The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-05-11
The Crops.

Iluc DGdl0S anu OIS 1CIIA1OiJS OCiiI'
in seme cases, from six, eight or ten
points in single States. Our cores
pondents almost without exception
send coed news. The first week in
May has not for years seen the gen.
eral crops of the country in so adj
vanced condition and making such |
gratifying promises of abundant
yield. An exceptionally open win
ter, followed by an early spring, has
set forward planting and sowing by
from three to five weeks kindly
rains have been sent, and destructive
storms withheld in most sections,
and the young blades and buds are
now chiefly past the dangers of late
frosts; of insect pests, whose ravages
have been so fatal to the farmers
prosperity in years past, few are re-
ported to be active this season. AT |
no seed time for twenty years have !
the farmers felt so hopeful of great |
harvests.
In New England thu snow retireS
reluctantly in ordinary years, but
our New Hampshire correspondent
telegraphs that it long since disap-
peared in that State. The spring is
three weeks earlier than usual, grass
is well up, and the hay crop will be
| 0ne-third greater than usual the
apple trees promise an unusual crop
more corn will be planted than last
year, but fewer potatoes. The Mass
achusetts farmers work and his crops
are equally well advanced fruit
trees are in full blossom, planting is
going on, and the hay crop will be
large. The farmers of the river coun-
ties have returned to tobacco again,
and will plant more of it than any
year since so many of them were
ruined by it in 1875. Connecticut is
planting a larger area of corn than
usual, but a large tobacco crop will
be raised. The grazing of the dairy
ittl III VIII NC HtlS, anu GIle CClettI CIOpo
promise to be far above the average.
The potato-bug is already in the
field, but he will be industriously
combatted the seed potatoes are al
ready in the ground, and corn will
be planted within a week.
One need but glance at our des-
patches from numerous points in
| New York to realize the unusual
promise of the crops. Rye was head
ed by the Goth of april, twenty days
ahead OF the ordinary time; pota-
toes are coming up; grass is two feet
and half high in some sections of
the State; wheat has come through
the winter in splendid condition; corn
will be planted three weeks earlier
than usual, and the cows have been
three weeks on the fresh spring
grass. There is little variation in
the relative acreage of the various
crops. The Hessian fly is spoken Of
in one or two localities, but its raw
ages are not greatly feared. The New
Jersey peach crop will be ample for
home consumption and for the ordi-
nary market demand the apple crop
will be enormous the grape vines
seem to be in the best possible cOndi-
ton, and, without unforeseen draw
backs, the crops will be uncommonly
large. The crops of Pennsylvania
have not looked so promising for
twenty years. Rye is headed out and
vigorous in stalk the wheat crop in
the Cumberland Valley will be very
large, and is above the average all
over the State; the yield of rye, oats,
buckweat and corn will be Is or 20
per cent. above the average; large
hay crop is assured, and the yield of
fruit will be extraordinary. Della.
ware will suffer in its most impor-
tant crop-peaches-thro frosts
and other causes the yield is not ex-
pected to be oyer ne-half that of last
year.
March frosts and April storms Sc.
riously damaged the fruit trees and
early vegetables on the low lands of
Virginia; the higher portions es-
capped material injury, and rye and
wheat looks well all over the State
the potato-bug will have to be fought
again this year. In West Virginia
the acreage of wheat and corn is
largely increased over last year, and
these crops are fully three weeks adj
vanced over the average year; the
apple crop never promised better,
and small fruits will yield WELL
North Carolina reports larger acre
age and better condition Of grains
than last year; there will be a nota-
BILE increase in corn, which is nearly
all planted in the eastern counties; an
enormous cotton crop is expected, as
much more was planted than last
year; vegetables, grass and fruits are
in fine condition. Georgia has in
| L.