The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-03-01
Agricultural Prospects,.

Tie farmer looks forward to the season
~ spring as that which must brighten on
darken his prospects of a fggorable bar
vest. The operations of agriculture are
SO varied, SAYS GA exchange, aud depend
SO much on conditions II the weather,
taat anxiety regarding the planting sea-
son is always iustifiable The passing
winter Is being regarded o. exceptionally
severe by those not engaged la farming
Intense COLI, heavy SHOWS and rains,
destructive hlnds and violent gales, have
marked its progress and lent to its his
tory a very sad interest Ia view of the
loss Of life along the coast aud ths de-
yastation caused on the Ohio and other
rivers. Tie season has presented 10
meteor0l0giHts one 0f those instances Of
sudden aud extraordinary cOmpenhations
by which nature adjusts the atmospheric
equilibrium which has been subjected
10 "a series 0f disturbances through
several years, The extreme warmth Of
last summer resulted IN many evils b.
the farming class IN the West the
growing crops we're injured by pro-
longed periods ot drought on were cut
down by tie yoracious swarms u grass
hOppera, which diyestei some extensive
districts OF every trace of vegetation.
The potato bug extended the area Of lie
destructive operations from the Rocky
mountains 10 Cape Cod The various
crops suffered Ia their several districts
from an excess and want OF moisture.
and the whole agricultural interests a the
country felt the stagnation 81 business
caused 10y our political uncertainties and
the difficulties that arose out Of the quek-
tion of cheap transportation
Now, however, a more cheering pnus-
pect presents itself, for, after the severe
winter, We are pretty certain 10 enjoy
fine spring season, extremely favorable
for farming operations. The heavy
SHOWS have brought - the soil important
chemical additions which cannot fail to
increase itA fertility. Ii has also blank
eted tie face ~ the country eastward OF
the Mississippi with good non-c0aminct-
ing covering, by which radiation of heat
hRs been checked and vegetation conse-
quently protected from the destructive
effects OF the intense cold The laFYm
oi the grasahupper and potato bug have
been probably destroyed in the regions
where these insects are most destructive
Although Il paragraph Ia being exten-
sivelv copied from n Western paper to
the effect that nj experimental thAwing
Of some masses Of earth has proved that
the erasshopper eggs have not been as-
stroyed bv the recent severe-cold, no IN.
favorable deductions can be drawn from
the fact, il il is q fact, because tile eon6i-
tons of the alleged test were peculiar 10
il and viii not attend the natural and
very gradual thawing ont of the soil dur
ing the coming spring, il is possible
that some regions thickly covered with
snow may develop a prslsshopper crop,
but the great area 81 the northwest and
west has not been 80 covered during this
winter Our political loubts are on the
eve 81 being dissipatei by constitutional
means. and there can be no question
about the early settlement 81 the trans
portation problem on hassS satisfactory
- all parties interested. WITH these
cheering considerations before us we look
forward b. renewed activity in the fields,
which viii he rewarded with abundant
har1ests when the year grows older