Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-05-20
wEArne. AND caops.
Another week with Almssi an Eetire Absence
Of Rain.

Boston. May 1o.-The New Englan0
section Of the United States department
Of agriculture issues the following crop
bulletin for the past week:
The weather In New England for the
week ending May IS. 1896. has been
Cleasant, with warm days but cool
nights. and with practically no rain
| fall The observers at Voluntown,
| Conn.,. and Greenfield Hill, Conn. report
| .21 inch and IA inch Of rain, respectively,
| on the 18th, but at no other place has
there been over 1-10th inch during tho
week. and over a large part OF Maine
and Vermont no rain fell. At Storrs.
Conn. only half an inch of rain has
fallen In six weeks; at Eastport, Me-,
the total fall since April is 105 inches;
ct Grafton. N. H.. there has been TO
rain for so days. In parts Of Maine and
Vermont the report is that there has
been no warm spring rain. Frosts were
Experienced in most OF the northern
states and In eastern Massachusetts or.
the 18th. but no damage Is feared, ex-
cept in Coos county. N. II. There some
injury is thought possible.
The week has been very favorable for
farm work In Maine. and much has been
done throughout the state. A good warm
| rain is badly needed to give crops good
growth on uplands. and to warm up the
ground on lowlands in the north, where
they are too cold and wet for seed. Cool
Hinds and frosty nights are reported
from western and central counties, some
damage being done to early garden
1.,, IA 4.
1sth. In eastern Maine tine week has
been much warmer than usual. There
has been practically no rain in the state
during the week, and the grass espe-
oiaiiy Is suffering. Some stock has been
turned to pasture, but the feed is low.
sowing and planting is well under way
in the central and southern counties.
Pears. pluins and cherries are in full
ioom. except in the north. Apples are
opening and indicate large blossom.
Hardly enough rain has fallen in any
part of New Hampshire during the weeh
to lay the dust. and in some sections
there has been none of amount for a
month Most correspondents report
pastures In a fairly good condition, and
that grass in fields has set well. But
grass. with most other crops, is practi-
ttily al Il SldUpSiIIi on All Dut lils Ntt-
test lands. Newly seeded pieces espe-
cialiy are showing the want VI rain. The
days have been warm, and the nights
cool Light frosts are reported from
central counties on the 18th and 18th,
but TO damage was done The cool
nights have lessened the injurious ef-
fects of the drought. Apple. plum and
pear bloom is past its height in south
x.f-1 -1,au 4. t.,
tins well; apples very full. but pears are
not so promising. Blueberries and
whottleberries show a very full bios
som. The blueberry caterpillars are re-
ported to be doing much damage In
Iirookline. Hillsboro county.
In many places in Vermont, grass Is
not looking so we'll as it did week ago,
ard all correspondents report that rain
must be had for its proper growth, and
for the termination and growth of field
crops. The weather has been very pleas
ant, and farm work has been pushed
along. The large bulk of the early
planting Is done in most parts of the
rtate, though there is still much seed
10 be put in. The days have not given
IN excess Of heat. while the nights have
been generally cool. with frosts on the
18th, 18th and 18TH 1t is not thought
that damage has been done. Apple and
plum trees are in blossom \ CORE
spondent in Chttenden reports an un-
usually full apple bloom
The days have been generally clear
and warm in Massachusetts during the
weeh while the nights have been cool.
with light frost in eastern counties on
the morning of the 18th. No damage.
Less that l-l0th inch of rain has fallen
in any portion of the state. and in many
places the lack of rain is getting to be a
serious matter. On high land grass in |
fields does not look so well as il did a
week ago, and feed in pastures is getting |
short. and cattle have to be fed from the
harms. In the low valleys, grass. oats.
and rye look well, but on the sandy soils
of the cape. especially, the lack of rain |
Is badly felt 1t is too dry to plow to |
Good advantage. Yet much is being done. |
ana forage crops being put in in expec-
tation OF short hay crop. Streams are |
very low for the season. and cisterns are
giving out Very high, drying winds |
nave prevailed on several days. Ounce |
trees and blueberry bushes are showing |
iuil bloom. Tobacco beds are showing
Very well. generally. Apple, cherry. |
plum and small fruit setting full crop in |
Bristol county. The first named is con-
sideTed nearly past injury from frosts.
unioss Ii IS very severe. DR.. Fisher of |
FitohburS reports the full apple bloom
on the llth. II days earlier than the
average for 40 years, and has been eX-
ceeded only twice in that time: it was
on the 9th in 1894. and on the 10th in 1883
me water has been drawn off the cram
berry boGs in Barnstable county. and
the vines are in fine condition. Fire
worms are troubling some bogs that
have not been under water.
Very light showers came in souther,
1hode Island on the 11th. 14th and 15th
and in northern on the 10th, but hardly
more than trace fell in any place. All
correspondents report rain badly needed
sor grass and grain Pastures are short.
cats start slowly: small streams are GET
ting dry, and many are waiting for rain
before planting to any extent. The cor
respondent in southern Washington
county reports the loss of 10000 straw
hpriV "a MT hx. 70