No. 4.] jNIASSACHUSETTS CROPS. xxv 



late, and badly in need of warm, growing weather. SiIo>5 

 continue to gain in favor. Tiie excess of rainy Aveatlier made 

 hajing progress very slowly, but improved the crop in quan- 

 tit}^ bc3"ond what had seemed possible ; quality generally 

 good, but Avith much damage from rain. Eather more forage 

 crops than usual had been planted, and the}^ were in excel- 

 lent condition. Market-garden crops grew well, with prices 

 better than usual. Very few potatoes were dug at the time 

 of making returns, but the crop promised well, with prices 

 Avell sustained. Apples promised a good crop, though not a 

 record one ; pears light ; peaches above the average ; plums 

 fair crop ; grapes set heavily ; cranberries set well. Pastures 

 were never in better condition at the time of year. Rye, 

 oats and barley generally promised well. 



The cold nights of August retarded the corn crop still fur- 

 ther, and not more than a partial crop seemed a possibility. 

 Rowen promised a heavy crop on early cut fields, but not 

 more than an average crop on all fields. Late potatoes were 

 generally attacked by blight and rot, but w^here these did 

 not appear yielded well. The acreage of tobacco was slightly 

 increased and the crop was a fine one, though somewhat late. 

 Apples promised a good crop, but Baldwins did not promise 

 as well as other varieties ; pears very light ; peaches uneven, 

 but not far from an average crop ; grapes promised well ; 

 cranberries a light crop in south-eastern sections. Pastures 

 were generally in excellent condition. Oats were an excep- 

 tionally good crop ; barley not more than an average crop. 



The frosts of the first week of September severely injured 

 corn in many sections, and on the whole the crop was one 

 of the poorest ever secured. Rowen was somewhat below 

 an average crop, owing to late cutting of the first crop, and 

 the dull weather was very unfavorable to securing it. Less 

 than the usual amount of fall seeding had been done, but it 

 was in good condition. Onions were less than an average 

 crop, with prices very satisfactory. The yield Of potatoes 

 was shortened by rot, but not as much as had been feared. 

 Root crops were generally in excellent condition. Celery 

 was a good crop, and other late market-garden crops were 

 generally fair. Apples improved much during the month, 



