Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-06-08
CRITICAL PERIOD.
Prevailing Drought Has Wrought Much
Damage to Crops.

Boston. June S.-The weekly crop bulle-
tin Of the New England section of the
climate and crop service Of the weather
bureau says:
Another week of abnormally hot and
dry weather has been recorded. Average
number of clear days g. partly cloudy :,
cloudy o. High temperatures have pre-
vailed almost continuously, the daily de-
partures above the normal ranging from
degrees to Is degrees This report closes
with the warm wave Increasing in Sc
verify, temperature registering above 70
degrees over a lrage portion of the district,
and no immediate prospect of relief. There
has been practically no precipitation dur
ing the week. Springs ana streams are
unusually low for the season, the Con-
necticut River being at about July stage
of water. At Boston the total deficiency
in precipitation since April ! now amounts
to 10 inches.
The general situation remains practical
" unchanged from the previous report
The prevailing drought has been intensi-
fed during the week. and if anything, the
conditions are a tritle more unfavorable
at the present time. The showers which
occurred early in the week produced
growth for one or two days, but their
beneficial efforts soon passed away, and
every New England crop is now positively
suffering for rain. Meadows can not pro-
age is becoming serious. and there is gen
eral complaint of seed sproutinG poorly
and uncVenly. This is critical period
for agricultural interests, and fear is eX-
pressed this early that crops will yield be-
low the average. There is, OF course. an
oCCa sonal bright spot amid the gloom, but
the general opinion is that the drought has
wrought damage which can not he re-
trieved unless abundant rain comes soon
crops would doubtless be but partial.
Ry the help of showers. grass made
good growth the early part of the week
but it fell back and Is now In a condition
where timely rains would improved II great
ly and secure at least partial yield
" ithout the needed moisture there is eerI
reason to expect decided shortage. and
some correspondents freely predict that
there can not he a recovery this season
with all the rain necessary. Rye seems &c
he about the only promising grain. In ths
southern section II is we'll headed. oats
are coming up poorly and are making little
growth. Reports on corn are variable. lr
some sections it is doing fairly well, and lr
Maine nearly all planting is complete ed
with some early pieces already up. BY fal
the general report is that this crop Is
making hardly any growth and barely
holds its own. Hoeing is in progress in z
few southern localities.
The remarks of last week regarding fruit
continue in force Apples have a poor
show, except possibly in Rhode Island ano
Connecticut. In Maine a very light bloom
of all fruits is announced. Complaint Is
made of cherries bighting in Massa
chusetts. Caterpillars are still destructive
| in orchards. Grapes bloom well and in
diCate a large fruitage. strawberries are
about ready for marketing in the extreme
South. This crop is in preoarious condt
tion from lack Of rain. CranberrieS ar,
in fair shape, but few fire worms being
roticed Second potato hoeing is on ir
Rhode Island. Plants are up in some o.
the Maine districts. General growth con
tinues slow and uneven. Peas look we'll
setting thickly. All vegetables and garder
truck suffering.