JULY © 
TH 
E 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
five per cent, larger—chiefly Turkey, Fultz, 
Red May, aDd Alabama May. Oats are good; 
fifty per cent, better than last year ; acreage 
not so large. Prospect for corn first-rate and 
acreage larger than last year's. If the season 
continues as at present we shall have an im¬ 
mense crop. Orchards, though young, are 
doing extra well; we shall have some apples, 
some pears and a good crop of peaches. Straw¬ 
berries and gooseberries are plentiful and good: 
blackberries and raspberries mostly winter- 
killed. Potatoes are doiog finely ; in fact, 
Early Rose are already in use. Garden vege¬ 
tables are lBte but doing very well. . 1 . s. o. 
Parsons, Labette Co , .Tune 23.—Harvest se¬ 
cured. Wheat averages five bushels of No. 4 
Winter. Oats better than usual. Corn has been 
growiog first-rate under a hot drought. Till 
last night all districts in the corn belt have 
had rain enough,and didn't we get it last night! 
Another rain like tbiB in the middle of July, 
and Kansas promises, as in 1869, to beat the 
world of corn. J. b. 
Urbana, Neosho Co., June 34.—Ten per 
cent, more wheat was sown than last year ; 
but it will not be half a crop—Lima, Fulfz and 
a nameless bearded sort. Oats a fair crop; 
rye good, but only a little Bown. Corn pros¬ 
pect good. Apples and pears scarce. Small 
fruits plentiful. J. m. a. 
Louisiana. 
Logtowv, Ouachita Parish, June 34.—No 
small grains, except oats, are sown in this 
parish, and these only in small patches for the 
purpose of feeding green to our work-stock in 
cultivating our staples, corn and cotton. The 
planters usually sow wbat are called rust-proof 
oats, and generally find that our heavy dews, 
followed by hot suns, impair the reputation 
implied by this name. Our lauds in the river 
bottoms are altogether too rich for small 
grains, producing large straw and no seed. 
Fully ae great an acreage of corn (if not 
greater) has been planted as last year, and yet 
the present prospect is that we shall not har¬ 
vest nearly aB much. This Spring was very 
backward and unfavorable for pitching our 
crops. The 1st to the 10th of March usually 
finds the bulb of the corn planted. This year 
it was not finished by the corresponding dates 
in April. Cotton planting was. therefore, nec¬ 
essarily quite late, made so in part by contin¬ 
ued rain6, and planters have " been rushed " 
to get their cotton iu and cleaned and brought 
to a stand, even to the neglect, to some extern, 
of the working of the corn crop, in fact, we 
are greatly in the grans, and shall be for some 
days. To add to onr troubles, the seventeen- 
year locusts, 8 m they are called, have destroyed 
much of the cotton already chopped out, by de¬ 
positing their eggs in the stalk, which necessi¬ 
tates extensive replanting in this section, and 
I am unable to state to what extent the dam¬ 
age has been done throughout the parish, but 
1 suppose that their ravages are general. The 
frost of the night of April 1st last was disas¬ 
trous to our entire fruit crop, Including apples, 
pears, plums, quinces, pomegranates, figs and 
peaches. The last mentioned were generally 
killed, with now and then an exception in a 
sheltered situation; but even the fruit which 
has matured is faulty and without flavor. Thi6 
remark applies to the hardier as well as to the 
more tender kinds. Of late yeare onr people 
have paid much attention to the cultivation of 
all kinds of fruit, both small fruits, so-called, 
and those cultivated in your latitude, with the 
exception of cherries, currants and gooseber¬ 
ries, to which the climate is not adapted. The 
loss makes a fearful deduction from the sum 
total of home comforts. Our section is partic¬ 
ularly favorable to the cultivation of strawber¬ 
ries, raspberries, blackberries, grapes and 
and peaches. Our strawberry season com¬ 
mences generally about the middle of March 
and continue, to the middle of May or first of 
June- With a judicious selection of varieties 
with reference to succession and the power of 
the later varieties to resist the effects of heat, 
it is quite possible that two or three months 
more might be added to the Southern straw¬ 
berry season. Suppose some, of your North¬ 
ern nurserymen and cullivators should at¬ 
tempt the solution of the problem, f. a. h. 
