Evening journal., 1903-05-13
WEATHER HARD ON
CROP GROWTH
All Vegetation in Need of
Rain-Small Products Are
Failing
SOIL is BAD FOR FLOWING

SOlL IS BAD FOR FLOWING
All Fruit Except Apples viii Be Short,
But the Latter Crop Will Be Large
one-Fly Injuries Tomato Crop.
Other Notes.
The week has been cool in all dis
tricts, says the United States Climate
and Crop report for Delaware and
Maryland. Warm sunshine gave after
noon temperatures OF from 75 degrees
to over so degrees, but the cool nights
that prevailed during practically the
entire week brought the minimum tenn
peratures to 40 degrees i'm the extreme
south, and to the freezing point at
many stations in the three western
counties. A few light and insufficient
showers We're reported in the east and
south, but the interior and western
parts of the section have been without
rainfall since Saturday, the Sd Clear
skies We're the rule, with a prevailing
accompaniment of harsh winds from
the west and north.
Beyond the facilities afforded for
continuous labor. the weather OF the
week has been unfavorable for all agri-
cultural interests. The soil is I'm bad
condition for plowing, and the cool.
dry weather has been very much
against any advance IN crop growth.
All vegetation is badly In need of rain:
some small products viii fail rapidly
II the dry weather continues. and har-
dier growth must necessarily deterior-
ate If moisture is withheld much long
er, and the termination OF seed now in
the ground must also be slow and i'm
perfect
Grain and Grasses.
In the western and central counties
wheat still looks we'll on the uplands.
though its growth has been slow and
unsatisfactory; in the lowlands a bet
ter color is noted, although many
fields are still rather yellow in appear
ance. In the south and southeast the
crop is not promising, the untoward
weather conditions having begun TO
/ tell seriously in the light lands Of those
districts. In the areas Of principal pro-
duction, however. the condition is not
yet discouraging. Rye is doing fairly
well. and heads are generally reported.
Oats are still being sown I'm Garrett
county: the earlier fields are coming
to nice stands. but now need rain bad
] ly; the late sown oats are terminating
slowly; the entire acreage is consider
/ ably less than last year on account OF
! repeated checks at the usual time OF
seeding. Grasses have been hampered
| in growth by the frosty mornings and
/ general absence OF moisture. Pastures
] afI H.
show thin stands. The young clover is
also(in bad condition, and is failing
rapidly in some districts on account Of
dry weather. Crimson clover is COM
/ ing into bloom in the southern coun-
ties. Some correspondents state that
with the exception OF crimson clover
and alfalfa the first cuttings Of hay
will doubtless be light. Reports on
corn show all stages Of work in plOw-
ing. narrowing and planting. In favor
ed localities the entire crop is in, but
for the section as q whole not only
much planting remains to be done, but
a. considerable acreage is yet to be
broken by the plow Flowing is now
attended with difficulties in all dis
tricts, and has been abandoned in clay
and stiff soils until rain falls. only
corn yet shown above ground.
Tobacco Crop.
AS with other crops. the preparation
of the soil for tobacco has been la
borious and unsatisfactory, the ground
breaking I'm great clods. All beds are
doing fairly we'll; the plants that were
covered with cotton are getting rather
too large. while those uncovered or
1 protected by brush are Of moderate
size. The fly is reported in parts Of
Prince Georges county, though no
serious injury has resulted. II warm
showers occur some plants viii be set
out next week.
Injury to Fruit.
It now seems that the frosts Of Sat-
urday. May 2, added appreciably to the
injury caused on April 8 and to fruit
in parts of the northern counties. Far
ther south there is apparently a slight
i improvement i'm the outlook. No safe
estimates can yet be made, however,
beyond the fact that all fruit. except
apples, will be short. The apple crop
viii in all likelihood be a large one.
Apple and plum trees are now in bloom
in the extreme west
The Minor Crops.
Following the partially favorable
week spoken OF in last report comes
one not at all suited TO the develop
ment of the minor products of this sec
ton, and an already backward truck
season has been further belated by
low temperatures and dry weather. The
week has been entirely too cool in all
parts of the section for garden growth
which has become badly stunted con-