Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-26
STATE AUDITOR:
Roy L. Wardwell
Moisture Damage to Crops.

moisture Oama9o to drops.
A woeful tale comes from the farm
yers Of Massachusetts,. The same condi-
itions are true to some extent in Maine,
we have reason to believe, but we hope
nre not as serious as the following from
tho Boston Transcript would indicate:
Because Of the excessive moisture
during the past three weeks, less than
sixty per cent Of the hay now cut or
standing will be marketed, according to
estimates made by the State Board Of
Agriculture today. Although there had
been only nine days of rain, with a fall
OF four inches. up to Saturday night
much less than during the correspond
ing period Of last year-State officials
declare that the excessive moisture in
the air, which has been prevalent
throughout the month, will damage or
even spoil the hay which has been
standing or cut. There is scarcely any
hay in the State, according to Secre-
tary Wilfred Wheeler of the State
board. which has been cut and dried
without having been wet, and today
there are tons Of 1t down in the fields
and the farmers have not been able to
get 1t in.
Only this morning, Mr.. Wheeler said,
several formers came into his office and
told him that they had from seven to
fifteen tons down and they are unable
to put 1t under cover until some dry
weather sets in. The excessive mois-
ture in the air is even worse than few
days Of rain, said Mr.. Wheeler, and it
is on this account that a great deal Of
hay. which has not been cut, is becom-
ing damaged.
III this weather prevails, a great
part Of our hay crop will be made use
less" he said. "A wetting such as has
occurred within the past three days is
liable to take at least S. per ton off the
value OF the hay, and should 1t be re-
peated 1t Is easy to see that the hay
may even become ruined. The first
crop Is. OF course, the most important
OF all the hay crops, as 1t is essential
for the horses who need the coarse
food"
Added to the outlook for a poor hay
season is the fact that the corn crop is
going to be very light this season, so
that 1t looks as though the dairymen
arc going to be hard put this next win
ter finding fodder enough to keep the
cattle through the long months in
which they cannot forage for them
selves. AS an example of Row light the
corn crop will be. is the statement from
the farmer at the Medfield ASYLUM
who declares that he will be able to fill
only two silos this year. although he
ordinarily fills four. This state of af-
fairs. said Mr.. Wheeler, is also due to
the moisture and a very late spring.
Mr.. Wheeler declared that he was sur
prised to find so little and such poor
corn as he had seen this year. The
eating corn. he said, will furnish a fair
~ good crop.
Hay and corn are not the only crops
which have been affected by the
weather. as almost everything is liable
to be disturbed to some extent by ex-
cessive dampness. Mr.. Wheeler de-
clared that the apple crop in the Har-
ward section-that which furnishes the
best apples IN the State-is also being
strangely affected by the excessive
moisture. Through some queer chem
ical action. great many of the apples
are becoming rusted. This has been
caused by the inability Of the apple
growers to find dry weather during
which they might spray their trees.
The result has been that the fruit has
become burned and much Of it has be.
come cracked. A spell Of dry weather
n about the only thing that viii, sovo
many Of these crops.