343 



West Virginia, 89 ; Kentucky, 87. The leading cause of this low con- 

 dition was drought, which was partially alleviated in the northern coun- 

 ties before the crop was entirely destroyed. 



All the States north of the Ohio River show depressed condition, 

 though the great corn States, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, are more prom- 

 ising than in September, 1873. Drought, heat, hot winds, and chinches 

 are alleged as causes of the depression. Several counties report very 

 superior crops. This region, as a whole, will probably fall 15 per cent- 

 short of an average. 



West of the Mississippi E-iver the crop has met with terrible disasters 

 from drought, chinches, and grasshoppers, of which some idea may be 

 formed from the subjoined notes of correspondence. Minnesota and 

 Iowa seem to have nearly weathered their diificulties, but in Missouri, 

 Kansas, and Nebraska they fell with crushing weight upon the corn 

 crops. Our correspondence from these States reveals a wide-spread 

 destruction in many counties, giving rise to grave apprehensions of dis- 

 tress among the farmers. This region will not, as a whole, make over 

 seven-tenths of a crop. 



On the Pacific coast California reports a prospect of 5 per cent, above 

 average, and Oregon full average. 



Maine. — Penobscot : Season favorable. York : Two weeks late ; weather favorable. 

 ■Oxford : Growth good, but two weeks late; injured by frost August 3. Androscoggin : 

 Backward; in danger of early frosts. Piscataquis : Will be poor unless frost holds off. 

 Franklin : Small and late. 



New HAMrsHiRE. — Merrimack: Backward; mostly in the milk; slight frost August 

 24. Hillsboro': Backward, but looks well. Carroll: Backward and green ; will be safe 

 if frost holds off till October. Sidlivan : Acreage decreased; crop late. Cheshire: In- 

 jured by drought, and slightly by frosts August 23 and 25. Ilockingham : Late and 

 backward. 



Vermont. — Lamoille : Season wet and cold ; all crops backward. Caledonia : Still 

 very late ; frost in some sections did some damage. Grand Isle : Suffered from wet 

 and cold. liutland : Late. FranMin: Just fit to roast. 



Massachuse'its. — Franklin : Very backward ; a warm September necessary to a 

 sound crop. Berkshire : Reduced to half a crop by cool, wet weather, 



CoxNECTicuT. — Xew London : Kept back by rain. Litchfield : Large growth, but 

 ears are not filling well ; backward and in danger of frost. 



New York. — Steuben : White frost August 3. Allcganij : Green ; cool nights. 

 Dutchess : Badly injured by drought at earing time; ears not coming out well. Erie : 

 Average, but late. Franklin : Late spring. Otsego : Needs a warm September to ma- 

 ture. Albany: A failure through wet, cool nights. Columbia: Light crop; very un- 

 favorable season. Rensselaer: Poor crop ; drought. Schoharie: Late. *S'cHeca : drought 

 threatened. Cattaraugus : Dryest August for seven years. Delaware : No rain for four 

 weeks. Genesee: Suffering from drought. Livingston: Suffered severely from drought ; 

 many stalks have no ears on them. Montgomerg : Backward ; cool nights. Warren : 

 Cool nights. Washington : Light ; cool nights. Jefferson : The dry August has brought 

 the crop to average. Sullivan: lujured by drought. Monroe: Shortened by drought. 



New Jersey. — Hudson : Wonderfully improved. Gloucester : Severe drought. Salem: 

 Reduced to a half crop by drought. Warren : Promising. 



Penxsylvaxia. — Butler : Light crop. Clearfield : Late, but looks well. Lehigh : 

 Grew wonderfully during August. Northampton : Very promising. Perry : Drought. 

 Snyder: Never fairer or larger than this year. Warren: Too dry to fill well. Lawrence: 

 Shortened a third by dry, cool weather. Indiana: Promising. Pike: Drought. Tioga: 

 Very fiue in spite of the dry, cool season. Washington : Early plantings ripening fast; 

 late plantings need another good rain and good fall weather. Bucks : Too far matured 

 to be injured by drought. Westmoreland : Looks well, but is late and in danger of 

 frost. Lancaster: Less promising ; drought. Armstrong: Injured by storms. Beaver: 

 Drying up ; ears small and not well filled. 



Delaware. — Sussex : Greatly shortened by drought. 



ALiRYLAXD. — Dorchester: Shortened by drought. Frederick: Injured by early 

 drought, but will compare with last year. Worcester : Shortened by cool weather in 

 August. Calvert: Suffering from drought. Queen Aiine : Shortened by drought one- 

 half. Washington: Short in some places. Wicomico: Shortened by drought and the 

 borer. 



Virginia. — Alexandria: Fodder-corn badly damaged by drought. Bedford: Abun- 

 dant rains will raise the yield to average. Fluvanna: General yield 10 per cent, short, 

 but fair on good lauds. King William : Finest crops for years. Middlesex : Small, but 



