New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-30
EFFECTS OF The DRY WEATHER.

INJURED-A WATER FAMINE FEARED IN pATER-
son, N. J.-HIGHER PRICES FOR SOME vEGE-
TABLES.
The lack of rain is beginning to cause serious in
convenience in some of the suburbs of the city by
affecting the water supply and by injuring the
crops. The faces of the farmers and market gar
and bring no rain for their fields The last fall of
ram to any amount was the heavy thunder shower
the more northerly market gardens in this vicinity.
The hay and grain fields have been mostly cleared
OF their crops, which matured too early to suffer
from inc present dry season. Early potatoes, peas
aud other vegetables also ripened in time to escape
serious ,eu damage, The DANCER now threatens the
below an average yield.
The generally light soil in New-yerscy has caused
there, though, as most of the carly vegetables are
marketed, the effects are not so serious as they
season. One of the principal late crops of the New
Jersey market gardens is melons, which, despite
Gs %Gn nG III stand great deal Of dry
as leaned, the peach pear and apple trees have not
suffered to any extent as yet from the lack of rain
pearance, especially pastures and lately moved
meadows. Corndelds also are beginning to feel the
growth. In the northern part of the Sta potatoes
have suffered from the dry weather. Reports indi-
cate a good crop in the western portion Tomatoes
salads aud cabbage the garden products which
nave been most seriously injured.
many localities by lack of water in wells and els.
terms 50 that there is little water to spare for rri
gazing purposes.
TIE WATER SUPPLY OF PATTERSON, n. ].
Paterson. n. j., is threatened with another water
famine sim liar to the one which occurred year
ag? owing to TIE low state of the Passaic River.
give the city supply of drinking water and about
ten thousand operatives were thrown out of work
n consegn ae1 Alexander Hamilton visited the
Tor the Promotion of Useful Manufactures, which is
Sse n bs It's charter gives the exclusive
were Quilt the water was diverted from the river
and motive power furnished to many mills before it
returns to the river channel The society also built
dam across the river As the city increased in size
the PaSsaic Water Company was organized. 1t sup
piled the city with water for many years by the
river power, but dry season and the company
was compelled to put III steam pumps. Now ii has
two pumps working day and night, and two extra
pumps for cases of emergency These pnmps are nil
at work at present with prospects of pumping the
river dry if the dry weather continues.
The Society for the Promotion of Useful Manufac-
lures prevented the Water Company from placing
its works above its dam, and thus made it impossi.
the mills stop at night the raceways are emptied
into the river and the water being high enough the
reservoirs are filed.
Notwithstanding the fact that the river is so low
the society goes on filling its contracts with the
manufacturers for supplying them with water all
the year around except on the days when the race
ways are being cleaned or there is ice in the river
There is no provision made to- give surplus water to
the tn water Company to supply the city with when
there is drouth. Last year when the river was
low the manufacturers along the raceway agreed to
shut down their mills for few days to give the
Water Company chance to ill its reservoirs The
supply for the upper part of the city cut off, and
from carts. The mills, however. were not shut
down until the residents became exasperated and
the manufacturers saw no other way out of the diff
hculty. The city at one time wanted to buy the
Water Works to If the water supply could not be
better regulated. An election was held for that
purpose, but the taxpayers voted and used their in
tluence against the project. They argued that the
city was enough in debt without incurring any
The Passac River which usually To runs aO with
swift current, looks like a chain of lakes It il
r.t,ff has
TRIBUNE reporter walked along the banks o: the
river for mile recently and in places where there
water is shallow he found several carcasses of d.s
and cats. The people of PassaIc Bellcvillo, Newark
sewers of Paterson empty into il. Tie authorit,es
OF Newark have been talking of having the aut hor
ties OF Paterson indicted, III which case probably
the sewerage of Paterson would have to be rclald
THE SOIL AROUND NEw-YoRK CITY.
The market gardeners in this city above Central
Park have suffered perhaps as much as anv the soil
over the SuDstratun OF rocks becoming easily baked
and dry; The plots OF ground are small and there
fore make irrigation more practicable. Cabbage.
salads ccks, onions, Deets carrots and other small
vegetables are more extensively raised here than
field crops like corn aud potatoes
:, The variety of soils on Long Island gives rise 10
dronth A TRIBUNE reporter talked recently
with number Of farmers in Washington and Gan
sevoort street Markets. Some thought little damage
hhd 1een done as yet but all agreed that q good
rain would be very timely at present. ''''
farm at Newtown said ave have hai No o' RAIN ,ls
for for three weeks. We usually plant lato cabbage
ram; Celery should be planted before August l.
but IT needs plenty of rain for good growth Much
OF the cabbage now being marketed is poor and
burnt mp. besides being worm-e eaten. The fields are
tho, thick with the yellow moths which make the cab
bage worm. The Early Wal ehcld and Flat DutcI
varieties are nearly all marketed. and prices have
been advancing. The dry weather prevents toma-
toes from setting. The blossom win drop oil and
the tomatoes may not begin to grow for weeks after
ward. Late planted corn looks fair where the
will be a good crop. Fruits look we'll and trees
generally are unusually full of foliage, which is n
elephants. understand the drouth has been
serious III New-Jcrscy, especially in the southern
part"
ii. Niagara. of Flatlands, said his ground was
heavy and not easily dried, and he had not no.
ticed much bad elect rs yet. The dews mt present
ne sad, were very heavy, and in part compensated
everything nearly had stopped growing; seeds
would not sprout, and cabbage plants would not
Jamaica jamaica and Mineola ie pretty well dried, and
farmers are getting anxious for rain. Besides The
carnage to vegetables. the pastures are getting
brown, and meadows look badly.
+. fccke of Ncwtown, said the light soil in l;s
locality could not stand much dry weather Leaves
were dropping from the cabbages and blossoms
wited appearance. Corn was drying up and dairy
men complained of the lack of rain. II was useless
nc sald, 10 plant cabbages rutabagas, salad at
present. All second crops were likely TO be poor
Fruits were not much hurt and there was n good
crop OF pears, though few apples. Many cisterns
ana wells were getting dry.
TIE PRICE OF VEGETABLES
The drouth has had the effect of Increasing the
price OF cabbagcs III the last two weeks from 81 TO
70 and rs per hundred. There has been n GOOD
demand Tor tomatoes also, partly account Of the
shown much advance. Peas sold yesterday at Isl
to ~ 20 Per bag; beans GO to 70 cents; tomatoes
hundred punches; potatoes 81 80 to $i IN p per
barrel Summer crookncck turban and marrow