Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-06
DROUGHT SWEEPS
VIRGINIA VALLEY
Dropping Orchards and With
cred CornfieldS Tell Story
of Threatened Tragedy.
Continued From First page.l

NOOhSAAAC0 AObl AAoS q So
Consequently it didn't grow. The first
cutting was low, sparse and poor OF
quality. There is almost no hope at
all of second crop, since no grass
seeds can terminate in the moistureless
soil and the old stalks are dead.
At the present writing Mr.. Hutchin-
son estimates the corn crop all over
the State is at least 20 per cent gone.
Rain in a few days may bring some Of
It back. In the intense heat, unre-
peved by rain. the corn tassels fired"
They dried up so completely that the
pollen was killed. Where this hap
pened there can be no corn for Winter
feeding. Virginia ordinarily produces
about $4,000 900 bushels of corn, gen.
orally valued at 81 bushel. If the
easily to S20,000,000. Something can
be salvaged by using the stalks for
ensilage and everything that can be
used for fodder will be very valuable
this year.
Apple Industry Seriously Hit.
One of the greatest losses threatens
TO fall upon the apple growers. This
Summer they have taken double blow.
The drought already has made certain
q greatly reduced yield. Great Britain,
where thousands of barrels of Shenan-
doah Valley apples are shipped annual
~. has put into effect stringent inn
port regulations. which greatly compli-
cate the situation. The apple trees are
the last to be hit by the dry weather.
Their roots, extending far underground,
reach moisture so long as there is any
water to be found. But they evidently
are fast reaching the end. Owners OF
big orchards, as a.last resort. are cart
ing water to their trees by the barrel
They are interested now in keeping
the trees alive This is an expensive
procedure.
When trees begin to show the effects
Of drought. say the experts at the State
Agricultural College, it must be very
bad indeed. On the college campus 1t
self cherished trees are fed barrelfuls
OF water to keep them alive. Added to
the nightmare of the apple growers is
the fear of fire Everything is dry as
finder Farm hands are forbidden to
smoke in the orchards under threat OF
instant dismissal. The owners are In
constant fear of cigarettes thrown from
passing automobiles. An apple orchard
represents a large investment and can
not be replaced except in the course OF
years. The Shenandoah Valley faces
serious threat to its position as one OF
the chief apple-growing sections OF
America.
Leaves on the apple trees are begin
ming to turn yellow. Many diseased
trees in the poorer orchards already
have died-poSsibly a blessing in dis
suise, the experts say. But the leaves,
which must have moisture If the tree
Is to hold its own, are taking that which |
Is needed by the growing apples. Con- !
sequently, these are shriveling and
many of them will be small. Ordinarily
the valleys apple crop is valued at about
. n DC ixvarOccihlp O c vet IN 1
estimate the value of this years crop, |
for good rain would work wonders, al
though it could not entirely undo the
damage already done.
Although the apple grower probably
will realize more from his crop this year
than many other farmers, he is posi- +,
bly, the most seriously hit of all over
a long period The fruit buds, that is,
the buds for the twigs which will bear
apples the next year, are formed dur |
ing June and July. This year the trees |
were having too great struggle to ind |
moisture enough to keep themselves |
alive to waste any surplus energy form |
ing buds" So the owners may en-
counter their greatest losses next year. |
Added to all this is the cedar rust |
which has been unusually prevalent on
the apple trees, sapping their normal
resistance to the drought. 1t is fun |
Suo 61IOSC oPOAEo dAC AOAhASA VA 80
cedar trees. Most of the orchardists
have protected themselves against 1T
by cutting all the red cedars within a
mile or so of their trees-about the
distance the spores ordinarily are blown
by the wind. This year they seem to
have come from a greater distance.
HorticuIturalists at the State college
don't understand just how it happened.
They think it is related in some way to
the hot weather and the drought.
Potato Crop Cut One-Third.
The potato crop of Virginia ordinarily
Is valued at about $20,o00,0O0. The
State college experts estimate that the
probable yield for this year already has
been cut one-third. II rain doesn't
come soon the reduction will be much
greater. The drought caught them In
the blooming season. Sweet potatoes
are not yet affected. Cabbage. which is
q major crop of three Southwest Viz
einia counties, has been cut from one
third to one-half. The f1rst tomato
crop was not much affected, but the
loss will be serious on the later plant
ings which ordinarily bear about the
middle of August.
Tobacco Is just beginning to show
the effects of the drought. IL
plant that thrives on moderately dry
weather. But In many fields 1t is be-
ginning to wilt. Coupled with this was
the disaster of last week In Plttsyl-
vania County, when one OF the worst
hailstorm ever known in Virginia