Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-07-31
VIRGINIA. TOBACCO CROP.

dCcouneS ilotnedaisFsartS OF the country. l he
Rate trough. is said TO have inflicted de-
gree Of injury scarcely known in the histo-
~ Of Virginia farming. The Tobacco crop,
especially, seems to have suffered more than
any other. A correspondent. from the coun-
~ of holloway, the heart Of grea. Tobac-
co region, writes as follows:
.sWhile have my pen in hand, | will
take this occasion to express my surprise
al having seen so little in your paper, as
we'll as others about the drought tina. has
prevailed for some time past. 1t has been
one Of the longest and most disastrous in
its effects that have ever known. All the
crops, not excepting the Wheat crop, have
been very much injured by it. The Oat
crop is almost failure-the Corn crop later
and more unpromising than ! ever knew i,
10 be at this season of the year, and the
prospect for Tobacco crop is certainly the
most gloomy tina. have ever seen. There
is not more than half of crop now stand
ing, and that is generally small and late,
having been planted principally in the month
of June. '7is true that nearly as large a
crop has been planted this year as is usual;
but the seasons were so slight, and the
drought. which followed SO severe, that full
iy one half Of it has died, and the most of
wha. remains is just living, not growing,
and some of it smaller than when j. was
planted. This is not only the case in this
county Zone small neighborhood excepted
and in all that portion Of Prince Edward in
which have been, but is true, from all that
can learn from others, as to Amelia, Buck
ingham, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Lnnen-
burg, and part Of the State of North Caro-
lima. ! hope, however, that we have seen
the worst, and better things are in store for
us. This morning-July l9Ih-we have
had several refreshing showers, not enough
ye. to wet the earth, however, and the pros
pee, is good for more.
But the misfortune is that the rain comes
too late to make full crop Of either Corn
or Tobacco indeed, do not think it pos
sible for more than half crop Of Tobacco
to be made, although it should rain every
day that il may be needed from this time
until the frs, Of October. For 40, only is
that which is now standing too late and
backward to mature and make large Tobac-
co, bu, there are scarcely any plants with
which to replan. the missing hills. The
farmers, in their anxiety to pitch their crops
in June, drew their plant beds very closely
which lief. them so much exposed to the
rays Of The sun, tina, the ho, dry weather
which followed Immediately, has burn, uY
nearly all Of their plants. Looking a. these
two facts in connexion with each other,
am forced TO the conclusion that the pros
pee. for Tobacco crop is worse than
slave ever known it before"
From Goochland, Powhatan, Fluvanna
Buckingham, Abema'le, Charlotte, Halifax
Prince Edward, indeed from the entire To
bacco region, we hear reports equally un
favorable. Bat. ,ameriean.
Curious FACTS IN NATURAL HIsToRY
/, is but little more than twenty year:
since the first crow crossed the Geneset
River westwardly. They, with the fox
birds and insects, seem to follow civiliza
ton.
The locust borer is not Of more thar
thirty years introduction into the United
States, and has not reached the native grove:
of the locust tree at the south and west. ]
commenced its ravages on the east side o
the Genesee River in 1880, and j, was sever
years before it crossed 10 the west side.
The grain worm, or wevil, began it!
course Of destruction in Vermont about TIT
year 1928: and it progresses in the course
it takes from ten to fifteen miles year. |
has not yet reached Western N. Y ork te
any exteni but the destroyer is on its march
and desolation will follow its track in ,hi:
great wheat growing region.
Rose bugs have been so common in some
of the Eastern States, that on the sea- shore
they have foated in winnows on the sands
having been driven into the sea by winds
and drowned. They have only made theil
appearance in this region, in any quantities
within two or three years.
The ceder or cherry bird was first noticed
west Of the Genesee River in 1928, and now
i, is so grea! pest as TO induce many tc
give up lhe cultivation of cherries, especial
iy if near woodland.
The gopher,a species Of ground squirrel
with pouches on the outside Of its cheeks
TO carry the dirt from its hole, is very pien.
" on the west side of the Mississippi, il
Missouri and Iowa, bu. has never yet cross
ed the river into Illinois or Wisconsin. /
only works in the night, burrowing into
holes and ways under ground-subsist
ing on the roots Of trees, grasses and yege
tables. There are persons who have suf
fered by their depreda.ions for twenty years
who have never been able 10 catch, or ever
to see one of these nocturnal depredators
The cut-worm is of recent origin. TIL
first it was noticed ss doing much damage