359 

 . FEUIT. 



The season was disastrous to most of the fruits. Insect-injuries were 

 small in extent, though a considerable variety of these pests is reported 

 in different parts of the country. The meteorological conditions, how- 

 ever, were very unfavorable in many States. The recurrence of severe 

 winter temperature, after the late opening of spring, with subsequent 

 heavy frosts, caught the fruit-buds in a critical condition and wrought 

 great destruction. The severe winter had previously killed a great num- 

 ber of trees, and thus, from a series of unfortunate circumstances, the 

 fruit-yield was greatly curtailed, while those localities which measurably 

 escaped often found the high prices of transportation a serious hin- 

 derance to the disposal of their crops in the destitute' portions of the 

 country. 



Apples. — Only one State, Texas, 102, reports a full average crop of 

 apples. Arkansas, 99, nearly approximates an average, -but all the 

 other States fall below — no report being received from Ehode Island; 

 Maine, 48, reports injuries from tent-caterpillars in a few counties, and 

 a considerable decline from even the low figure of July ; Connecticut, 

 5i, has not done much better. In some parts of Vermont apples have 

 dropped considerably from the trees, greatly reducing the high average 

 previously reported to 65 ; New Hampshire, 74, has also declined, while 

 Massachusetts, 90, reports improvement ; New York, New Jersey, and 

 Delaware promise about two-thirds of a crop, while Pennsylvania will 

 discount half of hers. The marked failure is with the early fruit in 

 some counties, wliile in others fall-apples are equally scarce. Some 

 counties of Maryland had an abundance of ai^ples for home-consump- 

 tion. The yield rau low in Virginia, 58 ; North Carolina, 47 ; and South 

 Carolina, 33 ; Georgia promises about three-fourths of a crop. In many 

 isolated localities there will be an ample local supply, with limited facil- 

 ities for marketing. The April freeze was felt as far South as Central 

 Georgia. The Gulf States range from three-quarters average to over 

 average in Texas. Several localities in this region, well situ.ated for 

 market, have secured profitable crops. In the Southern inland States, 

 except Arkansas, nearly average, the condition is about half average. 

 In several counties the fruit rotted on the trees to a considerable extent. 

 North of the Ohio Eiver the condition ranges from 32 in Indiana to 66 

 in Michigan. The adverse meteorological conditions appear to have 

 been especially severe in this region. West of the Mississippi the con- 

 dition is generally better, except in Kansas, where grasshoppers injured 

 the trees as well as destroyed the fruit. The condition ranges from 30 

 in Kansas to 83 in Minnesota and Nebraska, where the fruit, not being 

 so far advanced as in more southern regions, escaped the reaction of 

 winter temperature in April. 



Peaches. — The crop of peaches in New England is considerably 

 above average in those limited areas where it is grown; New Hamp- 

 shire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut average 105. No reports from 

 the other States of this section have been received. In the peach grow- 

 ing region of the Middle States the crops have been large, especially in 

 New Jersey, 97, and Delaware, 112, and Maryland, 102 ; but New York, 

 88, and Pennsylvania, 41, embrace large areas not favored by such good 

 conditions, and consequently report very low averages. It is noticeable, 

 however, that the counties in New York reporting average crops are 

 mostly in the central portion of the State, and not geographically con- 

 nected with the peach region of New Jersey. The Atlantic coast re- 

 ports low averages — Virginia, 30 ; North Carolina, 16 ; South Carolina, 



