, 1873-06-18
CROPS.
Fruit and Field Drops in tho Alton
DtbtriCts

Fruit and Eield Drops in tho Alton
Dtstrict.
Correspondents u Tbs Chicago Tribune.
ALTON, ILL.,, Juno 10, 1878,
This region, usually 30 prolific in many stand
ard varieties Of fruit, will this yoar mako but
poor showing. 4
PEACHES,
na general rula our most abundant and profit
able crop, arc this seaaon M utter failure, Wo
have lived In this section many years, and have
Witnessed tho lhbora of tho hortioulturist repaid
with full crops, half crops, quarter crops, etc.,
but have never before soon the crop utterly
annihilated; and not only this, but tho intense
cold Of last wintor has killed many orchards to
tho ground, so that our horticulturiats will feel
the effeots of tho fantastic freaks Of tho thor
mometer, last December and January, for years
to come,
CHERRIES
have not Jared much bottor, especially tho enrlior
mud moro valuable Varieties. The old orchards
suffered. most from tho Bevero winter. Tho
drought Of last summer and over bearing also
contributed to tho above disastrous result. We
hear Of ono fine orchard, Of COO Early Rich
monds, whore thcre in not tr6o loft alive,
Another orchard, OF 800 trees, mainly OF the
Hame variety, bloasomed full, but thero arc now
APPLES
bloaBomcd full, and sceminRly had suffered lit
tic from tho sovore winter but, just at the tinao
of fruit-setting, the atmospheric conditions wero
% 40 nnfsyossolo % oMng to t the Prevalence ct
blasted. The fruit Is dropping badly, aud tho
crop will be short. This Is especially truo of the
carly Yarietiea. What fow curly apples thore are
will be imperfect, as all are moro or less stung
by the curculio. We hear, however, Of somo
1U&n ft111
be harvested.
have, within tho Inst four or five years, become
ono Of our naost important crops but this yoar
they hayo suffered in common With all other
fruits, and from tho same causo. IN addition to
ovorboaring last season. OF tho standard va-
riet1os, Catawbas probably suffered most from
the cold, and OoncordB and Olintons least. Tho
former will yield only quarter crop; Nortons
and Delawares, ono-half crop. Several variotioa
complaint Of tho sicLiy appearance Of tho yine-
yards
EMAIL Fnu1rs.
DlaokberrieB and raapb0rrleg suffered conHfd-
erably from the cold, but aro turning out better
than was anticipated. Kittatiny blackberries will
bo a full crop .Lawton'a, one:ha crop. One or
two varietea OF raapberrios will yield full crops.
Strawberries promised we'll ut tho time OF
blossoming; but, during. fruit-aetting, tho
esd o e a
&SNA
ono 1t has boen. DerrieB have Eetaled In this
market, through the season, ut from 20 to 25
conts por quar-, the highest average prico oyor
known here.
TIELD-CnopB.
Though tho fruit prospeota are TINS gloomy,
compensation iB found in the promises OF Won
dorfully abundant tield-orops throughout this
md adjoining counties. -,
WHEAT
never looked better. Tho stalks stand thick on
tho ground, and the heads arc long and we'll
filed. Some folds In this Immediate vicinity
will be harvested this week. but the greater por-
tion not until noxt weak. Farmers ara antici-
pAting from as to so bushols to tic acre.
COIN
is backward, oning to the late springs but, un-
der the favorable weather OF tho last throo
weeks, is making up rapidly for lost time, THO
growth 1a strong and healthy.
.. POTATOES
will yield abundanuy, in spite OF the ravagoa Of
tho potato-bug. Shipments of new potatoes will
commence this week from this point to the Chi
oago markets. '' " -'''.'
hlELoNB-
i yory important crop In tlla American Bottom
promise well for heavy yiold, though they viii
reach market weok or ton days later thai
usual. BLUFF CiTY,