Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-13

Il AND MINES, June lU.-lne returns Tor
the past month are from a fewer number of
| counties than usual, only ffty-fve reporting
I-ninete'n of them from East Tennessee,
| twenty -four from Middle Tennessee, and
| twelve from West Tennessee.
| WEATHER.
The weather for the past month in East
| Tennessee has been very seasonable through
| out, and the crops have been kept In fine
growing condition. In Middle Tennessee
| twenty counties report seasonabe weather
| and four very wet, viz: Hickman, Montgom-
cry, Smith and Stewart. In West Tennessee
| four counties-Hardin, Henderson, Henry
| and Madison-report the weather seasOnable,
| while eight report too much rain for the
| growing crops.
Since the last report from this office there
has been an apparent improvement in the
| wheat crop up to the time of harvesting, and
many farmers believed that an average crop
would be harvested. But as the wheat
ripened it was discovered that the heads con-
tanned but few plump, we'll developed grains.
In count of the grains In heads taken from
number of fields IN the best wheat x wing
counties in the Stats, the average number did
not exceed twenty five, varying from ten to
thirty nine grains to the head. This indi-
Gates poor yield, for less than
forty grams to the head cannot be
considered an average yield. In addition
to the small yield the straw was found to
be very weak, and the gram no sooner passed
the dough state than the straw, on by far the
largest number of fields, tumbled down so
that it was impossible to save 1t except with
a reaper. AT the date of this report the mar
vest is well nigh over, but hundreds of fields
were left without any attempt to save the
grain. | estimate fully one-ffth of the crop
lost by the inability OF the farmers to cut it
with the common cradle. Taking everything
tho
the scanty yield, and the loss by fallmg-I
am inclined to believe that the crop Will not
turn out as large was anticipated In my
last report. In that the crop was placed at
three-fourths of an average, or about eight
million five hundred thousand bushels. | do
not believe now it will exceed eight million
bushels, and much of that OF poor quality.
The berry in many fields is very much
shrunken, and the ightness of the bundles is
remarked of almost every crop. The best
fields of wheat which | have examined were
of the Fultz and Boughton varieties. The
wheat has still another ordeal TO pass. The
weakness of the straw makes broken bundles,
with scarcely strength enough to support
themselves. The shocks are loose and open,
easy to be penetrated by rains. Should wet
weather follow the harvest, a much larger
proportion of wheat than ordinary will be in
jured.
OATS.
ne acreage Is reported large, ana Out HI
tie damage from rust. The winter oats are
promising, especially In the southern parts OF
the State. | still think that there will be a
full average crop.
The seasouable weather in majority of
the counties In the State, and an absence of
dry weather In all, has been most propitious
for the grasses. Clover is very luxuriant
where sown upon good soil and stand
usually promising, and large yield of hay
is anticipated.
This crop will be largely reduced below
that of last year. In the upper Cumberland
river counties, more especially in Jackson
and Wilson, the planting will be reduced
two-thIrds, and about one-third in Trous-
dale. In the GAINESVILLE region, embrac-
ing the counties of Robertson, Mont
gomery, Cheatham and Stewart, the plant
ing will probably be an average one, but
| not so large by fourth as for the year of
1877. More pains have been taken in the
preparation of the land, and more manure and
commercial fertilizers than usual have been
| used. Nearly all the crop has been set at the
date of this report, but it is not looking well.
For the most part very small plants were
| transplanted, and they have not grown up as
well as Is desired or was expected. Inc
| grasshoppers and cut-worms and beating
rains have destroyed many small plants, and
| though the season is early enough for re-
| planting. good strong tobacco plants are ex-
ceedingly scarce. The plant-beds dried up
much earlier than usual, and it will be diff
cult to secure stand In fields where one has
not been secured at this date. West Tennes-
see reports about two-thirds of an average
| crop. Taking the average of the three d.
| visions, am inclined to put the crop at about
two-thlrds OF what 1T was last year. 1t is to be
| hoped, however, that what is lost in quantity
will be more than made up in quality.
CORN.
This crop is generally very promising. 10
East Tennessee ten counties report an IN
crease in the crop, four report an average,
and two a decrease. In Middle Tennessee
| eighteen counties report an average crop,
three Il decrease, and four an increase. In
West Tennessee seven counties report an av-
eragP, and four an increase. In West Ten
the continued rains making 1T impossible to
| keep down the grass and weeds.
COTTON.
In West Tennessee cotton, like corn, is suf-
ferlDg for work, though generally 1t looks
well. The same may 6e SAID of the cotton N
Middle Tennessee. AS mentioned in my re
port for A pril, the acreage is not so great az
| last year.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
Apples will be scarce in every division of
the State Peaches are very abundant. Pears
| in few counties will be short crop, though
in n majority of the counties the crop will be
! bountiful one. Cherries are abundant.
Large shipments of strawberries were made
from several points in the State. especially
| from Davidson county in Middle Tennessee,
and Gibson county in West Tennessee. |
| hope to be able to give the statistics of the
shipments in my next report. An active
| trade has also been carried on in early cab
| bage, beans, peas, onions, beets and potatoes,
| a special daily train running through from
| Nashville to Cincinnati IN sixteen hours. The
shipment of spring chickens from East Ten
nessee to New York, ria Norfolk, has been
| greatly increased this spring, and | have
made arrangements for collecting the statis-
tics of this growing and important industry.
immigration.
| MAY.
| Although the number of persons settled In
| the State, during the month of May, has not
increased over that of April, the letters Of in
uuiry have been more numerous, and from
| persons of larger means; also much larger
| proportion of those arranging to come will
come to stay, as they will bring their fami-
| lies and goods. A very large number who
| have been prospecting through the State
| nave decided for themselves and others to
! locations The immigration TO the State is
settling down upon business basis. The
! number reported to this bureau during the
past month as having settled in Tennessee Is
! two hundred and nineteen, and as far as as
certained thew are distributed as follows:
| Eight families settled In Morgan county,
seven In Greene. six IN White, FIVE in Law
renee, five in Franklin, four in Hamilton,
| three in Dickson, one In Nancy, one In Da-
wilson, one In Bedford.
4. n GesPa