14 



summer silo, although it is excellent insurance against pos- 

 sible drought later, and farmers who have suffered heavily 

 by the recent droughts would do well to bear this in mind 

 in planning for future seasons. Fall seeding, where done 

 early, has wintered fairly well, although some is reported 

 winterkilled. 



Feuit Bloom. 

 The fruit bloom, although late, is generally reported to be 

 about normal, with the exception of peaches, the buds of 

 which were, as a whole, quite badly winterkilled. At the 

 time of reporting, many correspondents in about all sections 

 state that the bloom is not sufficiently advanced to definitely 

 predict as to the crop, this denoting that the bloom is rather 

 late. Small fruits evidently promise well. Although some 

 damage was done by the excessive cold during the winter, 

 there have been no frosts to do injury since the bloom started. 



IXSECTS. 



While the cold, wet weather has been a hindrance to the 

 normal development of vegetation, it has at the same time 

 acted as a check to the multiplication and activity of most 

 of the insect pests. In many sections the insect damage has 

 not 3"et been sufficiently marked to cause any comment. In 

 the eastern half of the State the gypsy and bro^^m-tail moths 

 are as usual doing much damage, and are continuing to ex- 

 tend their territory. By far the most damage at the present 

 time, according to the reports, is being done by the tent 

 caterpillar. Old wild cherry trees along walls and fences, 

 which form a favorable and natural harbor for these pests, 

 should be destroyed. The San Jose scale is doing consid- 

 erable damage, but is being more consistently combated each 

 3'ear; and the elm-leaf beetle and currant worm are also in 

 evidence. Cutworm damage is reported, but not to such an 

 extent as in 1911. 



Planting. 



Owing to the backward season and scarcity of help plant- 

 ing is much behind, some correspondents reporting that 

 nothing but a few early vegetables had been put in at the 



