Connecticut western news., 1909-07-15
.DROUTH HAS DONE
 LOTS OF DAMAGE
CROPS AND PASTURES SUFFER

OnOE O HND TAO OnE0 OOE LII Potato Crop is Hard Hit, While Dry
 Pastures Cause Substantial Shrink
 age of MiIk-Big Rainfall is Daily
 Prayed For.
 Signs of rain have been watched auxiously by the farmers lately as the prolonged drouth has done great damage to their crops and pastures. If prolonged and soaking downpour will have set i'll before this paper passes into our subscribers hands it will come as a boon to all who have any interest in the crops, in addition to all who have been rendered uncomfortable by the dry dusty weather of the past several weeks.
 With view to posting our readers on the condition of the various crops in this section of Litchfeld County, THE NEWS has this week taken occasion to interview number of well known farmeas i'll the territory between Shef- field and Sharon. At the time of this writing the prolonged drouth is having it's effect i'll checking the growth of the crops which were already handicapped by the backward season. The hay crop, which has been harvested during the past few days. proved not up to expecta- tions. In some places it was heavy but a light yield was reported from several localities. where the dry weather pre- vented it's attaining a full growth.
 F. H. Wilcox estimates that the shrin- kage of milk at the local Borden station since the recent dry weather has been about 9 per cent.
 Corn has been coming along nicely of late but potatoes have felt the effect of the drouth as has the oat crop also. Rye is an extra nice yield.
 One of the most serious effects of the prolonged drouth is manifested in the pastures. Growing crops can be tided over the water shortage by cultivation, which tends to conserve moisture, but pastures-and hay fields as well-must plod along on what nourishment they can coax out of the unusually dry earth. FOrehanded farmers have a soiling crop growing to overcome this sort of season. This forehanded class represent only a small percentage of the great body. In the drouth continues, the milk supply will be greatly jeopardized.
 George H. Blodgett, Ashley Falls The dry weather has come at bad time for the crops which are all backward in this section. The hay crop is being harvested and cons down rather light Corn is backward but is healthy and may mature in good shape later. Pota- toes are being hurt by the drowth and vermin have injured them to some ex- tent. Rye is an exception in that it is & first class crop. Oats are showing signs of rust.
 F. G. Dean, Maple Grove Farm, Falls Village-The potato crop here is fine; the hay crop was light, probably on ac- count of the recent dry spell and the dry weather last fall; corn is even and has a fair start; oats show an early rust that makes the prospect poor; apples and peaches promise fair crop, but not so up and feed is getting short. We need good soaking rain.
 F.. J. Emmons, Canaan ValleY-Corn is fine, the best crop of the season except garden truck; potatoes need rain-poor prospect for the early varieties unless we get It; oats are badly rusted and short; hay light crop; apples fair, but drop ping off the trees.
 W. L. Pentecost Supt Grassland Farms, Chapinyille Unless we get rain inside of a very few days the potato crop is going to suffer very materially. The tops are good but digging some hills has shown that the lack of moisture has retarded the growth of the tubers and unless rain does come, and that soon, there are going to be lot of unmarket- able potatoes. With rain the crop is Iikely to be a good one as the tubers are numerous though small. Corn pretty good but needs moisture, while the hay crop has proved lighter than that of the past few years.
 H. P. Morse, South Canaan-All the crops are looking well except the oats, which will be pretty much failure, as they have rusted badly and will be hard lY worth harvesting. Potatoes look good and corn too. The fruit crop will be con- siderably below the average.
 W. D. Sheldon, Wetaug-Potatoes have not shown any growth since June 27. We dug early potatoes then and those we dug to-day are not bit bigger, while the tops of the early varieties are already turning yellow. Hay a good growth but thin and small crop to the
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