The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1880-12-22
Report Of the Commisssoner of Axri-
culture. Horticulture and SfafIs-
ties Tor the Month OF
Dereober.

Ii il hardly possible to estimate the
damage which has already resulted,
and is likely to result, to the farming
and other interests, not only Of Ken
lucky, hut of the whole extent Of the
countries embraced by the November
polar wave, reaching as it did not only
the whole of our own country, but also
Great Britain and parts of the eonti-
nent. The whole civilized world is
bound together bya community of in
terests, and when one portion suffers it
reacts on another. How much greater
must it be when the larger part of ii is
caught IN the same involvement.
With the present breaks i'm the wealth.
er, and the prospects Of tides i'm the
Kentucky and Ohio rivers, the fiotillas
of coal barges may be cut loose and re-
lieve all apprehensions of a coal fam
inc. With every indication Of a severe
and prOtraeted winter, such a condition
OF things would have been terrible.
Without ample supplies Of cheap fuel
not only must there have been great
private suffering, but the manufactures
of our towns and cities must have been
embarrassed in their operations.
I5b0cco.-From facts hitherto set
forth in other reports much of the to-
baccO crop was necessarily planted late,
and as consequence matured late.
Indeed some risked the cutting until
caught by frost. There are reasonable
grounds to fear that much of the crop
was not sufficiently cured to be exempt
from damage by freezing. Wherever
green in the stems, it would he necessa-
/ rily injured sOas to affect the whole leaf
But one of cur reports refers To il as be-
ing injured by freezing. Besides, the
damp weather prevented ii in some in
stances from curing up in ~ bright con-
dition as was desired. Up to the time,
rs one of our correspondents expresses
it, December raped November" all
our reports concurred in statements that,
while the general crop was from p to
30 per cent below that of the previous
year, and the leaf little less gummy,
and therefore light, rs a general thing,
it was Of 4 silky fine texture, and the
quality good.
I!hem.-With the wet fall interfer-
ing with the breaking up and prepara-
ton Of the ground for wheat, and the
early setting in of winter, the acreage
sOwn Is cut short throughout the State.
To snch an extent is this the case that,
should an open spell occur between this
and JanuEy, many are determined to
SOW yet. While we would have hut
little hope of securing crop from
wheat sown in midwinter, we hope the
opportunity may offer for trial of the
experiment. Everything to its season.
For the successful production of winter
wheat observation and experience teach
that, other things being equal, the ear
lier wheat is sOwn after the 18th of Sep
TENDER, the surer are we to obtain Salts
fsetory results. AS matters now stand
and are likely to stand, it would seem
that wisdom would dictate that the
farmers shouldpu the large acreage
designed for wheat either to clover or
in some compromising crop. Better to
be put to clover, however, than to be !
thrown out of the usual rotation. If
no other good has resulted from the Sc
we're spell through which We have just
passed, the late sOwn wheat has ut least /
been protected 10y the snow that covered !
il.
Com.-SOme damage is reported to
the corn crop from wet weather. Ii |
has no, dried out i'm the shock or the |
field so as to be in the best condition |
for cribbing. The fact is, there has |
been so little weather suitable for husk- /
ing and gathering. that the farmers
have been short of the fodder 50 much /
relied upon for winter feeding, and if |
not blessed with a soft and open spell /
soon, suitable for such purposes, much |
trouble will result from il. We call at |
tention again to our list of premiums |
for best samples OF corn. We had sup
posed the premiums offered-Sl5 for !
best, and so for second best-were suf- |
ficient to induce the sending i'm the 4
samples promptly, especially when il /
might be called a State shO,C.
Vegetables and Frmts.-In common 1
with everything else, vegetables and !
fruits have suffered from the early and 1
severe winter. Many of our cores
pondents speak of the cabbage crop, to !
a large extent, as being caught by it,
and of its utter ruin. so, too, of apples |
and potatoes. 1t is to be hoped, how
ever, that as the ground was frozen to
no great depth, the undug potatoes
have suffered no serious damage.
Lire .NOck.-Cholera is reported as
prevailing with the young hog stock in
many parts Of the State. At the same