Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-09-13
CLIMATE AND CROP SERVICE.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE.
Report OF Condition Of Crops Throughout
Maryland For The Week Ending
August Goth

August Goth.
During the past week the nights were
cool and the days warm. The tempera-
tures, as whole. were slightly above
normal, the week beginning with about
average heat conditions, becoming grad
ually warmer until Sunday afternoon,
when decided change 10 cooler occur
red. Since then the temperatures have
been much below the normal through
out the section.
The rains reported at the close Of last
week came to an abrupt end on Tuesday
afternoon, and since then the weather
has been continuously dry in all districts.
| and much bright sunshine has prevailed.
The week has favored farming opera
tons, although field work was interrupt
ed by the rains of Tuesday, and plowing
was impossible until some days later in
places where the ground was too wet to
turn. All growing crops have been hast
ened towards maturity by the dry and
sunshiny weather, bat a rank growth, so
long fostered by wet and cloudiness, is
found in corn fields and among garden
products, so that the Tipsning stage is
being reached more slowly than might
otherwise be expected under the present
favoring conditions.
Decided advance was made in fall
wheat blowing during the week. and in
| most sections the soil was in excellent
| condition for working. Some seeding
has been done in many counties, but the
amount sown is as yet only a small part
of the entire acreage. Farmers intend
ing to sow corn ground in wheat find the
land badly grown up with grass and with
weeds, owing to the large amount OF rain
that has fallen lately, and it is believed
| that after the corn is cut it will be found
| necessary to pillow many fields before the
wheat can be put in. Seeding will be
/ general in the principal wheat growing
counties during the coming week. Corn
| continues to be the most promising crop
OF the year, and it is being helped to-
wards maturity by the dry and sunshiny
weather now prevailing. Very little has
been cut in the northern counties, but
operations will increase next week. In
the more southern counties cutting is
under way, while in the districts where
topping and stripping is done, this work
has made good progress.
The fodder thus far saved is of excel
lent quality. Pastures have had ample
rainfall for many weeks now, and con-
tinue in fine condition. while the timothy
and clover sown last spring has been
kept green and thrifty by the abundance
of moisture received. Some fall seeding
OF grasses is being done now in many
localities. The second crop of clover is
still being made in the western counties,
while in the northwest there are fields OF
millet and Hungarian grass yet to be
| har nj IN
bacco has been rapidly pushed during
the past week. and the entire crop has
been secured on few farms. This has
been very unfavorable season tor cur
ing, and many complaints of the crop
rotting in the barns have been received.
The latter part OF the past week has been
more favorable, so far as the weather
conditions are concerned. The season
has passed for peaches in the southern
counties, although some shipments are
still being made. The bulk of the crop
will have been moved in the mountain
peach belt within few days.
On the whole the season has been only
moderately satisfactory to growers, and
much of the irui, was small in size and
much damaged by rot, owing to the pre-
vailing wet weather during the period oI
ripening. Apples are still dropping in
places; the crop is generally poor in pros
pect, ranging from scarce 10 almost an
entire failure. Pears are OF good quality
but are not plentiful in any sectIon.-
Plums are still being marketed from por-
tions of Delaware. The caterpillars con-
tinue their ravages, and have been quite
destructive to fruit trees and hedges, and
in places have attacked the forest trees,
Gardens continue TO produce bountifully
but are badly choked by weeds and
!. grass. Potatoes are still yielding poorly
although some of the late varieties are
expected to turn out better than the early
crop. Tomatoes continue very short
with practically the entire crop present
on the vines in the form of green fruit
The sunshiny weather OF late has favored
ripening, but the receipts OF matured fruit
have not appreciably enlarged, and many
canneries may not open at all this season
Operations have been OF limited nature
in those now working.