Maine. 
Portland, Cumberland Co., June 24.—We 
have had a very backward season, but wheat, 
oats, barley, rye, etc., are looking well; acre¬ 
age about the same as last year. The variety 
of wheat chiefly sown is Lost Nation. The 
prospect for corn is not very good owing to 
the cold weather we have been having. The 
acreage is very much larger than last year. 
The prospect for orchard fruits is very prom¬ 
ising for the “ off” year. There are not many 
of the small fruits grown in this section ex¬ 
cept strawberries which promise well, although 
the grub worms are more numerous than they 
have ever been, and are destroying many 
plants. j, w. a. 
Maryland. 
Easton, Talbot Co.—The usual acreages of 
wheat and oats. No barley, or rye of any 
amount. Wheat, mostly Fultz and Mediter¬ 
ranean The prospect for corn is only medium, 
with the usual acreage planted; will compare 
favorably with last year. The peach and ap. 
pie crops are only about one-third of what 
they were last year, some large peach orchards, 
off the water courses, having no fruit at all. 
Berries a fair crop. a. b. b. 
Michigan. 
Hart, Oceana Co., June 34.—From May 14 
to June 13th we bad no rain. It became very 
dry and everything suffered. During the past 
week we have had several good rains and veg¬ 
etation is beginning to look better. The grass 
iB very poor and pastures were much withered. 
Fodder for next Winter promises to be scarce 
and farmers are selling off their young stock. 
Twc-year-olds bring from $20 to $35. Those 
who mulched their strawberry beds or have 
had a chance to irrigate them, will have a 
good yield of this fruit. It i6 surprising how 
much water this berry will take while grow¬ 
ing. Having a brook that I could tui a on to 
my bed, I have had a chance to see its wonder¬ 
ful capacity for moisture. Both the foliage 
and fruit show the benefit derived and no signs 
of the dry weather. This Spring, some of our 
farmers had agaiu to learn the lesson, “ never 
to hold on to a crop when you can get a good 
paying price for it." Potatoes were at 80e. to 
QOcaud dropped suddenly to 50cand then lower. 
One man, after drawing a full load to town, 
refused 80c., for he felt sure of a dollar in a 
few days, and so stored them in a cellar. He 
has since sold them to the same man for L5c. 
per bushel. Some have began cutting clover. 
From the looks of most fields one would judge 
our farmers have yet to learn when to begin 
haying. Too much is lost by delays. A. n. b. 
Pbtobkby, Emmet Co.—Ours is a new coun¬ 
try ; six years since it was covered by an un¬ 
broken wilderness at which time it was first 
thrown open to settlement and although the 
land has all been taken, much yet remains un 
cultivated, their being yet but from ten to one 
hundred acres cleared on each quarter section; 
soil, deep sandy loam. The acreage sown 
and planted Is increasing from year to year. 
Wheat, with few exceptions, promises a good 
yield, as do oats and peas. Winter wheat, 
Fultz, Clawson and Diehl; Spring wheat, 
White Russian. Rye but little grown; what I 
have seen looks poorly. As much corn as 
usual was planted and it promises well. Small 
fruits in abundance.; I have never seen any 
sectiou produce them more plentifully. Our 
young orchards of apples, pears, cherries aud 
plums look well: but are not bearing much 
yet. Most of our peach trees were killed by 
the unusual cold of the past Winter. Hay will 
be a good crop. j. r. 
Minnesota, 
Zumbrota, Goodhue Co.—There is an In¬ 
creased acreage from last year of bailey and 
corn. Oats about the same, and a consequent 
decrease lu wheal. All look well exeept bar¬ 
ley, which is very uupromisiug. Wheat, Scotch 
Fife and Rio Grande principally; oats, Sur¬ 
prise, Norway and White Dutch. Acreage 
of com Increased about one-half; looks well, 
but weather is rather too cold. Fruit prospects 
good; strawberries in abundance ; eurrants 
not very good ; bushes filled, but dropped off 
badly. t. m. 
