The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-31
WEATHER AND CROPS.
Southern New England 10 Suffering
Severely from Drought.
The Outlook for Second Crops Very
Dubious In Portions Of Msssschu-
sets.
BIZ The Associated Pres.

luo week n4b Deeu ouo OF e4SSSAo s~ov
In all southern sections, with . serious
drought In the extreme south. A. New
York city the rainfall has been only ~
inch; at New London. Conn, .00 inch; ~
Block Island. X. l., .06 inch, and at Nam
tucket, Mass. IA Inch; 81 inch fell AZ
Kingston, r. l.; .83 inch at New Britain,
Conn, and go inch at Middleboro. Mass,
but In some places all over this southern
district not more than q trace came, while
the sky has been almost clear aud the
heat intense.
Only about one-fourth inch fell In ths
Connecticut valley north Of Connscticut.
aud in most Of Vermont. About three
fourths inch fell in central and northern
New Hampshire; from half an inch to
one inch in most Of Maine, and from one
inch to over two inches in southern New
Hampshire and along the coast from
Portland to Boston. The shower of the
Goth was particularly heavy In southern
New Hampshire, and much damage wal
done by lightning and wind. with some
nail. At Newton ons-half inch fell in Is
minutes.
At Boston $50 inches of rain have fallen
since July 2l-more than fell in all the
time from May 2s to July 20.
Making Good Growth.
Rain In needed in the vicinity Of East
port and in southern Aroostook county,
but for the most part all crops are max
ing extremely good growth. The hay
crop is being gathered fast with the
bright sunshinei pastures are holding out
well. In places the oat crop will be bet
ter than was expected a few weeks ago, as
they arc heading out very well, but In
Others they are blighting and will not
amount to much. The rain and wind o
the cath lodged grain to some extent in
Penobscot county. In vicinity Of Carl
bou in Aroostook county potatoes are
rusting some. and the crop Is not expected
to be an average, but farther south the
tubers are growing fast with no sign Of
rust They are reported very fine In
Washington county.
Rain Onsss By Wind.
The first of the week was cool, but hot
weather has prevailed for the last few
days and crops have dried somewhat In
southern and central counties. The
shower of Sunday night has helped them,
though considerable damage was lone to
corn and fruit by the wind accompanying
1t. Corn Is growing fast. except on the
very dry land. Potatoes are pronounced
good In the north. but backward In Rock
ingham county; gardens are in fine shape.
Potatoes are doing well in northern DUN
ties. Oats promise an average yield In
Cheshire county. Pastures are drying Ia
southern counties. R~aspberries are very
poor in places. and quite a Der re-
port that blueberries are not at all plenty.
Black berries promise well. Apples hang
on the trees we'll generally.
Showers Passed By.
All central and southern Vermont
seems to have escaped most of the show
e-s of the week and most OF the rain
of the previous week, aud more rain
Is needed. There has been plenty Of
sunshine, and IL has been improved In
rushing work in the bayfield,; some have
completed haying, with a good crop.
Berries IRE very scarce in the southern
counties. Apples are reported to be .
good crop in some places, while in other
orchards not far away there u hardly an
apple to be seen.
Fields Look Bare.
The extremely hot. dry weather has dried
the crops and ground very rapidly. and in
the western, central and southern dis
tricts, where the showers of the cath and
goth were light or only moderate in
amount, all crops are suffering for water.
Pastures are probably feeling the need of
rain now as much as anyt hing; consider
able stock nave to be fed from the barn or
depend on browse. Rowen is starting
very slowly, and the moved fields look
very bare; the outlook for a second crop
has apparently not been 30 poor for years
in most sections. Gran berries made a
good growth during the week, though
this crop is generally reported rather
light. Tobacco and corn are growing
fast: tobacco Is nearly all ready to top in
franklin county. Apples promise album
dant crop in the northeast, especially of
early varieties. Blackberries are ripening
fast, but a small crop is indicated. 1t 10
rather dry for ~cucumbers. and various
kinds of seeds for winter truck failed to
come we'll, and hence 1t will shorten the
supply in eastern counties.
No Rain In Providence County.
The weather wal very hot and dry, and
though a smart shower on the Gath gave
some relief in southern parts of the state,
in parts of Providence county no rain fell
at all and everything is suffering. Hay.
ing Ii about completed. Corn is growing
we'll in most places. In Washington
county n Der Oh are digging
their potatoes and find that the crop turns
out fairly well.
Longest Drought I'm Years.
The drought continues very seriously iu
Connecticut. the showers being mostly
local and giving very little rain. and only
temporary relief where they do come,
Fruit is drying mp and dropping. Corn
and tobacco, which have stood the
drought better than most crops, are now
drying and being greatly injured. Pas
lures and meadows are dry and brown,
end much feeding is being done from the
barn, and milk is shrinking very much.
The following report from the weather
bureau observer az New London covers
the ground well: "The drought con-
tinues with increasing vigor; the exoes-
sive heat of the past two days has been
particularly injurious to all the tops OF
crops, which are suffering terribly. The
drought In this vicinity has been the
longest on record"
j. II. Hale OF South Glastonbury says:
"Ths extreme heat ana drought 10 now
beginning to seriously affect the peaches;
s.... ir soA mr. l.nds uaf -sll ,ultfvat~d