The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-02
WEATHER-CROPS
Frequent Light Showers Have
Been Beneficial.
Pastures Are Generally Good-Part
Of September Favored Late Crops.
Bp The Associated Press.

NtdtncT CfOD VI bht ANO"
weather service will be discontinued for
the season.
We have tried TO make the bulletins
brief, reliable and complete, and IL our
efforts have been successful IL Is only be-
cause Of the prompt, regular and accurate
reports that have been received from the
volunteer crop correspondents. About
l25 representative men and women, lo-
Gated i'm different districts in New Eng
land, have comprised this corps, and great
praise is due them for their efforts to
gather reliable information relative TO tho
influence Of the weather on the crop condi-
tions and in getting that information as
quickly as possible TO this Office.
The development of the grass and winter
grains during the past season shows that II
there is good snow covering, these crops
are not injured by any extreme cold. Very
cold weather was experienced on Dec. IL,
1893, Jan. 10 and H. in the north and on
Feb. "a and 25 yet the ground was gener-
ally well covered with snow at those
times, and the reports Of poor grass or
grain this season, because Of the winters
cold, are very rare. Nearly three-fourths
of the peach buds were killed by the cold
wave In February and many trees injured.
SpThk Sonuitious WeFo EhNoTAoios
Fruit buds started very rapidly in March
In the warm weather, and at first 1t was
feared that the cold wave Of the eth and
2Sth had injured them very much, but the
crops do not show 1t now. The April
weather was favorable and the season was
nearly two weeks ahead Of the average at
the end Of the month, but the dry weather
of the first half of May and the excess of
rain and cloudy weather in the last half,
with the cold spells and frosts of the 18th
and 10th, retarded all work and growth Of
vegetation. Hot weather prevailed the
last of June, with very little rain during
the month, and drought began to be felt
In southern sections.
Grass and grain matured too rapidly
and hoed crops suffered. There was plenty
of rain i'm the northern part of Vermont,
New Hampshire and Maine during July
during the past season, but in all south
ern districts the drought was intensified
by general want Of rain, and on the 18th,
Goth and last few days Of the month by
the exceedingly hot and drying weather.
During the first week in August tenn
porary relief was given over most parts of
our district by moderate showers, but still
no general rain came during this month
Rainfall Decidedly Less Than Normal.
The amount of precipitation from Jan.
to Sept. was 1905 inches less than the
normal amount at Enstport, Me-, 1924
inches less at Northfeld, VT, 8. 76 inches at
Boston, le.62 inches at Nantucket, Mass,
1921 inches at New Haven, and l3. 81 inches
at New London, Conn. At Southington,
Conn, there were g. 40 inches less than the
normal amount of rain In the three sum.
mer months At Amherst, Mass, the de-
flciency for the summer months amounts
to S.57 inches.
The last part of September was gener.
ally favorable for harvesting and for the
growth Of late crops and fall sown seeds.
Crops have ripened well and corn is curing
very nicely. The past week has given
very little rain in any section except In
the extreme southeast; over IL inches
have fallen at Nantucket, Mass. The
frosts on the Goth and eth killed vines,
etc, in most places, but crops were gen.
orally out of the way Of much damage.
Much more rain will be needed In all SEQ
tions to make full water supply for win
ter, and to put the grass lands in the best
of condition.
Favorable Harvesting Weather.
In the greater part Of the three northern
states the week has given favorable
weather for harvesting, and most of the
crops are in. Corn is husking out fine
crop. Potatoes continue TO turn out bet
ter than expected in New Hampshire and
Vermont. and are reported up TO the av-
erage In Maine. Beans are very nice and
were secured in good shape. Fields are
looking well, though few new seeded
pieces are dead. Apples are variable, but
some report them better than expected on
picking them.
The weather has been very favorable for
ripening fruit. Pastures arc generally
good, and as there Is plenty Of water i'm
them now the stock Is expected to come to
the barns in good condition. On the whole,
good crops have been secured In fine con-
dition In these states, and as one CORE
spondent in Vermont puts 1t, 1--WE see no
long faces among farmers and hear no
complaint"
Southern New England Wells Dry.
The rain in the southern states has not
been sufficient to I'LL up wells, and some
streams that were full are dry again, but
Il has greatly helped pastures, fields and
late forage crops. The milk supply has
increase and stock Is improving Corn
is mostly cut and is good sound crop
Potatoes are almost everywhere reported
a little better than expected and of fine
quality. Apples have increased in size
and are generally abundant.
The weather has been very favorable
for harvesting and for fall plowing. Much
plowing has been doue, and in many
places great amount of fall seeding to
grass is going on. Many report the crops
on the whole nearly up to the average
season, and remarkably sound and Of
better quality than during awet season.
In this connection 10 Is interesting TO note
that the crops do better with very small
rainfall II IL IL distributed in frequent
light showers, as 10 has been this season,
than with "A much areater fall ~ A. conae