490 

 FEUIT. 



The yield of the various fruits corresponds to the low conditiou indi- 

 cated in our previous reports. The year has been mostly one of disas- 

 ter to the fruit-growers, though some parts of the country have enjoyed 

 a total or partial exemption from this injury. Late spring-frosts follow- 

 ing severe winter-freezes, with the recurrence of low temperatures in 

 April, crippled all the leading crops at the opening of the season. Insect- 

 injuries were inconsiderable in extent, though quite a variety of these 

 pests were noted at different times in different parts of the country. 

 The severe winter of the previous year had killed many of the bearing 

 trees. Those parts of the country which received good crops found the 

 high prices of transportation a great hinderance to their disposal ; so 

 that, while some communities were entirel3' destitute, others were com- 

 pelled to see their crops rot on their hands or dispose of them at uure- 

 muuerative prices. 



Grapes. — Grapes attained higher condition than either apples or 

 peaches, yet the yield equals last year only in Ehode Island, Delaware, 

 Maryland, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, and Oregon. In New England 

 early autumnal frosts shortened the crop. In some parts of New York 

 and Pennsylvania the fruit did not ripen, but turned sour; while, in 

 Virginia and South Carolina, there is complaint of late spring-frosts. 

 In South Carolina there was a tendency to rot, but the Scuppernong 

 showed its characteristic vitality in the South generally. Few specific 

 complaints came from the region south of the Ohio Eiver, Texas, or 

 Arkansas, though the yield iu several of these States was below last 

 year, Kentucky not being over two-thirds. North of the Ohio Eiver 

 and west of the Mississippi Eiver the crop was quite scanty. In the 

 southern counties there was a tendency to rot, while to the north there 

 was a failure to mature and an early recurrence of frost to cut off the 

 crop ; yet some counties report extra crops. The crop of California, 

 though full average, falls 10 per cent, short of last year in its yield. In 

 Lake County the crop was injured by the white fly. In Utah grapes 

 which escaped frost were generally tine. 



Apples. — The apple-crop yielded above last year in Ehode Island, 

 3Iis8issippi, Texas, and Arkansas. In all the other States the yield is 

 reduced, the minimum, 13 per cent., being in Ohio. The distribution of 

 disasters was quite singular and capricious ; while Ehode Island gathered 

 25 per cent, more than last year, Connecticut harvested 74 per cent. less. 

 The Atlantic slope reports a greatly diminished yield, though in some 

 counties there was an abundance of good fruit. The Gulf States do 

 better, nearly equaling their previous year's gathering. The Southern 

 inland States, except Arkansas, are all below last year. West Virginia 

 not gathering over 20 per cent, of her previous crop. North of the Ohio 

 the case is still worse, the crops ranging from 13 per cent, in Ohio to 

 62 per cent, iu Michigan. West of the Mississippi Eiver the yield is 

 larger, ranging from 3Q per cent, in Kansas, where many trees had been 

 destroyed by grasshoppers, to 89 in Minnesota. California gathered 70 

 per cent., and Oregon 93 per cent., of last year's crop. Drought injured 

 the crop in some parts of the Pacific slope. 



Pears. — This crop did not suffer quite so severely as the apples, bat 

 it falls below last year in all the States except Florida, Texas, and Ar- 

 kansas. It returned the smallest averages in West Virginia, 20 per 

 cent.; iu Ohio, 32 percent.; and in Virginia, 36 per cent. The New 

 England and Middle States and Maryland gathered at least three-fourths 

 of last year's crop; South Carolina, about half;' and the Gulf States, 



