The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-06-20
RAIN is NEEDED.
New England Farmers See Their
Fields Drying Up.
POTATOES AND CORN TURNING
YELLOW, GARDEN TRUCK INJURED.

Outlook Now for Short Hay Crop and
Medium Fruit YieId-Maine Has Fared
the Best.
Boston, June 19.-In the central and
southern sections of New England all
crops are beginning to feel the effects of
dry weather to small extent Grass is
suffering, and the present outlook is for
light hay crop. In the extreme north
ern ssections an abundance of rain las
fallen during the past week, and the
crops are coming along nicely
Comparatively few of the correspond
ents make any mention of birds, but of
the number large majority agree that
there is a scarcity. One or two, however
say that birds never were so plenty
around their farms as this year, but they
do not mention the kind of bird.
S.A. Tenney of Newport, NH, says
that of robbins, bobolinks and sparrows,
not more than one pair in 10 are to be
found this year as compared with other
years.
Foster H. Brackett of Boston, an emf
nent ornithologist, says the birds that
winter in the southern states, like the
bluebird, phebe, robin and thrush are very
scarce, probably because of the extremely
cold weather last winter; while those
birds that winter in the West Indies and
father south are as plenty as usual These
last comprise the warblers, fycatchers,
sparrows etc. The lesson to be learned
from these is, that with less birds to
keep the insect pest under control the
fruit grower and others must do much
more work himself
Moderate local showers in Massac hui
setts have started the garden truck and
field crops along and helped the grass
very much, particularly in the northern
counties In other parts of the state
where the showers did not reach, crops on
dry land are beginning to feel the
drouth.
Strawberries, especially, are having
their quantity and length of yield short
ened.
Corn is doing we'll generally, and pota-
toes, though uneven, are improving
Cranberry bogs are improving in condi-
tion.
The wood on grapes has been renewed
and is full of blossoms.
Cherries have blasted badly. One cor
respondent in Middlesex county states
that blackoerries are almost total fail
ure. Pea picking has begun. The
asparagus season is about over Haying
has begun to slight extent, and the
crop is not very promising. Old un-
fertilized fields especially are short and
thin, some will hardly pay for cutting
The canker worms have generally
ceased operations and the apple trees are
recovering.
Considerable rain fell in showers over
the central and northern parts of Maine
during the week, and under the infu-
ence of the warm weather and sunshine
following, all crops are pushing ahead
very fast Grass especially is thickening
up and growing well, and if showery
conditions continue for two weeks more
q good crop will be assured in most fields.
Some damage was lone by lightning on
the 14th and 18th, nd slight injury by
hail on the first of these dates. In Ok
ford county the heavy showers nave de-
layed hoeing. Small fruits are ~ omising
In Cumberland county early spples are
setting well, but late ones are practically
a failure.
In the southern part of New Hampshire
the dry weather has seriously affected
grass, and there is every prospect of a
light crop. Some correspondents say so
per cent will cover the crop as compared
to the average. In southern Rockingham
county the field and garden crops are be-
ing seriously injured; oats and peas are
drying up potatoes and corn are turning
yellow; some pieces of grain are plowed
under and fodder corn planted, but that
fails to come. In more northern sections,
however, field crops are growing fast and
grass is encouraging. In Coos county
there will be full average hay crop out
Grain is doing we'll. Wild strawberries
are very thick and other small fruits are
promising we'll In Hillsboro county,
where there was very good setting of
apples, they have nearly all dropped off,
and there is much less promise of good
yield than formerly.
The outlook for all crops is very good
in Vermont, as light showers have fallen
in most districts during the week One
observer in Addison county says, "a
wonderful growing time. There is the
usual complaint of light hay crop on old
fields, but the prospect is good for large
one on new fields and low lands. Apples
are dropping slightly but the crop APP
pears very promising, the frost really
serving only to thin them out in places
Winter rye is headed out and is good.
Corn and oats are looking finely and
growing fast. More rain is needed to keep
crops growing.