Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-07-12
The Rains and the Hay and Wheat
CrOps,

What is said below about the har-
vest in our sister State of Maryland,
by the Baltimore Sun, applies as
well to the harvest and crops of this
section OF Virginia: ''There was never
perhaps season in Maryland when the hay
crop promised so bountiful yield as this,
and we regret to say that there was never
a season when the loss Of the crop threat
ems to be so heavy, All through the early
months Of the spring the grass grew luxll-
riously, fostered and helped in it's growth
by cool weather and frequent rains But
when it came to harvest time and the usual
bright weather of June was expected
the hopes of the hay farmers We're dashed
! by a continuous succession of rains that
compelled them to leave ripened grass out
standing to the latest possible day, and fl
nally forced them to begin the work of har-
vesting whenever temporary lift in the
downpour led them to think that they might
house OF stack their hay in fair condition
during the brief intervals between the rains.
In this they have been disappointed. Near
ly every day OF night has brought it's Show
ers, and the close, sllltry weather, with the
air constantly saturated with moisture. has
prevented, even under the most favorable
circumstances, the hay from drying. Some
of it, however, WAS stacked and some put
under shelter, but the rains have continued.
Much of the hay under shelter has heated.
that i'll the stacks has both heated and par
TALLY rOtted, especially when clover is mixed
with it, while that still in cocks in the
field-and there is great amount of it in
this cOnditiOn-iS soaked through and
through and has become blackened. How
great the loss of the hay must be to farmers
of Baltimore and Hartford counties, and
also OF other parts of the State, although
we speak from knowledge of the two coun-
ties we have mentioned, it is impossible to
forecast, but it must be very heavy indeed.
There is also al immense quantity Of wheat
that has beeu standing out in shocks during
all these latter rains, and it is to be feared
that the grain will be found badly injured,
for the shocks have not in many instances
had the protection of caps. A considera-
bic portion of the wheat crop is still I'M
harvested. 1t is now dead ripe, and even
if it escapes without damage from the
weather, a heavy loss will besustained from
SCATTERING in harvesting it. The continu-
GUS rains have been general over the Middle
States and many sections report a loss of
at least 20 per cent. Oh the wheat crop COM
pared with its condition on the LIST of June
There is also general damage to the grass
crop in these States, whilst growing corn
crop is far from promising. 1t was plan
ted late because of the frequent and heavy
spring rains, and the wet weather of the
past month has rendered its proper cult
walton impossible. AS consequence a
large corn crop cannot be counted on. 1t
is not often that American farmers suffer
from incessant rains during havest time.
They look SO confidently for bright weather
in harvest, and the absence of it, taking one
season with another, is so rare that they
are quite unprepared to meet q season Of
continuous RAINS. A tanners life is a hard
one at the best, but to meet with such re-
verses when his crops reach the point Of
fruition is of all others the most serious
blow to withstand"