The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-08-19
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

Government crop reports for the coun-
try at large show the largest crops on
record-three billion bushels of corn, one
and half billion bushels of oats and
one billion bushels of wheat. The esti-
mated value of the wheat is 81 ,00O, 600, :
600, and of the corn, So, 500, 900, 900.
Large crops are reported in all the wheat
growing countries, and this is the case
with food crops generally. Canada has
had unusually favorable weather and ex-
poets to realize $500, 10000 from her
grain crop Her wheat crop is esti-
mated at from 22o, 900, 900 to 100000, 900
bushels.
The latest government report esti-
mates the total crop of potatoes for the
whole United States at 431, 600, 900 BUSH
els against 4O6, 900, 900 bushels last year,
gain of about Is, 600, 900 bushels. The
yield of New York State, however, is
considerably lower than last year and
the estimated yield for New England
about 10, 900, 900 bushels less. In Aroos-
took the acreage of potatoes is said to
be from 5 to 10 per cent less than the
average of the past few years, and the
yield is estimated at Is per cent less to
the acre than that of last year. The ex-
ceptionally fine weather for the three
weeks prior to Aug. 10th had done Won
ders for the potato crop in Aroostook
county ana the vines had never looked
better; but the warm, wet weather which
followed started the rust on potato fields
which had not been thoroughly sprayed.
If the warm weather continues rot Will
strike the potato crop extensively before
digging begins. A Dexter correspond
ent reports some of the potato growers
in that section of Penobscot county as
very gloomy Owing to the low prices
last season some were obliged to hire
money and mortgage their farms to meet
their fertilizer bills which came due this
spring, and planted an increased acreage
this season hoping to make good. Now
not only are the big crops in New Jersey
and other southern States being harvest
ed at low prices, but rust has appeared
in the fields here.
Aroostook county had ideal weather
for haying and an average crop was
harvested in fine shape. The Aroostook
Times of August 18th says: "Since
July 18th the only rainy days were on
Aug. End and 9th, and local showers all
over the county and few cloudy days
did little damage to what hay was cut,
and last week, the week when the above
was written, saw the farmers cleaning
up the last of haying.'
We published last week some Maine
crop reports, summarized as follows:
Gloss of over 100000 on hay alone.
Apple crop so per cent below the aver
age. Corn In poor condition. Potato
and oat fields promise good yield. :"
These figures will have to be revised
somewhat Judging from conditions in
this section there will be greater loss
in hay, and the apple crop is practically
nil. Bangor has given up its apple show
for this year. Grain had made rank
growth, but has lodged badly and where
lodged has rotted in the warm, wet
weather. Nothing but a late warm fall
can mature the corn. Most of the hay
secured to date was in bad condition
when put into the barn and few have
been able to complete their haying. If
conditions are right for harvesting the
second crop may help out.
1t may be of interest to note that
Massachusetts, has suffered from the
heavy rains and wind to an even greater
extent than Maine. Wilfred Wheeler,
secretary of the State Board ofAgricul-
ture, who has just returned from trip
round the State; says that the potato
crop has been practically destroyed and
that the hay crop is not half that in
normal year. Other crops hit particular
ly hard are squash, cranberry and tobacco
and the outlook for the tobacco and onion,
plantations in the Connecticut Valley is
very scouraging.
''The agricultural situation in Massa-
chusetts looks very had." said Mr..
Wheeler. "We have not had such a bad
year since 1917 (the starvation year,.
The lowlands are all flooded and many of
the highland crops have been beaten
down by the wind and cut by the hail.
The hay crop in this State for normal
year amounts to SIP, 900, 900 and this year
it will be cut in halves. Much Of the
hay that has been cut will never be har-
vested and in the meadows and lowlands
the floods are so bad that it will not be
possible to cut any more hay this year.
1.-THE potato crop is ruined. l saw
farms of five acres planted with potatoes
where not leaf was showing. The ex-
cessive moisture has caused blighting
of most of the potatoes. The corn will
not amount to much, particularly fodder
corn in the lowlands. The heavy winds
of last week beat down most of the corn
that escaped the floods.
eff September is unusually mild it may
help some of the late crops and improve