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STORMS. 
_ Kendall county, Texas—On the éve of the 19th we were visited by a hail 
and wind storm, which injured all kinds of grain, unroofed houses, uprooted 
trees, and doing much other damage. Some of the hail-stones weighed from 
one to four pounds. The storm embraced a belt of about 14 miles from north 
to south, exhausting itself in the Gulf of Mexico. 
Whiteside county, Tennessee—A severe hail-storm on the 6th instant— 
stones of the largest size, averaging 132 inch in diameter; none smaller than 
half inch, and many as large as two and a half inches in diameter. 
The shower continued for 12 minutes. accompanied with heavy rain and continued 
thunder. The atmosphere had a yellowish green appearance. Thermometer 
fell 22° in 30 minutes. In extent this storm was very limited, covering a®area 
of about four miles in width, and fell among the mountains for about five miles ; 
consequently the damage to crops was but slight. 
Morgan county, Georgia—The great freshet, accompanied by wind and hail, 
which swept over this county on the 12th of May, seriously injured crops, and 
washed many acres of land away into thé bottoms of rivers and creeks. It 
washed up and buried with sand several acres of my best cotton land. 
CONDITION OF CROPS. 
Tatnall county, Georgia.—There has been a considerable increase in acreage 
planted in corn the present season and less of cotton. The raising of rice 
sufficient for home consumption is now attracting the attention of farmers, and 
the prospects are very promising. Land that will produce from eight to ten 
bushels of corn to the acre will yield double the quantity of rice. Prior to the 
late war we could purchase rice at four cents, consequently the farmers in this 
section of country could well afford to purchase; but now they find it more 
rofitable to raise it than to purchase at 12 cents per pound, which is about the 
average price. 
Pike county, Mississippi—This year much more attention has been paid to 
the raising of vegetables, and our gardens are in prolific bearing. Some of the 
seeds received from the department are proving great additions to our varieties. 
The breadth of land in corn is greater than usual and it is promising well. 
About the same acreage, or nearly so, is planted in cotton as last year ; 
so far it is promising. The distinctive feature of the present crop is that, with 
the exception of meat, the county will raise everything that it will consume; 
the cotton will be its surplus. 
SHEEP. 
Berkshire county, Massachusetts—In April many sheep were lost from grub 
in the head, and general weakness, the latter probably the result of long con- 
finement. 
Vinton county, Ohio—Our loss in sheep has been from grub in the head. If 
any of your correspondents know a remedy we would like to know it. 
Giles county, Tennessce.—The dogs, “ curs of low degree,” have played havoc 
with the sheep. Oh for a dog law! A neighbor of mine lost 35 fine south- 
downs in one night, among them two bucks worth $100 each, either one worth 
more than all the dogs in the county. 
THE DAIRY. 
Orleans county, Vermont.—The dairy business is the leading interest, and is 
gradually increasing. We keep more cows and keep them better than formerly. 
'l'wenty-five years ago 100 pounds butter to a cow was called a good yield ; 
now 200 and even 250 pounds to a cow are sold from a dairy of 10 or 20 cows. 
But little cheese is made in this county. 
