Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-10
The Crop Prospect. Of the Country.

Last Friday the New York Times with
rare stroke Of enterprise, published eleven
columns Of crop reports reaching from Maine
TO California, and embracing dispatches sent
10y competent and reliable correspondents
from - States and territory. Believing that
it will be read with universal interest by the
farming community, we publish in full the
Timess editorial summary Of these reports
which gives, rs it were, birds eye view of
the crop prospects of the whole country. II
makes a column Of cheerful reading, to say
the least
Our correspondents almost without cxccp-
ton send good news The first week in May
has not for years seen the general crops of
the country in SO advanced a condition and
making such gratifying promises of an album
dant yield. An exceptionally open winter
followed by an early spring has set forward
planting and sowing by from three to five
weeks; kindly rains have been sent, and de-
structive storms withheld in most sections
and the young blades and buds are now chief
ly past the danger 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 ~ years have the farmers felt so
hopeful Of great harvests
In New England the snow retres reluctant
ly in ordinary years, but our New Hampshire
correspondent telegraphs that it long since
disappeared in that State. The spring is
three weeks earlier than usual, grass is well
up, and the hay crop will be one-third great
cr than usual; the apple trees promise an UNI
usual crop; more corn will be planted than
last year, but fewer potatoes. The AIassa-
chusetts 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
counties have returned to tobacco again, and
will plant more of it than any year since so
many of them were ruined by it in 1879.
Connecticut is planting larger area of corn
than usual but large tobacco crop will be
raised. The grazing Of the dairy farms will
be fine, and the cereal crops promise to be
far above the average. The patato-bug is al
ready in the field, but he will be Industrious
ly combated; the seed potatoes are already in
the ground, and corn will be planted within
a week
One need but glance at our dispatches from
numerous points in New York to realize the
unusual promise Of the crops. Rye was head
ed by the 10th of April twenty days ahead of
the ordinary time potatoes are coming up (;
grass is two feet and half high in some sec
tons of the State wheat has come through
the Winter III 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
Hcssian fly is spoken of in one or two locali-
ties, but its rayages are not greatly feared.
| The New Jersey peach crop will be ample for
| home consumption and for the ordinary mar
kot demand; the apple crop will be enor-
! NOUS: the grape vines seem to be in the best
| possIbll condition, and without unforeseen
drIwba, a., the crop will be uncommonly
large. The crops Of Pennsylvania have not
! looked so promising for 20 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 af rye. oats, buckwheat, and
corn will be II or 20 per cent. above the av.
crge; large hay crop is assured, and the
yield of fruit will be extraordinary. Della.
| ware will suffer in its most important crop,
! peaches through frosts and other causes the
| yield is not expected to be over one-half that
OF last year.
March frosts and April storms seriously
| damaged the fruit trees and early vegetables
on the low lands Of Virginia the higher por
tions escaped material injury, and rye anC
wheat look well all over the State; the potato
bug will have to lie fought again this year
corn is largely increased over last year. ant
these crops are fully three weeks advanced
over the average year the apple crop neve
promised better, and small fruits will yielC
well. North Carolina reports larger acreag,
and better condition of grains than last year
there will be n notable increase in corn, which
Is nearly all planted in the eastern counties
m enormous cotton crop is expected, as mucl
more was planted than last year; vegetables
oil I'll =. e.. IL
gia has increased her acreage of wheat an,
diminished that of cotton 10 per cent. an,
both crops are well advanced; rye. barley
lnillet, and oats Were never better, eXcep
spring oats, which are n failure her crops il
general will yield from 10 TO IL per cent
above the average; Il small fly threatens tn
wheat crop. and the cut-worm is at work il
some sections upon the sprouting corn: Their
is no longer any danger of frosts Alabama
corn and cotton crops are the most promising
for years, and farmers expect greater yield
than in any year Since 1852 The weathe
has been unusually favorable. The area o
cotton is about the same usual.
From the Western States come the mos
encouraging reports as to the great staples
Ohio has increased her acreage of wheat. an
its present condition is unprecedented in til
memory of the oldest husbandman. One cor
respondent says the State will raise 30, 600
600 bushels of wheat. Grapes are coming t
be an important staple in Ohio, and the vine
promise n large yield this year fruits of nj
kinds will be abundant also grass is in luz
urient growth, and corn and potatoes ar
being planted. Fruits. grain, and grass wi
yield, in Indiana, from II to 20 per cent
above the best year since 1858 corn la
been planted three weeks earlier than the aN
erage wheat has headed out in the souther
counties The important State of Illinois
fully abreast with her neighboring sisters i
, the forwardness and area of her staple crops
the wheat crop will be 10 per cent. create
than the enormous crop Of last year, or :
per cent. above that of the average year i
the northwestern counties the area devoted I
wheat has been doubled the corn crop of tn
, bottom lands has been damaged slightly b
rains and overflow, but re-planting has save
il in most cases. Corn planting is in actiy
, progress in Iowa; 30 per cent, more whea
than usual has been sown in the southern Sc,
ton of the State the fruit crop is 20 pc
cent. greater than last year, in promise ry
is already well headed out. bountiful ha
vest is assured in Michigan the wheat yiel
l will be large if not too sayagely attacked l.
5 the Hessian fly the fruit trees have sutIore
some damage from the frosts, but n goo
, yield is hoped for. Wisconsin expects to su
, pass her year of greatest production 1864
1 | lllt htTtiBt Vi NLcAl hllOMh an liltItAAt VI
or 30 per cent. over last year, most of the su
= plus having been taken from corn aud IL
other grains these latter, however, are
fine condition Minnesota is a land Of prom
Use in a superlatiye degree wheat wax SOW
in February and is well advanced, the ave
s age being 10 per cent. greater than last year
% oats and barley are in an equally fine state
% corn is now being planted. Nebraska is raj
D idly extending the area of her cultivated field
The amount of wheat sown in the north-wes
ern portion of the State is six times as gree
: as last year; corn and potatoes will show
4 yield nearly double that of last year. Nilsson
g reports a larger area of wheat and a mo-
promising crop than last year, with corn Al
e other grains also in good condition. Kansi
Il will raise crop of wheat that sounds fab
lous when stated in figures it will sow 3st
! O23 more acVes than last year, and expects
= crop of nearly 20, 600, 900 bushels for cxpoI
/ Kentucky and Tennessee send reports Of i