Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-25
ABUNDANT HARVESTS.
The Grain Crops All Over This State
in Average Condition.
MORE WHEAT THAN FOR YEARS.
The Pennsylvania Housewife Will Re-
member This Season.
FRUITS OF ALL KINDS ARE PLENTIFUL

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.1
HARRISBURG, July 24.-From returns OF
correspondents and other sources, Secretary
Edge, of the State Board of Agriculture, has
prepared the following crop forecast for
1891:
As indicated by our previous reports,
the wheat crop has proven to be one OF the
largest for a number of years. 1t may safe
ly be estimated at %, 500, 900 bushels. AS
usual, we have had many extrayagant est1-
mates and reported yields, but we feel safe
from reports received to place the total crop
at the above figures.
Lancaster and Montgomery counties have
reported crops of over 80 bushels per acre,
but these cannot be accepted as an average
condition for the counties The average
yield for the State is much reduced by the
northern tier of counties, in which wheat Is
not much depended on for a crop. The grain
has usually been harvested in good condi-
ton, but some losses have been reported
from grain taken into the barn too wet
These are, however, trivial and will not op-
crate on or affect the general average.
1t is rather too soon 10 make any safe or
conclusive predictions as to the oat crop,
and it is not yet all harvested. 1t is, how
ever, safe, from data at hand, to place it at
about an average crop. Wet weather, dur
ing the spring, delayed seeding and
materially decreased the yield. Cold
weather during the early part of the season
delayed growth, and in many cases gave the
weeds start, and tine grain suffered ac-
cordingly. The large amount of weeds
which are to be found in many fields will
probably cause more or less heating in the
NOW, and we may have to report some loss
from this cause. Repeated showers during
harvest have somewhat injured the straw
in the Eastern part of the State, but the
grain, though in some cases darkened, is all
right.
Our former predictions that the hay crop
of 1891 would be an average one, met with
opposition from many of the farmers of
Southern and Southeastern Pennsylvania,
but we think that the harvest has fully sus-
tanned our estimate.
An Average Crop of Hay.
Those who depended ON clover as hay
crop have of course harvested short crops
over nearly the whole State. In such fields
as gave timothy the main place the crop has
varied somewhat, and in the south and
southeast may be stated as below the aver
age. Our western and northern counties
made up the deficiency. But it was the
crops of natural grass which raised
the general average of the State and
warranted our prediction of fair average
crop. In the northern counties Of our State
the meadows and fields of natural grass gave
an excellent crop.
In common parlance the potato crop has
been "spotted" one. In some portions Of
the State, where rain and other conditions
of the weather were favorable, the early
crop did well, but in some parts of our State
it proved short and unsatisfactory. The
crop of late tubers will prove an excellent
one, and at the present time the main dan
ger is from rot following warm rains, sue
ceeded by hot sunshine. Should the crop
escape this danger it will prove an excellent
one, and the increase in acreage will place
it above the average, and possibly give US
II, 900, 900 bushels.
Prices of Potatoes VIII Keep Up.
Failures of this crop elsewhere may keep
the price up, and excellent crops in Nova
Scotia, New Brunswick and Cape Breton
will act as a balance wheel to regulate the
price of the Pennsylvania crop in the mar
ket. No report of rot has yet been received
from our correspondents, although the news
papers have reported some loss from this
cause.
The crop of large fruits, either actual or
prospective, will be one of the largest for
number of years. The crop has proven
somewhat irregular in yield, but any falling
off in one part of our State has been more
than counterbalanced by large ones in 9TH
ers. Peaches will give an excellent crop,
ON ho in ho
ain district and the newly planted orchards
of Juniata county will harvest remuner-
ative crop, in spite of the low prices ex-
pected from the large crops in New Jersey
and Delaware. The local demand will sup
port the price for good fruit picked in its
best condition, and this cannot be supplied
from the markets named in the above
States.
Local Demand VIII Keep Down the Supply.
Local demand will support the local sup
ply, and our home dealers will receive re-
prices no matter what the rul-
ing price may be near railroad stations and
other points easy of access to foreign crops.
The apple crop will be fair average one,
and fall apples will command fair price in
the general markets of orr State. If our
growers could only be persuaded to consult
their own interests and Gull closely they
Woulu noI only Set Dettef prices 1or tne
crop, but would also gain the culls left at
home. Pears will prove an unusually large
crop and are already coming into the mar
ket in fair condition. Thus far, as has
been the case heretofore, they are not culled
close enough and lower. prices are and will
be received.
The 1891 crop of almost all kinds of small
fruits will prove phenomenal and that of
will long be remembered by
the Pennsylvania housewife. Grapes will
prove an average crop, but it is to our other
small fruits that we look for the raise in
,he average.