Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-07-07
The Situation.

In the opening weeks OF the growing
season that any attempt to represent to
readers the situation at the time when
our columns are read, by an article neces-
sarily written several days, perhaps,
before the reading, is liable to be at
times in measure misleading. Never
theless it is at this time quite safe to
say that the drouth which was blasting
the efforts of the farmer is now broken,
but unfortunately not without leaving a
trail of serious damage behind. What
ever the rainfall or the weather in store
for us the remainder of the season that
damage cannot all be repaired.
Grass and clovers where they came
out from their winter covering of snow
never were in better condition or gave
better promise for bountiful crop at
the harvest. This promising continu-
ed till the drouth began to show its
effect. The entire absence of rainfall
from the middle of April to the 10th of
June with drying winds and scorching
sunshine for most of that time was more
than even grass could bear. On the
naturally dry soils all growth ceased and
the grass earlier started was dried to 4
crisp and crumbled under the feet in
passing over it. The earlier varieties
common to such lands made but stunt
ed growth, hardly enough to be found in
the harvest. Old mowings, whatever
the soil, are also in like condition.
These fields cannot recover to any con-
siderable extent however bountiful the
rain from now out. Fortunately, how
ever, the great bulk of the hay crop is
not largely dependent on that kind of
lands.
Grass fields recently seeded and in
fertile condition are making better
promise, though in that case the growth
was greatly dwarfed, and for days before
the needed rain was Forthcoming had
substantially ceased growth. But fields
of such grasses have time in our state to
make an important recovery by a new
growth before the season of maturity
will call for the mower. In this respect
up here in Maine we have an advantage
over the southern sections of New Eng
land and the adjoining drouth-stricken
states in that the grasses here are later
by two or three weeks and have moro
chance and more time for recovery.
But while there is chance for measure
of recovery with the better fields of
grass, the fact remains that the hay crop
of the state will be greatly reduced in
consequence of the drouth, and the
situation is only aggravated by the near
by states being worse of than we are.
The proportion of damage to the hay
crop cannot now be told for the reason
that the measure of recovery lisa this
time unknown. The writer has known
the hay crop of Maine to nearly double
in quantity after the first of July.
But loss to the hay crop is by no
means all the damage from the dr0uth.
Grain of the later sowing on dry lands
has failed to terminate. Corn to wide
extent has failed to come up, or has lain
dormant in the dry earth so long that 1t
will be late in its growth, While many
acres were not planted till after the rain
fell. Worse than with the corn is the
fact that to great extent potatoes have
rotted in the ground for want of the
needed water to start them into growth.
So late as the middle of the month these
are being planted over, or the vacant
rows being renewed with beans. The
damage to the intended crop cannot fail
to be large. The potatoes that found
moisture enough to start them intol
growth have come up weak and pindiing
with slender stalks and small LEAKAGE.
The outlook for these two main crops OF
the farms all over the state is decidedly
at this Goth of June. While
a measure of the present unfavorable
condition may be made up by favorable
heat and moisture later on, yet full crops
are out of the question for the present
wear. The damage to the farms of New
England has been estimated as high as
S7O, 900, 900, and present appearances
indicate that even this vast sum is 10"
estimate.
Since preparing the foregoing review
we have made an extended trip through
the south western quarter of the state,
and are obliged to say that the unpromis-
inc condition of the hay crop can hardly
be exaggerated. On the lighter soils
over acres and acres there is scarcely
any grass showing, while on the stronger
claws clover is heading out at six inches
TO foot in height.
We are aware that with plenty OF rain
and heat great improvement will appear,
but at the best the first cutting of hay
will be light in the extreme throughout
Maine and the rest of New England
Maine Farmer.