The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-09

soWn mad 1alled to come up or burned
down by the drought. John H. Webb,
who owns one Of the largest and best
farms in the town, was interviewed in
regard to the outlook He says that
he usually cuts about 20 tons of hay
yearly. If the rain comes soon he
kinks, from the present state Of his
helds, that he can cut from IS to 40
tons. His rye, of which he raises a
large quantity, is doing exceedingly
well, but his garden truck is doing
nothing. In regard to his corn crop he
reports that with plenty of rain soon
ne Will expect a good crop. Charles X.
Watson, who has fine farm on Foster
MIL, and generally cuts from 40 to 50
tons OF hay, is holding on to what hay
ne has in stock now, refusing to sell at
any price, as he fears he will not raise
enough to keep his stock through the
winter, unless there Is rain very soon.
The Spy correspondent took a ride
through the farming district yesterday
afternoon and this morning, and inter
viewed several Of the farmers. The re-
ports from all were substantially the
same as from Messrs. Webb and Wat
son, and it did not require their asser-
ton to convince him that rain and
plenty Of 1t, wee necessary for the
farmers to have crops of any descrip-
ton this year
At the town farm, Warden GIadding
states that his cattle are unable to find
sufficient feed in pastures which were
never known to fail before, and he is
obliged to feed them hay at the barn
every night. Others state that their
cattle return to the barn at night
ragged out from running over the past
ures in search Of grass and water.
Many are feeding hay, and the value
OF cows has deprecated nearly one
half.
The great drought of the nast few
weeks is playing terrible havoc with
the crops all through North BrookfieId
ana vicinity, and the farmers of this
ana nelghboring towns are a worried
lot. North BrOokfeld is in many re-
spects the market for the hill towns #
oakham and New Braintree, and it IS
here that the sturdy husbandmen of
these villages dispose of much of the
produce of their farms. But this year
they are not worrying themselves
about finding a ready market, but
about obtaining the prices which indi-
cations hint they will be obliged to ask
In order to get a living out of the
farms. About every crop is SUFFERING
Tor want of moisture. and vegetables
of all kinds are away in arrears Tha
potato crop will be identified by a
cipher unless the weather man and
Jerry Simpson can fix up a deal in the
immediate future. The earth is drv
and parched, and except in the best
regulated farms there is almost moth
ing to show for the hard work put in
by the farmers during planting time.
Many Of the farms are almost an arid
waste, how many can best be told by
the few exceptions. One of these is the
farm known as the old Hill place on
the East Broolield road, now cared
for by Zachary Taylor, and which
shows evidence Of thrift and industry
all over Mr.. Taylor raises everything
from a gooseberry to watermelon.
and by constant care and attention, has
managed to keep his crops in fairly
good shape. The Stoddard farm in East
Brookfield is another that thrivcs de-
spite the adverse circumstances. but
farther from the town limits where
there are no facilitieo for watering the
plants, the land cUit aters are having
& hard time to decide where they are
at.
The long continued drought in
Southbridge has now almost entirely
ruined the hay crop, many Of the fields
having been burnt up to an extent that
leaves nothing to be cut. Other fields
are not so badly burnt and the small
crop of hay may pay for the cutting
of it. Other crops are damaged to
large extent, although not gone far
enough but that a little rain at the
present time would prevent entire rum.
Potatoes have come up, but are very
broken in the fields, as many hills
have skipped and failed to appear ct
all. Corn is just coming up. However,
If rain does not come in large quaint
ties before long, the farmer might as
we'll give UP all hope. The local farm
ers say that for a distance Of eight
inches down. the earth is as dry and
dusty as it is on the top The heavy
shower Of Wednesday night made no
effect on the dry soil, and could not
be noticed Is minutes after the shower
passed over.
In Sutton the drought has already
reduced the hay crop one-half. If there
is not rain soon, some fields will not
pay the cost Of moving. The grass IS
so dry at the roots that many fields
could be burned over, and some lawns
already have bare spots. The gardens
also suffer, though not yet to so great
an extent. Early potatoes are ruined.
Some farmers are suffering greatly
and others in a moderate degree who
count themselves fortunate.
In Hubbardston the grass crops ar=
ruined, many mOwings which formerly
yielded good products, not being So
productive as pasture land. Some grass
is going to seed and drying clear to the
roots. The crop of hay will not be one
quarter as large as usual and other
crops are suffering in comparison.
All vegetation Is suffering in
Shrewsbury in consequence of the long
continued dry spell. Hay has advanced
TO $50 a ton, and is climbing. The
sprinkling Of rain Wednesday was but
an aggravation to the crops. The hay
crop viii not be over a half the usual
amount, and the vegetable crop has
been retarded and reduced. Even
should rain come now. it could not ma
terially aid the hay crop.
In Barre the effects produced by the
absence Of rain are very serious and in
many cases disastrous; the hay crop
will not be half as large as that of
either Of the two preceding years, and
in old fields win be almost a failure, in
many cases the grass being entirely
killed. Hay. which two weeks agu
could not find q purchaser at so a ton,
is now being drawn by livery men and
others who have 10 buy and the price
is from S12 to S15. according 10 quail
ty. 1t has been very fortunate for
farmers who have had their barns well
stocked with old hay that they have
had something to fall back upon for
feed for their farm stock, az the pas
lures have literally dried up and in o.
der to maintain their milk supply for
the Boston market. a large amount Of
grain has been fed. Lawns have suf-
fered severely, the turf in many places
looking as brown as in November; veg
citation is in bad condition, garden and
field crops exhibiting less than half .
growth, and in many cases seed failed
to terminate and the ground has been
replanted or ploughed up for a different
crop; oats. which should show a growth
of a foot or more, are but a few inches