No. 4.] MASSACHUSETTS CROPS. xli 



weeks, or possibly more, behind the average, and fear was felt 

 that it would be necessary to put all in the silo or feed it green. 

 The drought was disastrous to the hay crop, and although the 

 quality was excellent, the quantity of the crop was much 

 below normal. Forage crops felt the effects of the drought 

 quite severely, but the rains about this time were of much 

 benefit to these crops. Market-garden crops proved rather 

 unsatisfactory, and early potatoes were very nearly a failure. 

 The drought caused disastrous dropping of fruits; apples 

 promised somewhat more than a half crop; pears a rather fight 

 crop; peaches, in general, a failure; plums a fairly good crop; 

 quinces poor; grapes a very good crop, and cranberries about 

 50 per cent. Pastures at this time were very badly dried up, 

 and farmers found it necessary to feed hay and grain. Small 

 grains were seriously affected by the drought, and where not 

 a total failure, yielded poorly. Some new apple orchards were 

 set out, but the acreage was not especially large. The returns 

 from the questions as to silos and silage indicated that less than 

 one-half of the dairy farms of the State made use of the silo, 

 and attention was called to the fact that in some localities 

 the farmers were going out of the dairy business, owing to 

 the high prices of grain and hay and feeds, and to the fur- 

 ther fact that a living price could not be secured for dairy 

 products. 



The month of August was somewhat more favorable to vege- 

 tation. Corn, although uneven, and from ten days to two 

 weeks late, promised fairly well at this time. The rowen crop 

 did not promise well, and only early cut low lands promised a 

 full crop. Late potatoes, while checked by the drought so 

 that they were somewhat late, showed a good growth of vine 

 at this time and promised a fair to medium crop, with very 

 little rot, although the blight was in evidence. The tobacco 

 crop was reported fully up to the average in quantity and 

 quality. The prospect for apples was about a 60 to 70 per 

 cent crop; pears, rather a light crop; jDcaches, a failure; grapes, 

 a good crop; quinces, fair; cranberries, rather small. Although 

 pastures were badly affected by the drought they recovered 

 during the rains of August so that they were in better condi- 

 tion than for some years past at that time. Although feed 