Mississippi. 
Tyro, Tate Co., June 34.—Wheat acreage 
not more than one-fourth of an average owing 
to a wet Fall and Winter—Red May. Oats an 
atfferage acreage; yield good. Schey’s Red 
Rust-proof. German millet acreage double; 
yield, early, very large; late looks well. Corn 
acreage one-twentieth Ie6B than usual, with 
less than an average yield per acre. Cotton 
acreage increased 30 per cent ; rather late and 
low, but better formed and in better condition 
than last year. Orchards are generally young 
and not bearing. Small fruits almost an en¬ 
tire failure. m. m. m. t. 
Missouri, 
Db Witt, Carroll Co., June 26.—Wheat 
will be about half a crop. A great deal of it was 
winter-killed. I think one-third of it was plowed 
up and put iu corn ; there was a larger acreage 
sown last Fall than usual. No Spring wheat. 
The early-sown wheat stood the Winter best, 
and is ready for harvest now ; the late-auwn 
the chinch bug is damaging. Fultz is the lead¬ 
ing variety aud some Clawson, May, and Gen- 
nessee, and some Odesfa. The prospect for 
oats is better than it has been for years; about 
the same acreage as last year. No barley; 
very little rye—good. The prospect of corn 
is good ; about the same acreage as last year. 
Some of it is late, but all looks well. Apples 
half a crop ; peaches all killed; small fruit, 
good. My Cuthbert Raspberry from the Rural 
Nbw-Yobkbb is full of fruit. c. r. 
Chambbhsvillh, Dade Co , June 25.—Wheat 
acreage 10 per cent greater than last year'6 ; 
average, 50 to 75 per cent, of last year’B yield. 
Mediterranean, Egyptian, Walker, Fuliz, in 
the order named. Corn generally a poor 
stand ; much replanting; chinch bngB and a 
web-worm—similar iu its operations to the 
army worm—are taking whole fields. Small 
fruits hardly any but gooseberries. No peaches 
to speak of, and not more than apples enough 
to supply the home demand. t. h. h. 
Gunn City, Cass Co — Wheat very fine- 
more than average crop. Flax and corn grow¬ 
ing nicely. Apples, peaches and cherries aver¬ 
age crops. T. J. z. 
Rich Hill, Bates Co.—The acreage of wheat 
is 50 per cent, more than last year; still the 
yield will not be more than half an average 
crop—Fultz and Mediterranean mostly. Not 
much oats sown—very short. The outlook for 
corn is good and the acreage 25 per cent, 
more than last year’s. Fruits of all kinds are 
very short crops except gooseberries which 
will be a full crop. o. R. 8. 
Nebraska, 
Brainard, BntlerCo., June 25—Wheat on 
old ground, weedy; prospect for crop not so 
good as earlier but it is improving in appear¬ 
ance from the last week. Rye but little grown ; 
looking well. Oats not much grown, weedy. 
Corn, late, and weedy, but with the present 
favorable weather it Is improving. Farmers 
are busy working it and with a favorable sea¬ 
son a good crop may be expected. All crops 
are late on account of continued wet weather 
and the cold Spring. About the usual acreage 
of crops. h. J. a. 
Mission Creek, Pawnee Co. June 24 -Acreage 
for wheat, rye and oats larger than usual; and 
rye prospect very good : wheat moderate. 
Grass and Tea wheats mostly. Prospects for 
corn good; acreage larger than last year. Out¬ 
look for small fruit very good—orchard fruit 
only moderate. m. m. 
Orleans, Harlan Co.— A quarter more 
wheat than last year; looks well; prospect 
good for a fine crop—Grass Wheat principal¬ 
ly. Rye good ; but little sowu. Of barley none 
was sowu through lack of seed. Corn proe- 
pect good ; 25 per ceut. more planted than 
last year. Wild grass plentiful; no bearing 
fruit trees in this neighborhood. d. w. 
