Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-05-21
WEATHER AND CROPS.
Frost Has Done Considerable Injury
TO Buds ana Blossoms.
Ice Formed In the Interior of
New England.
Growth Of Crops Very Slow on Account oil
the Unreasonable Weather


tin for the week ending May 20:
The weather for the past week has beer
unusually cold, with severe frosts in al
sections. On the mornings OF the l4th and
18th the temperature fell from 2 to O de
grees below zero; leo formed and ground
froze In all exposed places, except along
the immediate coast. The mountains In
the north wero white with snow. The
rainfall was light I'm all central and west
ern districts, but from three -fourths of an
inch To one and one-half inches fell along
the coast.
Good Outlook For Grass.
The weather I'm Maine has been cold ard
disagreeable, and i'm places farm work has
been retarded, but the rain has accom-
plished 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 the state and
from one correspondent only Others say
that the buds were not generally adj
vanced enough to be seriously affected.
The cool and rainy weather hos thickened
up grass, and 1t 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.
Early Garden Crops Killed.
The week has been generally favorable
for farm work, and IL has been pushed
along as fast as was consistent for good
results. Much OF the grain has been sOwn,
but the ground Is too cold for seeds to
germinate well, and in most places few Of
the field crops haves been planted. The
freeze of the 14th and 18th killed all early
garden crops that were up, and reports in
dicate considerable damage to 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 blackberries 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.
Rain Needed.
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 all 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 bave taken the moisture from the
soil, and rain Is much needed
CaterpilIars Plentiful.
The reports vary on the damage to fruit
In this state very much. On warm hill
sides, where tho buds were most advanced
and on low laisds, where the frost was
most severe, probably considerable dam
age was done to all fruits, but generally it
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 are
but little injured. He reports full apple
blossoms on the 12th-thrce 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
reports that the cranberry crop,
where not flooded, Is reported ruined, not
great exertiOn to save it.
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 night. At II
p. IN. the thermometer began to rise and
no frost was expected, but at a. IN. it ran
down very low, and more damage resulted
than on Monday night"
Grass is generally very good, although
ktx,A fI@.. -.fl
ing in western counties. Caterpillars are
reported very thick. In West Newbury
the grange has delegation of farmers on
the road destroying their nests.
Grapes Suffered.
In southern Rhode Island it 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 Is growing well in the south. In the
north 1t is still thin, and the prospect Is
not encouraging for full crop.
Grass and Grains Injured.
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
hardly recover for full crop even under
favorable conditions. In the east and
southeast plenty of rain came, and the con-
itions arc very favorable, although the
growth of crops were everywhere very slow
)n account of cool weather. Early pota-
.oes, corn and garden truck were badly |
frosted during the week, and strawberries
were everywhere much damaged. One
from NcwTlavcn county re- |
ports $1,000 damage on ut least three nights
Of the week by frost, Strawberries probably |
most He reports dscouraging |
outlook for peaches, but tho Halo Bros, |
N Glastonbury, say: Peaches were past |
bloom, the fruit just well formed, but in |
cascd in the shuck, which gave full pro- |
cction. While i'm "a few low places slight |
injury has Lcen done To the crop, as u |
whole IL has not suffered material damage, |
md, IL present favorable conditions con- |
inuc, there il far more on the trrpa now