Evening journal., 1904-04-13

fail and winter. Very little rain fell dur
ing tho last decade Of October; Novem-
Der was exceptionally dry and cold with
conditions decidedly unfavorable for
growth. The late wheat did not germinate
wen. much of IL did not come up at all,
while the unfavorable weather prevented
the early wheat from stooling satisfactor-
ily. Pastures became short and failed late
in the month. The ground being dry and
hard, very little faA plowing could be
done. December temperatures averaged
about degrees below normal. and pre-
cipitatlon was unedually distributed be-
ing above the normal in Delaware and
decreasing to a deficiency of inches in
western Maryland. Wheat and grasses
were poorly shielded from the rough
weather and suffered greatly. The roads
were in splendid condition for hauling
and marketing. but the ground being
frozen continually no plowing whatever
was possible. The January temperature
deficiency was greater than that Of De-
cemberS being nearly 6 degrees daily.
January 5th Coolest Day.
The lowest temperatures OF. .the winter
were recorded In most districts on the
20 degrees below zero Ia western Mary
land and resulting in the destruction Of
many peach buds in the lower levels.
Precipitation was frequent and about
normal, being mosbly in the form Of snow,
which afforded generally adequate pro-
lection to wheat and grasses except in the
southern counties. The snow was all
removed by warm rains from the 10th to
9th and vegetation was exposed to a
severe freeze that followed this brief
warm period. The weather was too severe
for any farm operations Of consequence.
Less than half of the average amount
of precipitation fell in February; the
month was continuously cold. feed was
becoming scarce In many sections and
stock showed the effects Of the hard
winter in reduced flesh and a shrinkage OF
dairy products. NDlrch was rainy, cold
and disagreeable. Vegetation did not be-
sin to grow until the last decade OF the
month, when it became evident that wheat
and grass had withstood the rigors Of the
winter better than was anticipated.
In the principal wheat growing sections.
that cereal showed decided Improvement
during the last days of the month, how
ever the condition Of the crop In the
southern counties was extremely bad.
Much OF the late sown wheat was killed
or was so thin and unpromising that il
Will be plowed up. Grasses appeared to
be in fairly good shape, though great
deal Of the fall sown crimson clover was
killed. The absence Of an extended warm
period early in the season caused trees to
remain dormant, and consequently fruit
was generally safe except that many
peach buds were destroyed in extreme
northern and western counties. Some in
jury to trees from scale during March was
reported from north-oentral Maryland. In
the same section, fattening cattle were
being sold early because Of the high price
and scarcity Of feed.
Late Flowing.
The ground did not thaw sufficiently TO
permit ploYing until the last decade of
the month, and It was still too wet, ex-
cept on high or well drained soils, until
the last days of the month. At the close
of March, clover seeding was in progress
anu some potatoes and garden truck had
been planted in southern counties. In
western MARYLAND the sugar harvest wa 4