Oxford, Furnas Co —Wheat acreage in ad¬ 
vance of any previous year and the prospect 
for cereals of all kinds good. Odessa and Lan¬ 
caster wheats. The prospect for corn is good 
and the acreage is in excess of last year’s. What 
orchards there are, are young, but looking 
well. Small fruits are doing well. n. a. p. 
North Carolina. 
Colfax, Guilford Co —Wheat is about an 
average crop here; some smut in places; 
heads filling well; straw short; acreage a 
little more than last year. Oats, acreage less 
than usual; Fall oais winter-killed; about two- 
tnirds of a crop; Spring oats very short on 
account of drought; prospect for half a crop. 
No barley ; but little rye—average crop. Corn 
is backward on account of late Spring; 
acreage about the same as last year. Orchard 
fruits killed by late freezes; will be Irorn one- 
fifth to one-fourth of a crop. Small fruits are 
neglected hereabouts; what there are grown 
do well. Average crop. R. c. r. 
Enfield, Halifax Co,, June 24. Oats and 
wheat are not extensively cultivated in my 
section, but the yield is not an average, which 
Is about 10 bnshels per acre. Corn is looking 
well but small; average 12 bushels per acre 
for high laud and 50 for low grounds. Colton, 
which is a chief product, is small and the 
stand bad. w. f. d. 
Ohio. 
Greenfield, Mahoning Co.—A report in 
the Rural of June 13. says that apples in Ohio 
are failing off prematurely. Here in the East¬ 
ern part of the State, however, the outlook is 
good for a fine crop. For the past three years 
we have had plenty aud to spare and the prom¬ 
ises this year are equally good. PeacheB will 
be plentiful and so will other Boris of fruit. 
Field crops also promise well. Though wheat 
is not quite equal to last year’s crop, still it is 
good, though rusting somewhat. Many farm¬ 
ers cannot “ work” their corn properly owing 
to too much wet. Oats and hay will be heavy 
crops. Wool is changing hands at 25c. to 40c. 
Fat 6heep bring 4c. to 4*. No fat cattle here; 
butchers are buying at Chicago. d. b. c. 
Johnstown, Licking Co.—For wheat, oats 
and rye, prospect is fair: acreage a little short 
of lost year’s—Fultz. GipBey and Mediterranean. 
Cora prospect good; acreage equal to last 
year’s; irregular on account of bad seeds. 
Prospect for orchard fruit is poor ; for small 
fruits good. Currant worms are doing much 
injury to currants and gooseberries, a. f. c. 
Virginia. 
Clbek’s Mill, Bath Co., June 25. — The 
acreage for wheat is over an average. The 
drought in May damaged the crop badly. We 
may have an average crop If the remainder of 
the Beaeon is favorable. Oats look well. No 
barley is raised in this section and not 
much rye. Corn came up badly; some of that 
replanted ba6 been destroyed by birds aud 
squirrels. The wet weather has not been fa¬ 
vorable for working it thoroughly. 8ome 
apples : very few peaches. Will have an av¬ 
erage of email fruits. w. r g. 
Pennsylvania, 
Allentown, Lehigh Co., June 27.—Wheat is 
medium; rye very good—a few farms excepted. 
Corn and oats look very promising—still some 
farmers had considerable trouble with the cut¬ 
worm in their corn fields, some fields having 
been totally destroyed, which of course had to 
be replanted. Grass is medium. We shall have 
a fair crop of apples and pears; few cherries •„ 
no peaches ; berries plentiful. j. j. b. 
Washington Territory. 
Vancouver, Clarke Co., June 22.—Only a 
small portion of thiB county is under cultivation, 
it being yet in its “ infancy." Probably more 
oats than wheat is sown, and there is an in¬ 
crease in the percentage of both of at least 10 
per cent, this year over last. No large quan¬ 
tities of rye are grown here. The outlook for 
crops is very good—better than the average. 
