The Season. 

 The month of May has been unusually dry, no rain 

 having fallen up to the time of going to press in many 

 sections of the State, and only scattered showers in any 

 section. The drought has checked vegetation and pre- 

 vented the germination of seeds, making replanting neces- 

 sary in some instances ; and, although the month opened 

 from ten days to two weeks in advance of the normal, it is 

 doubtful if it is now up to tlie normal in the progress of 

 farm crops. Rain is urgently needed in all sections, and 

 the prospect of the season's operations is not bright. The 

 fruit bloom was in advance of the normal in all sections. 



Pastures and Mowings. 



Fall seeding and grass of all kinds is reported to have 



wintered unusually well, and the warm weather of early 



spring gave it a good start. The drought of the present 



month has, however, practically stopped the growth of 



grass, and feed in pastures is already becoming short. 



Even with plentiful rains in future, the hay crop must be a 



scanty one, upland mowings having begun to turn brown, 



and the grass on low lands being short and thin. In this 



emergency farmers should endeavor to supply the lack in 



the grass crop by planting an increased acreage of silage 



and forage crops. 



Fruit Bloom. 



The apple bloom is reported to have been a good one for 

 a non-bearing year, as it is in most sections of the State, 

 and has not been materially injured by frost. Peaches did 

 not bloom at all in most sections, owing to damage from 

 the severe cold Aveather of last December, and many or- 

 chards suffered permanent damage from the same cause. 

 Pears, cherries and plums made a full bloom, but the bloom 

 of the latter two fruits was severely injured in many sec- 

 tions, and totally destroyed in some few. The distribution 

 of damage from frost appears to have been very une<|ual, 

 these fruits escaping entirely in many localities. The 

 earliest strawberry blossoms were also killed in many sec- 

 tions. Berries of all kinds bloomed well. 



