11 



so favorable, and becomes rapidly worse as eastern sections 

 are considered, nntil in the eastern counties almost all corre- 

 spondents report that it is all dried or burned up. In many 

 towns farmers are feeding at the barn, as in midwinter, in 

 some cases, owing to failure of forage crops, having to en- 

 croach on their winter's supply of hay. 



Small Grains. 

 Rye was a fair crop in most sections and oats about a three- 

 fourths crop. Both suffered from drought. As forage crops 

 they did fairly well, but to date have not furnished the feed 

 which they ordinarily do. Barley is practically not grown 

 except as a late forage crop. Rye is mainly grown for the 

 straw, which was reported as shorter than usual, owing to 

 the effects of drought. 



Orcuard Planting. 

 Orchard planting continues about as last year, with perhaps 

 a slight increaee in interest. Of the 117 correspondents 

 answering this question 72 report that there have been no 

 orchards set out in 1910 and 1911, 10 that a few trees but 

 no orchards have been set out, while 35 report some orchard 

 planting, ranging from 2 acres to 2,500 trees. Better care 

 and more careful spraying are the rule among our farmers, 

 and the old orchards now on our farms are receiving a great 

 deal more attention than was the case a few vears a^'o. 