We have had an unusually fine and growing 
Spring. White Winter wheat. Corn is not 
counted among regular crops here, and only 
small lots are planted, and those few and far 
between. The nights, as a rule, are too cool 
for corn to do well, except as a garden crop. 
Small fruits are very abundant. We had a 
little too much rain during the first ten days 
of this month to allow the strawberries to ripen 
to perfection. Many of mine rotted on the 
plants. The crops of currants, gooseberries, 
raspberries, blackberries, etc., is very large 
and fine. A smaller crop of cherries than 
usual. Plums, prunes, pears, apples, peaches 
and quinces are all average cropH. All the 
finite above named, except quinces, grow re¬ 
markably well here. Our cherries, plums and 
pears cannot be beaten anywhere. Peaches do 
not do very well here. The contract prices for 
fuel, forage and straw at the military post here 
for the year commencing July l, 1881, are as 
as follows Timothy hay—500,000 lb?.—$ii .70 
per ton ; oats—375,000 tbs.—$1.23 per 100 Tbs.; 
straw— 200 000 tbs.—$7 per ton ; hard wood— 
3.300 cords—$4 25 per cord ; charcoal—1 500 
bushels—9|c. per bushel. 80 ft wood here, $3 50 
per cord. The prices are lower than they were 
last year, considerably. j. j. b. 
WiRCAnaln. 
Avoca, Iowa Co.—What little wheat lived 
through the Winter, suffered from two cr 
three weeks of dry weather in May. The crop 
will be light. Barley is not raised in this 
vicinity and but little rye. Oats look fairly 
well. Corn looks about as well as last year at 
this time, about as mueh Is planted also. Ap¬ 
ples will be scarce on account of there being 
such an abundance last year. Currants, goose¬ 
berries, raspberries, etc., will be plentiful. 
E. A. L. 
Chippewa, Chippewa Co., June 24—The 
acreage of wheat Is about the same as last year. 
Oats a little more. Barley and rye very little 
sown. While Russian wheat and white oats. 
All small grains are looking very well; if no 
mishap befalls them the yield will be good. 
The acreage of corn is greater than last year, 
and It is looking well. Plums, currants and 
strawberries look well., Apple trees were 
badly killed last Winter. The prospects for the 
farmer are encouraging. h. m. t. 
Delavan, Walworth Co.—Winter wheat al¬ 
most all winter-killed; Spring wheat—but a 
little of it sown—lookiBg well and prom¬ 
ising a good crop; we raise chiefly the 
Lost Natiuu and Grant wheats. Barley is ex¬ 
tensively raised ; but is rather thin on the 
ground on account of the dry weather shortly 
after it was sown. Oats are our principal 
crop of small grain; early-sown are a big crop; 
late-sown not so good, but doing nicely since 
the rain. Corn is king, and is. as a general 
thing, looking well; rather more than usual 
planted. It has yielded very heavy crops for 
the past three years; but 1 do not look for so 
heavy a crop this year. AppleB will be a small 
crop; currants, plentiful; strawberries half a 
crop. R. R. 8. 
(jurist. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
“ Working” a Small Farm. 
J. 11. W., Nero Holland (one of five in the 
Union), sends the accompanying diagram of 
his 14-acre farm, and asks >.ow to fence it to 
the best advantage, and the best way to 
work it. 
Ans. —This is a difficult question to answer, 
because the method of fencing a farm depends 
upon so many circumstances. If no stock is 
kept no interior fences at all are required, 
and when stock is kept the fences are arranged 
so as to suit special circumstances. Upon a 
small farm of 14 acres, as here described, with 
seven acres of timber, the timber land would 
provide all the pasture that is required, and no 
more fence would be needed than one to sepa¬ 
rate the woodland from the cleared land, with 
a small paddock near the buildings in which to 
keep the cows when at home. The manner 
of working such a small farm is another ques¬ 
tion that depends upon circumstances. Per¬ 
haps to keep 10 or 12 cows upon it, which may 
be possible under a system of high cultivation 
and soiling, would be most profitable. One 
man can very easily farm 14 acres and care for 
a dozen cows without hiring any labor. By 
