The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-05-22
NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY WEATHER.
CROP RIIILEIIN.

The average temperature during the
past week has been near the normal
throughout New England. Warm days
have occurred but the nights have been
generally cold and the daily ranges
strong. Slight frosts have occurred in
the central and northern section on the
18th, 18th, 18th, 18th. At West Milan,
n. H., the mercury reached "a degrees
on the 10th and fell to % degrees on
the morning of the 18th.
Little precipitation has fallen in any
locality and in most of New Hampshire
and Vermont and in North western
Massachusetts, none at all. At Kings
ton, II. l., 0.4j inches of rain fell on the
10Th, and OILS inches on the 18th. In
other sections where precipitation oc-
CURED the fall was very light-from
trace to 10 inches. The sunshine was
GENERALLY slightly above the average
High winds prevailed in Western Mas
sachusets on the 18th and 18th, and did
considerable damage to fruit trees.
The influence of the weather upon
the crops has varied but little since the
last bulletin, except in the southeast
1t has been somewhat warmer and
farmers are taking advantage of this to
put seed into the ground. But it con-
tinues exceedingly dry and the seed put
in terminates slowly or not at all, and
the frost nips whatever appears above
ground, especially in the north. The
observer at West Fairlee, Vt, states
that grass is no farther advanced than it
was a week ago, and nearly all vegeta-
ton is at a standstill. Pastures and
fields are suffering everywhere, and the
rains that set in last night friday will,
if continued, prove of very great benefit
to the farmers. The lack Of sunshine
has been generally beneficial, and has
been due not so much to cloudiness as
to the smoke in the atmosphere, prob
ably from the forest fires in Michigan.
At Agawam, Mass, the peach buds are
dropping of, this being the only report
received this week Indicating that the
frosts of last week seriously injur d the
fruit trees, while many report that the
trees were not injured. Apples are
mostly IN blossom in the south and are
very full, but the trees are being greatly
ravaged by the tent caterpillar. 1t
would seem that some united action was
necessary for the determination of this
pest.
The early grains are now mostly sown.
Potato planting has begun in the north
and is well under way or completed in
the south. The planting Of corn has be-
gun TO any extent only in the latter sec
ton. At East Berkshire in northern
Vermont, corn planting has begun fully
week earlier than usual. At New
Britain, Conn, corn is coming up. The
observer at Brattleboro, VT, states that
large acreage Of ohio have been put
in but that they are starting slowly. AT
Montague, Mass, onions and tobacco
are in and wedding has been begun.
Tobacco is generally looking well and
win soon be ready for setting. Aspara-
gus is reported TO be in prime condition.
Later reports from the strawberry grow
ing sections indicate that the amount of
damage done by frost as reported last
week, was greatly over-estimated. The
outlook for all crops for the coming
week is very good.
PROF. w. NJ. DAVIS, Director.
j. WARREN SMITH, Assistant.
Cambridge, Mass, May 10Th, 1871.