New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-19
AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

THE RECENT RAINS AND THEIR RESULTS.
THE POTATO CROP REPORTED GOOD OVER THE
WHOLE DRoUTH REGIoN-uLNoIs CORN DE-
FICIENT BY ONE-HAIF-FINE PROSPECTS OF MIN
NEsOTA wHEAT-C0TToN BEGINNING TO BLOOM
IN TIE sOUTH-TIr SOUTHERN PEACH CROP FAIR.
On thelast night of June the great drouth aiiict-
ing tho North Atlantic seaboard States came to an
end. This drouth began about the middle of May
and during seven weeks, embracing period the
most critical of the whole season, scarcely any ram
fell. The first shower was widely spread lasting
nearly twelve hours and this has been followed by
other showers every few days up to the present time
A limited extent OF country however was left dry,
including large part of WesJcheSter Co., n. T.,
Connecticut. Rhode Island, and Southern MasSachu-
setts. as well as the whole of Long Island. Most
of the pastures and lawns are SO brown and
dry that they cannot fully recover until cooler
weather and the advent OF Fall rains, while
most garden vegetables and Spring-planted
vines and vegetables are lost This years
potatoes have been selling in Massachusetts, towns
at s. barrel, and in this city they brought 81 a
peck for several weeks. They are now retailing at
s. 80 per bushcl. The Connecticut River tobacco
fields, from Springfield southwark have been
watered by hand from the day of planting, and
farmers and their families are getting tired OF It,
On Thursday night heavy rain fell over portion
thcre had been timely showers, and all crops are
promising with the exception Of bay, which, over an
area including Eastern New-YOrk, Pennsylvania,
and New-Jersey is light. Of tho Ne"-Ehglahu
States Maine seems to have suffered leaSt ana next
New-Hamushiro and Vermont. It's perhaps some
consolation to Western farmers to learn that the
intensely manufacturing regions have suffered mosf'
since they are best able to stand 1t. The potato
crop Of Gew-EDgland, and especially OF Name
which almost always is heavy, viii be fun ave-
race. but tie southern part is an exception 1here
tho only full crop is Of rye, which needs neither
rich land nor a moist season.
The wheat croD over the whole drouth region is
reported good and in Eastern Pennsylvania above
the AVERAGE, both in quantity and quality and here
oats, COM and potatoes have come forward full of
promise. Early Rose potatoes have been selling in
Philadelphia at S6 barrel. The rain has benefited
The hop crop in the East bat the reports from Mlch-
gan and Wisconsin are not favorable. There are
but few old hops on hand either IN ,Ls
country OF in Europe.
Furthcr West, in Ohio Indiana and Illinois, the
great Iain-storm Of the first days OF July was
followed by other rains up to the Sth,
aud some were accompanied with destructive wind
storms especially in the vicinity of the Mississippi
blowing down buildings and demolisnine farm I'M
Elements. but their track was limited. This week
of wet weather has materially injured the wheat of
Southern Illinois standing in shcc'- nd some has
llr1Ut,G Nlil, corn Las been blown down, and
being heavy 80 long = uIue VIII be required Tor 10 20
rise that it cannot DO worked again. After the
ground dries tho general crop can be worked,
though by lat accounts there Las leen heavy
rain ia OHIO and in parts of Indiana As a result of
so much wet, the corn crop of these States is not
quite as promising as it was three weeks ago.
Spring wheat, however, is turning out better than
was expected, and by this time it must be in shock
a. far uo.th as Southern Michigan.
I'm making an estimate of the coming corn crop,
which is the basis Of that class OF food known
as provisions" and upon which large per
cent Of cur commercial business depends, We must
commence by acknowledging that Illinois is def
cent by at least one-half. Hitherto, this would
mean aJ least oneiourb Of the crop OF the country.
Bur there are new conditions. Kansas, Nebraska,
North Missouri aud Southern Iowa form q corn belt
now fully equal 10 Illinois, and it extends from the
Mississippi to the Missouri and over 100 miles into
Nebraska. the Platte Valley being the northern and
The Kansas Valley the southern limit During the
last three years IBIS region has received as many as
half a million Of people, almost wholly devoted
80 agriculture. and as new settlers always, and
properly grow corn, the amount they have planted
must be so large as to go far toward compensatng
for the deficiency in Illinois The season has been
favorable through al tiis IT, .io1. ,rl once the
COIN crop herr, must Yield FOIL average per acre.
Much Of the Winter wheat Of Iowa and Nebraska
was Winter killed, but Spring wheat was widely
sown and il will yield heavily. The Winter wheat
OF Kansas is good. Wisconsin sends fattering ac-
couts Of the whole line Of products, but no Western
State is so jubant as Minnesota, which Is to have
fair average OF com, oats, barley, end potatoes,
while her wheat crop viii DO heavier than
f1
in excess by az much as 10 per cent.
The quality Of the wheat Of this State is so high
end the quantity SO great that now grade is to be
established in Chicago, TO be called Minnesota
Wheat" GrasshopDers rayaged a small portion Of
this State, bu, they have flown away, as they have
In Colorado where the damage done is so much less
than il was supposed that fields in the Greeley
Colony are expected to produce 40 bushels to the
acre These insects come first IN the Fall and once
in three OF more years, seeking green vegetation,
and laying their eggs, they die. In May the eggs
hatch and the young destroy every green thing bat
when they get wings. early in July they rise and
seek other lands If wheat is s0wn on ground where
no eggs are laid in the FAN it is injured but little
Utah. Montana, Arizona, ana Nevada viii have q
surplus Of grain, which, however, viii be absorbed
bv mining towns and camps and the heavy imIni-
grafton. In Now-Mexico there viii be deficiency
ID all valleys not NaUoIcu ny e'lo'i4' "ii'0i 'o70
from the Snowy Ranges IN that great interior the
quantity of grain depends on the amount sown, not
upon rain. for irrigation gives an unvaying yield.
The California estimates are only few million
bushels below the crop Of last year. but 1t VIII prob
ably briugmore money, since their grain is In quick
demand in Europe on account Of its superior quality
and on account Of deficiency, especially IN france
Twoor three weeks ago, the only question IN re-
card TO the cotton crop was whether dry weather
vvonld Immediately follow, so that the planters,