The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-21
OUT OF JOINT.
Weather Of the Past Has
Greatly Retarded Crops.
Frosts Caused Severe Injury-Dam-
age to Fruite In Many Localities.

BOSTON, May 2l.-The following weekly
weather-crop bulletin of the New England
weather service Is issued by j. Warren
Smith, director:
The weather for the past week has been
unusually cold with severe frosts in all
rections. On the mornings of the 14th and
l7th the temperature fell from 2 to de-
grees below zero; ice formed and ground
froze In all exposed places, except along
the immediate coast. The mountains In
the north were white with snow. The
rainfall was light In all central and west
srn districts, but froY three-fourths OF an
inch to one and one-hlh inches fell along
the coast. 90
Maine.
The weather in Maine has been cold and
disagrceable, and In places farm work has
been retarded, but the rain has accom-
plihhed much good to grass and field
crops The only report that we get OF ex-
pected injury from frosts TO fruit comes
from the central part of tho state and
from one correspondent only. Others say
that the buds were not generally ad-
vanced enough to be seriously affected.
The cool and rainy weather has thickened
up grass, and IL Is now unusually promis-
ing. Farmers are reporting the pastures
never better The planting and sowing Is
well along, except In the most backward
sections.
New Hampshire.
The week has been generally favorable
for farm work, and IL has been pushed
along as fast as was consistent Tor good
results. Much of the grain has been sown,
but the ground Is too cold for seeds 10
germinate well. andsin most places few OF
the field crops have been planted. The
freeze of the i4th and 18th killed all early
garden crops that were up, and reports In
dicate considerable damage 10 early apples
and small fruits, especially In the south.
One correspondent from Hillsboro county
states that plums and grapes were totally
destroyed, and that pears, apples, straw
berries and blatGberries are probably dam
aged 90 per cent. In more northern sec
tions the fruit was not so far advanced
and probably less damage resulted. Cor
respondents report considerable damage to
clover by the frosts.
Vermont.
Very little growth has been made dur
ing the week, while all early crops not pro-
tected were killed by the severe frosts.
Early apples were badly injured, though
not ell killed, and grapes were frozen; all
this years growth on the latter was
killed, where not protected. The ground
is being rapidly prepared, and con-
siderable planting has been done In
Chittenden county the potato acreage has
been materially increased. The strong
winds have taken the moisture from the
soil, and rain is much needed.
Massachusetts.
The reports vary on the damage TO fruit
IN this state very much. On warm hill
sides, where the buds were most advanced,
and on dow lands, where the frost was
most severe, probably considerable dam
age was done TO all fruits, but generally 1t
is not thought that material injury has re-
suited TO apples, especially. JabeZ Fisher
of Fitchburg states that as far as he can
judge the pears and apples generally arc
but little injured. He reports full apple
blossoms on the l2th-three days later
than in 1894, and IL days ahead of the
average for 80 years The new growth on
grapes and other small fruits was killed.
Strawberries on early fields were con-
siderably injured. All early truck crops
that were exposed were injured. Aspara-
gus was cut down, and has made ex-
tremely slow growth this week. The
correspondent at Duxbury, In Plymouth
county, reports that the cranberry crop,
where not flooded Ia reported ruined not
withstanding great exertion TO save 1t.
From Carver the report Is; Cranberry
bogs were badly damaged. Many who
flooded their bogs on Monday night neg
lected to do so on Thursday NJ Sht. At IL
D. IN. the thermometer began to rise and
no frost was expected, but at a. m. it ran
down very low, and more damage resulted
than on Monday night"
Grass is generally very good, although
the effects of last years drought is show
ing in western counties. Caterpillars are
reported very thick. In West Newbury
the grange has delegation of farmers on
the road destroying their nests
Rhode Island.
In southern Rhode Island IL cannot be
learned that any damage of amount has
resulted from the froSts, but In northern
counties fruit suffered and all early crops
that were above ground were cut down.
As In other states, grapes suffered severely.
The rain has been very beneficial, and
grass ig growing we'll in the south. In tho
north IL Is still thin, and the prospect is
not encouraging for "a full crop.
Connections.
In central and western Connecticut
there is much complaint Of lack Of rain
fall, and consequent injury TO grass and
grains. Some report that the grass will