, 1892-06-07
WASHINGTON CROPS
Condition of Farm Lands on Both
Sides of the Mountains.

The Effect of Cold weather on
Fruit UnfavOrable, Especially
in western Washington = The
Grain In western washington.
Signal Observer E. B. Olney has issued
the following weather bulletin, showing
the condition of crops for the past ten
days in Eastern and Western Washington:
The ten day period ending on the 7th has
been one of frequent showers and cold
sOutherly and westerly winds. COpious
rains have fallen over this portion of the
state but have been much heavier in the
northern than in the southern and central
portions. They have been especially
heavy in Whatcom, San Juan, Clallam and
the western portion of Skagit counties.
The rains of May 9th and 28th and June
1st and I'd were particularly heavy. High
westerly and southerly winds prevailed
during the period, being most severe on
the 28th and June 1st and ID. Low lands
have generally been rendered unfit for
working, especially in Whatcom, Skagit,
SnOhomish and Lewis counties. Much Of
this land remains unplowed and unseeded
and where it has been planted is unfit to
work, Grain on upland is generally doing
we'll, out on low land it is injured by the
cold and wet and in the islands of Skagit
eastern portion of Chehalis and in portions
of CoWlltz and Lewis counties spring grain
looks bad.
Fall wheat is doing fairly well and in
Clarke county is heading. Upland grain is
in most localities doing well. Hay is gen.
orally doing very well, though in some
cases the wet weather is giving the wild
grasses the advantage. In portions of Lew
Is and CoWlitz counties heavy clover was
beaten down by rains of 9th and Both anC
winds of June 1st and End. In portions o.
COWllJz county wheat has also been lodged
In Clallam and Lewis counties potatoes
are not all planted, Hops have not beer
injured but are growing slowly. They are
however, healthy and lice are not increas
ing. Reports from Kent state that lice art
all through the White river valley, though
not IN great numbers. The effect of thu
cold, wet weather on frlit has, on th,
whole, been unfavOrable, especially OF
large fruits. The general report of tn,
strawberry crop is very favorable, and il
most sections there will be a good Weld
though they have been in many places in
jured by the rains and will be more so i
the wet weather continues.
In Eastern Washington there have beer
frequent light showers, the heaviest rain,
falling on the 18th and 29th. From Ma
9th to June I'd and Sd there were verI
general high westerly winds over this sec
ton. These winds were cold and the drv
ing effect was not excessive. Severe frost
occurred on the I'd and 3D., and in portion
of Walla Walla and Whitman counties ic
was formed. In the northern counties th
effect Of the cold winds has been mainl,
to retard the growth of the grain. Th
ground has been dried out to considerably
extent and some injury to grain is reported
from all sections, but does not seem tt
have been severe. In Adams county tn
high winds following the extreme TEN pera
lures OF the 10th and 2lst, is reported t,
have burned the grain in spots, where
was rank and soft. In this county rain i
needed very much. In Whitman, Asotip
Garfield and Columbia counties, where tn
rainfall has been very heavy during th
spring and the ground is wet, the effect O
the high winds has not been so severe.
The effect OF the wind is not nOticeabl
in the western portion of Whitman ant
northern portions of Colum bia, Gariielt
and Walla Walla counties, where dryin
out Of the ground has been greatest. Ii
Khckltat county no injury is reported from
the winds On the whole grain looks wei
so far, except in a few cases where Gu
worms have done injury and in place
where farming has been badly done. N
serious injury to fruit is reported iron
trosts. Gardens IN the northern countie
were in many localities damaged and il
some places potato tops were cut.