364 Ninth Annual Report of the 



fruits, excopting apples, made vijrorous pfrowth. The two weeks 

 of cool showery weather following still further delayed late grain 

 and hay harvest, and maturing crops made slop growth, although 

 innny central and western districts escaped the showers and re- 

 ported a drouth. The second growth of clover was unusually 

 good, and the greater part of this crop cut by the 20th. Some 

 Fall plowing had begun by the l.^th; some tobacco was cut, 

 although the harvest in general was later than usual. Oats har- 

 vest was well under way by the third week, and some fodder corn 

 was cut by the end of the month. Oats, although heavy, were 

 badly lodged, causing deterioration in the crop and delay in the 

 harvest. Early potatoes were blighting badly; late potatoes were 

 much more promising. Hops improved slightly; picking the 

 earlier varieties began the last week. Pastures afterfeed con- 

 tinued excellent and dairy interests very satisfactory. Apples 

 continued to drop and otherwise the crop was defective; other 

 fruits were very promising. Near the middle of the month some 

 orchardists were obliged to thin their peach trees of fruit. 



September temperature was about normal — the weather being 

 exceptionally dry, with warm, bright days but cool nights. The 

 unusually warm weather continued up to the last decade, but was 

 followed by cool weather, with light frosts on the 21st-22d, which 

 caused some slight damage to buckwheat and to late corn and 

 gardens. "The dry weather was exceptionally favoraible for finish- 

 ing up late harvest and securing corn fodder, buckwheat and late 

 second clover, but with the exception of the period from the 19th 

 to the 26th when copious showers occurred over all but western 

 sections, the protracted drouth was causing serious delay in fall 

 sowing, especially in the western part of the State where the rain- 



