The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-07-12
THE CROPS OF 1873.
Less IMAM an Average Expectett--a Re-
NV OF the Agricultural Condition
OF the Country.

From the N. Y. Tribune.
In Maine, the staple production,
hay, is likely to be full average. New
hampshire seems to be afflicted with
dfouth, and present prospects there are
far from fattering. Massachusetts and
connecticut need rain badly, but moist
helds, whether corn, small grain or
grass. are not suffering. Vermont and
hhode Island are the only New Eng
land states which seem to promise
we'll
A general and severe drouth prevails
from New England to Western New
York, including all of New Jersey, all
OF Eastern Pennsylvania, and most of
Maryland and Delaware. The borders
are not well defined, for the arid and
moist lines shade into each other. but
wide section is included. and the
best and highest-priced farms in the
whole country are now and have been
for month suffering badly for want
of rain. Last week light showers fell
over this whole area. and the grass was
thereby enabled to hold It's own, but
the effect on plowed land was scarcely
perceptible. for few hours afterward
the ground was apparently as parched
as before. Corn is generally of sickly
yellow, fact which is more discourag-
ing than its stunted growth, for with
good showers it will soon cease TO be
stunted, but deficient vitality is more
serious defect. However, should we
have seasonable rains within a week or
ten days, and If fIosts should be late.
three-fourths of crop may be OBJ
tanned.
Potatoes are scarcely suffering, and
If the Ground is kept loose they will
do well without rain for several weeks.
Oats need rain, but not so much as
corn. Wheat is in fair condition, and
the slight showers helped livery great
ly. Where wheat was sOwn on good
ground, well prepared, it is doing fully
as well as if rain had been abundant.
Pastures have become short, and in
the dairy regions the showers nave
prevented a deficiency Of milk, the
product of which, however, has been
rather short from the commencement
of the season, owing TO the unusual
| lateness of the spring. 1t Is absolutely
certain, whatever may be said of
all other crops, that they Will be
light all through the region re-
ferred to, and the general estimate is
that there cannot be more than half an
average yield. But, as compensation,
the quality will be excellent, and if the
drouth continues, or If favorable bur
rylng weather shall prevail, it will be
secured in prime order, so that it is u
question whether the damage is really
| SO serious as might be supposed. OF
course garden vegetables, newly-planted
trees, aud ali kinds of small fruits are
seriously injured. But, as before
stated, more favorable conditions exist
on soil naturally moist, and to some de-
gree on deep soils which have had
deep and thorough cultivation. OF
course loamy and clayey soil suffers
less than Il light, sandy one.
Passing westward, beyond this dry
region, western New York and Penn
sy!vania have more rain, and generally
all kinds OF farm products promise
extremely well. We hear few com
plants from Ohio, and an average
yield of the whole line products is ex-
pected. The wheat crop Of Michigan
is in fine condition, and harvesting
will generally take place the middle of
July. Owing to the cold, late spring,
much corn was replanted, but fine
growing weather Is now reported. In
parts of Indiana RAIN was so abundant
and The weather SO cold that but little
blowing had been done by the middle
of this month, and, as a consequence
some planting was delayed to the same
time. In other parts, especially in the
North, more progress was made.
Illinois may be divided into two see
tons, the northern and southern.
though both for two years past have
suffered greatly by drouth, and TO
such an extent, that the railroads car
ried water long distance to fill their
tanks. This year there was no drouth
In Northern Illinois so much rain fell
and SO generally unfavorable was the
ground for blowing, that the corn was
| planted later than ever before; and up
to latest advlceS considerably dim
inlshed area has been planted From
| 80 degrees latitude to the north line of
| the state q general backwardness and
| deficiency IS reported, though the
Rock River region is less affiict
ed. The great corn belt on paral-
| lells with Champaign, Decatur and
| Springfield cannot, by ali the accounts
received, produce more than half a
crop. South of 80 degrees corn is not
planted so largely, or it does not yield
so well, and wheat is regarded as the
paying crop. This grain has now been
| harvested, and the yield is uncom-
monty good, while the quality, which
/ is always high, is above the average.
1t Is this wheat from which the high
grade of st. Louis flour is made. 1t
should be said here, that Southern
Indiana, Southern Missouri, and parts
of Arkansas, kentucky, and Tennessee
raise the same kind Of wheat, usually
called May wheat :" that this year ii
is everywhere equally good, and that
| the market for all of 1T Is st. Louis
Wisconsin has had less rain, and
corn, wheat, barley, oats and vegeta-
! bles generally will yield full average.
| Minnesota will have full crops, and
her wheat promises uncommonly well.
| Kansas has had just about rain
enough; corn Will be heavy, and the
wheat crop, which was insignificant
| last year, is likely to be full this year.
| In some parts rains have been heavy,
but the soil of the uplands absorbs
| moisture 50 rapidly that little injury is
reported. Northern Missouri has gen.
| orally fine prospects. Iowa would seem
/ to be IN n better condition than any
other state, but 1t has the draw.
| back in some of the northwestern coun-
ties of grasshoppers, which are sweep
! ing things clean. How widely their