The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-21
WEATHER AND CROPS.
Rain still Needed In Many Portions
Of New England.
Apples Make n Good Showing-A De-
cided Improvement in Crops In Con-
necticut.
necticut.


| Weather Service has issued the following
weather-crop bulletin for the week ending
Aug. 90 1894;
On the afternoon OF tho Goth a thunder
shower passed over eastern Massachusetts,,
| which gave a heavy downpour Of rain at
| Boston. AT the weather bureau Office,
there was registered nearly one-half inch
| OF rain in five minutes l.48 inches In 30
minutes; 1.66 inches i'm one hour, and 2 10
| inches Ina four hours. This storm was
very local, apparently, as at Concord,
| Mass, 20 miles to the northwest, only .0l
was recorded. 1t has been estimated that
$4,000 damage was done by the rain in
cellars in Boston alone.
Prospects Frightening.
The weather for the week was generally
favorable In Maine, with moderate tenn
perature and occasional showers of rain
Except in places where the oat leaves have
been affected by the rust the grain crop is
pronounced heavy; it is lodged badly on
some fields. The second crop of grass is
starting well and will be good; there is an
excellent catch of grass seed.
There is no report of rot in the potatoes
yet, but rust is being seen. One CORE
spondent in Aroostook county says that
the rust is quite prevalent, but IL it gains
no faster than it did last week, most of the
potatoes will have 10 days more to grow in.
Apples are falling badly, but the blossom
was SO heavy, it is considered that there
are plenty on most trees.
"Rnin or Ruin"
There is still great want of rain In CEN
tral and southern New Hampshire. Many
correspondents say they have had no good
soaking rain this summer; showers have
come, but the rainfall has been local and
has furnished temporaryTelief only, with
out filling up the ground. Consequently,
during short period without .sin, every
thing suffers. Wells and springs are
drying, and feed Is extremely short
This is particularly true in southern
Grafton and most Of Sullivan Merrimack,
Cheshire and Hillsboro counties. One
correspondent in Hillsboro county says,
"Rain or ruin" Spring seeded fields are
being ruined, and the summer seeding is
being delayed. Berries are scarce i'm this
section. and apples are falling badly and
making slow growth. Grain is mostly a
fair crop, and corn is doing well, except on
the driest land. No rot or rust to do in
jury to the potatoes has been reported yet
in this state, except by one correspondent
in Coos county, who states that potatoes
are rusting badly, but promise more than
an average yield"
Good Potato Weather.
Cool nights and warm days have been tho |
rule in Vermont, and have been favorable |
TO potatoes, although this crop is rusting |
to a considerable extent. The rust is NOT |
evenly spread, and the potatoes are so far |
advanced that no great injury is antici- |
pated. Frost has appeared on one or two |
nights, but not enough to do any damage.
Wheat is rusting badly in Orleans
county, and some farmers say the crop
will be an entire failure. Oats are looking |
well in the northern counties. Threshing |
is going on in the south, and the yield is |
very variable, ranging from less than 25 |
To 30 bushels TO the acre; IL Is said that the
latest sown oats are proving the best. Corn |
Is doing well, and apples make q good
showing. Rain is needed in most sections.
Ground Is Very Dry.
The conditions remain much the same
In Massachusetts,. Except where the few
local showers have occurred raiE is still
badly needed. Pastures are dry, and fall
grain promises exceptionally poor. Apples
hang on pretty well, and fair crop is in
dicated in most sections where not injured
by the spring frosts; their quality is very
good Corn stands the dry weather fairly
well, though there Is some complaint of
the leaves curling daily. Tomatoes, Gu
cumbers, squashes, etc, would be greatly
benefited by more moisture.
In Bristol county some OF the potatoes
where dug are found better than were ex-
pected; in Middlesex some of the tops are
reported dying and others are blossoming
the second time. One correspondent in
northern Worcester county states that one
piece of early potatoes planted the last Of
April is now quite full of blossoms. He
says that early potatoes on good land are
of good size and extra quality, but with
few i'm tho hill. The fruit worm is re-
ported still nc work on the cranberries in
the vicinity of Marshflold and South |
Dennis; this crop Is very light in that
Scarcity of Feed.
The drought continues unbroken In
Rhode Island; wells are reported dry and
feed scarce. some farmers are feeding
cattle from the barn.
Crops Picking Up.
A good rain occurred on the 18th and
10th in west central sections of Connecti-
cut, and moderate showers are reported in
the southeast counties; all crops have been
much improved, pastures are looking bet ,
ter, and the grass i starting in the fields. :
Most of our correspondents in other coun-
ties, however report that drought condi-
sions still continue, and that everything
suffers.
Corn in places rolls badly during the
day and does not entirely straighten out
At night. Pastures are bare and fields
dry, while brooks and springs are rapidly
falling; some springs that were never
before known 10 lail are now dry. Pota-
toes are being dag in New Haven county,
and the land being soged 60 turnips with
, fair prospect that they will be a partial
liilurc.
Tomato Crop Injured.
The rot on tomatoes Is increasing.
Winter apples are dropping In Fairfield
county and pears are ripening prema-
turelyi the latt,r crop Is generally pro
bounced fairly good
At Milford most onicn seed has been
'ut, and there Il about an average crop
ontons are being pulled, also. with some
fields very good and Others pronounced