The Hickman courier., 1868-05-23
-ne Conditlon of tho Crops.


Of Winter wheat we have favorable
account from Tennessee, Kentucky, llli-
nois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
New York There is, however, some
winter killing on old ground, and with
late sowing, IN Missouri, Southeru Hi
nois, Indiana, and Ohio. More was
sown last Fall than usual, and at present
the prospect Is that we will have a large
| yield. Ii s conceded that of Spring
wheat fully one third more has been
sown than ever before, aud all through
the West it Is coming up with great
promise In Nebraska and Iowa the
grasshoppers have appeared IN some
I localities in great numbers, and some
farmers are Withholding their hands, liz
/ fear of their ravages but 1t should be
understood that their continuance Is
| limited to period of few weeks, and,
a they have come unusually early, they
/ will disappear, in all probability, before
the time for planting passes Last year
I they were in Kansas in June, and in
all probability, before the time for plant
lug passes. Last year they were in
Kansas in June, and in places swept
fields and gardens, yet they who replant-
ed raised fine crops, aud the damage was
inconsiderable.
Notwithstanding heavy frosts and sleet
last month through the fruit regions of
the West, and particularly in Southern
Illinois and Missouri, where large dis
tricts are specially devoted to orchards
and strawberry fields, when itbvas csti-
mated that more than half of the buds
were killed, it is now certain that the
damage extended to blossoms premature
ly developed. We learn from a trust
worthy source that in Southern Illinois
the loss of strawberries will not exceed
one seventh, which is no more than the
average annual destruction from the same
cause Pears are hurt more than any
other fruit Peaches at present promise
abundantly. Apples are safe, and grapes
are bIossoming bright. Still, there are
some localities where the damage is seri-
Gus, aud this on high ground, which
hitherto has been almost always exempt,
but this has resulted from blasting winds,
which once in seven OF eight years do
the work of frost. Owing TO the uu-
commonly dry season of last year, VIC
might naturally EXPECT this to be a
bouutiful one for fruit, since the growth
of wood was very slow, and the buds ma.
tured with an intensity and hardness
that give them great power in withstand
ing frost and sleet Even in interior
regions remote from the favorable in
fuences of a water climate, peach-buds
are reported sound. This condition with
reference to absence of moisture applies
to the country west of the Allegheneys,
aud to New York aud New England, ex-
/ ccpt along the seaboard. In the last
locality there was a long period of rain
fall, which undoubtedly gave much soft
wood and large proportiongof immature
buds but the winter following was one
remarkable for steady temperature and
for absence of freezing aud thawing /;
aud the Spring has also been retarded.
For these reasons the fruit buds have
been unex pectedly preserved. In che
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia peach
regions prospects are good. The rain
fail of last Autumn along the scaboard
has been resumed this Spring, and the
delay of farming operations has been so
great that very little plowing has been
done Only those farmers who had
teams and implements in complete readi-
ness we're able to SOW oats during April,
while they hoped to do this in March
This leaves large amount of work to
be done within brief period.
In Europe the Spring has been un-
commonly favorable, though in France
fruit is reported much Injured BIZ frost.
The growing xl,catsis IN 6ne condition,
sul AZ, esriv harvest Il both predicted