, and the total yield in the state 24,925,007 bushels. The total yield is found by multiplying the number of acres in eachcounty by the average per acre in .1,. aamo countv and f ooting tlio products The average per acre in the southern counties is 17.74 bushels; ia the central, 13.35 bushels and in the northern, 9.33 bushels. These averages are based upon a return of 117,250 acres throshod ia tho soutliern counties, moro thaa 30,000 in the central counties and more than 4,000 in the northern countics. The total number of tushels of wheat reported marketed by farmers Bincetho September report was published is 2,447,282, and in the tvvo months, August-September, 3,635,032. This is 1,463,775 bushels more than reported marketed ia the same months last ycar. . , , „ „ Oats are estiinated to yielü o. bu3hels per acre, barley 21.18 busbels, and corn 64 bushels of cars, per acre. This estímate for corn is about three bushels less than the averago yield in 1896. The yield oí oats is from threshers' records. Considerable corn fodder has been injured by frost. Potatoes are estimated to yield in the State 61 per cent of on average erop. The estímate for the southern countiea is 55 per cent. Beans are estimated to yield 86 per cent of an average erop. The percentages for winter apples Southern counties 11, central 28, northern 32 and Stato 18. These figures indícate no more than that the erop isafailure. The percentages for late peaches are; Southern counties 8, central 32, norther 16 and State 12. It is probable that the ground was never so dry in Michigan at the usual time of wheat sowing as this year. The average rainfall in the State in August was 2.04 inches, and in September about 1.30 inches. While these figures show a deficieney each month as compared with the normal, they do not convey any idea of tne seven i the drouth. The rain f all during tho latter part of August and most of September was mostly in ths northern counties and upper peninsula. Since about the middle of August the averacre rainfall in the southern and central ] counties, where ninety-six per cent of the wheat erop is grown, has not been cfflfiifint to be of appreciable benefit. The ground ia thoroughly dried out. Wheat sowed early has come up, but unevenly. That sowed later was "dust in" and much of it will hardly grow, at least not until rain comes. Many farmers had not yet sowed on the first of October. Thoy were still waiting for rain. The Farm Statistics for 1896-7, reported by supervisors, furnis-h the lowing statistics of live stock six monttis old and over, in the State in May, 1897, and sheep and wool sheard in 189S: Horses, 424,821 ; milch cow, 402,103; cattle other than milch cows, 253,261 ; hogs, 395,093 ; and sheep, 1,225,661. Sheap slieared in 1896,1,333,127; poundsof wool, 8,392,742; average per head, 6.30 pounds.