New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-22
THE CROPS.

Along the scaboard, and through the East
generally last week was sunshiny aud warm,
aud considerable planting was done. Still,
owing to the many previous rains much
ground was so wet that planting was inpos-
sible, and the attempt was abandoned. Corn
and potato fields already planted are so foul
that great work and patience are required,
but the farmers are vigorously pushing
through. Much trouble has arisen from the
rotting of the seed of potatoes; perhaps this
was never so extensive and general before.
The fruit crop of the New England States and
of New-Jersey is likely to be better than last
year; stll it is not IN to an average, owing
to blasting winds, to cold rains, and want OF
sunlight On Long Island fruit is reported
failure. Delaware and the Maryland shore
will have a short crop.
Through the Middle States. east of the Ale
ghenies, and down to the North Carolina line, all
kinds of productions, and wheat i'll particular,
are represented at full average. On the thin
soils of the Gulf States, and around to LOuisi-
ana, corn and gardens have suffered for want
of rain, and accounts are gloomy; but cotton
stands drouth better, and it is estimated that
there will be half of such crop as was COM
mon before the "unpleasantness." On low
lands and fresh fields all vegetation is thriving,
though, in places, the army and bud-wOm and
caterpillar are committing some ravages. From
Tennessee and Arkansas the accounts are favor
able, and the wheat already cut is of fine
quality, though not extraordinary for quantity.
The freedmen are working well, and it is
frequently stated that they do not come from
the fields till dark
Southern Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ken
lucky report nothing new and this in the South
West is often good news. In the great corn
belt running through Southern Iowa and North
ern Missouri, Central Illinois, Indiana, and
Ohio, not more than three-fourths of the land
which the farmers expected to devote to corn
could be planted owing to the wet weather.
still, as great an area as common may have
been put in, for the reason that large fields
of raw and fedout" prairie have been
broken and planted. Last week there were
heavy rains in Ohio, doing considerable dam
age On the whole, the wheat crop through this
region is good-we might say better than COM
mon. In the Wabash Valley it is more promising
than for fifteen years past. In mere north
ern sections, including Iowa, Minnesota, Wiscon
sin, Northern Illinois, and Michigan, the farmer
was less delayed by April rains, and as a con-
sequence all Kinds of grain and farm produc-
tons are in great forwardness and are highly
promising. Along the southern border of this
region the potato or Colorado bug is in vast
numbers and there are grave apprehensions for
the safety of the potato crop. From no one
State do we have such encouraging accounts
as from Michigan. There are no complaints
with regard to any crop except corn, which is
rather backward, while the small grains are
represented as better than for ten years. OF
potatoes the amount planted is enormous. The
farmers seem excited with the expectation of
large profits, and with good reason and it is
represented that if the yield is an average one
they will have surplus sufficient for many
States. Sheep must be mostly sheared, but
owing to low prices of wool the business is
somewhat depressed.