The following is the report from 96 counties; June 15 to 20. Seven hundred and forty-nine correspondents report an increase in area, and 156 a decrease. The acreage shows an increase of seven per cent. Compared with area planted over former year, the increase is 510,090 acres, or a total of 7,797,090 acres. The condition of crop from 975 reports is 84 per cent. In south and eastern portions of State, there is some complaint of too much rain, retarding cultivation, thereby giving the weeds a fine opportunity to get a start. In early part of season there was a general complaint of damage to crop from cutworms, gophers, squirrels and blackbirds. In some sections heavy rains washed out the seed, compelling many, from these causes, to replant a second and third time before a stand was secured. Yet, while the crop is not yet as far advanced as at this time one year ago, the stand is good, the color fine and generally free from weeds. The past two weeks has been most favorable to growth, and there is no reason apparent now why the crop should not prove to be one of the largest ever gathered. The estimated product is 272,895,000 bushels. The earliest date of planting reported is March.

There comes a wail from the south that it should raise all the corn it could consume without decreasing the cotton, sugar and rice crops.

The New Orleans Picayune said: The day shall come that will find the corn a staple food for man and beast in the south, and strange to say the southern people have for a long period pursued the policy of buying from the north to a large extent, the corn they consume, when they possessed every requisite of soil, climate and labor to produce it themselves. The people are coming to see the importance of making their own provisions, but they have not reached that position of independence which is demanded by every consideration of thrift and economy. We will still be forced to buy from the north and west a large portion of the hog product we consume. Let us produce as much hog meat as we can and all the hominy we need. That will mean the thrift and economy which will lead to independence and wealth. The southern corn crop now being harvested or in the fields, is some 40,000,000 bushels more than last year: When we produce our own food crops, the cotton, cane and rice will be the planter's profit.

The product of all the southern States in 1887, was 427,321,000 bushels, or about the product of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri for that year; or about 106,000,000 above the yield in Iowa for 1888. This comparison, coupled with the statement, is not insidious. It is a sure token that the southern States are awakening to the fact that corn is king, there as well as here.