Daily Kennebec journal., 1873-07-15

Now it must be granted, that when half OF
the corn crop of Illinois is taken for the
whole yield of the country it would seem 70
make a serious deficiency, and 1t certainly
would have done so two years ago. But the
great corn belt extends across the Mississippi
into Iowa, North Missouri, Kansas, and Ne
braska, and the extent of corn area recently
brought into cultivation is enormous. ILL
nois cannot always bear the palm. Iowa and
Missouri have an equal extent; so has Kan
sas. The Platte Valley and the valleys OF
its tributaries excel it. BY far the largest
portion Of these regions has rolling surface,
and wide districts are elevated plateaus, while
the soil is largely ofa sandy nature and often
has a natural drainage, so that heavy rains
are not so disastrous, nor are they COM
mon, as they are further east, since gradual
approach has been made to the meridian lines
of aridity. With the heavy stock of old corn
on hand-ior all of it could neither be burned
nor shpped-the crop of the country for 1873
cannot fall much, if any, below that OF 1877.
The East, however, will be deficient, and
much of the business of the coming year is to
grow out of this distribution.
Parts of New England have been favored
with showers; other parts are still desoiate,
and on a sandy soil the crops OF this year are
as good as finished. The dairy regions of
New York have improving grass, and dairy
men have already begun to receive heavy
shipments of corn from the West. The price
at Illinois stations is now between 20 and %
cents per bushel, but slight advance may
be looked for within 80 days. BY the lst of
September, when farmers shall ascertain how
much of their corn is soft, heavy and per
manent advance to 40, and finally to 80 cents,
may be expected. If this prediction shall be
fulfilled general increase of values in pro-
visions and in their equivalents must follow.
The condition of the fruit crop is now be-
coming more apparent. In the Eastern States
as in Northern and Western New York, in
parts of New England, and in Pennsylvania
and Maryland, half a crop OF apples may be
expected The nj jury to orchard trees and
to nursery stock is noticeable as the season
advances. Northern Ohio, Michigan and In
diana are to have partial crops of apples.
Further West one sixth of a crop is mentioned.
For several years Western fruit-growers have
made careful and costly experiments with ref
erence to hardy apples, cherries, and other
fruits; they had reduced their lists extreme
ly low, and of these few sorts were sup
posed so hardy that they were termed ''iron-
clad" But now their labors are to be gone
over again, for the unfavorable Winter has
killed the upper half of the limbs of the choic-
est '.iron-clads;" and general nursery stock
is SO generally killed that fruit growing IN all
its branches has received a serious check,
while as many as five years will be required
to replace the nursery stock. Among the
heavy losses, men have mourned over none
more sadly than that the Richmond cherry,
which was supposed entirely hardy. Some
orchards of over thousand trees are all
dead.
On the eastern shore of Lake Michigan
there will be few peaches, in the rest of the
State none in Northern Ohio and Western
New York none; In fact. good many trees
are dead There may possibly be few
around the lakes of Central New York. The
heavy orchards of Central New Jersey, which
hitherto have sent heavy shipments to this
city, are barren. As general rule fruit trees
look more sickly and weak as the season ad-
vances, and many trees which promised fruit
are dropping it badly.