500 
THE RURAL MEW-YORHEhr 
porches for the front of the bouses. Here there 
are large coal bunkers and a small Jake. A 
little farther away is a beautiful Jake, called 
“Wilderness,’’ set in trees which image them¬ 
selves in the water. This lake has no visible 
inlet or outlet. We saw several Indian en¬ 
campments, and roads leading off through 
the woods to imaginary ranches. In return¬ 
ing, as we rode a long way by the beautiful 
clear stream, a “coal” man called my atten¬ 
tion to black spots in the bed of the river, 
which he said were veins of coal. No anthra¬ 
cite coal has yet been discovered; but there 
seems to be no end of the coal such as it is 
It retails in Seattle for §4 per ton. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Florida. 
San Antonio, Hernando Co., July 3.—The 
oat crop was small, but very good. There 
was more corn planted than usual; that plant¬ 
ed in January will average up 10 or 12bushels 
per acre, while that planted the firstof March 
on good pine or hummock land will average 
up about 25 bushels per acre. The cause of 
the difference was that the drought caught 
the former. A yield of 25 bushels is consider¬ 
ed large for this place. Irish potatoes that 
were planted in December m good manured 
soil did well; but the acreage was small. 
Sweet potatoes are one of the staple crops 
here, and 1 notice a large increase in the acre¬ 
age planted; crop looking exceedingly well. 
Most of the old farmers raise a small crop of 
long staple cotton; but not much for the mar¬ 
ket. One also notices in passing through this 
county dots of sugar cane (Ribbon Cane) on 
nearly all places of any importance; the crop 
is looking well and pays well. Tobacco does 
well, but seems to he cultivated for home use. 
Some tine varieties are being experimented 
with for cigar wrappers. Early fruits and 
berries did well; strawberries were very fine, 
and the few acres planted here paid hand¬ 
somely for time and trouble. We have some 
black cap raspberries which, I think, will do 
well. We have plenty of the wild or native 
black, blue and buckle-berries; they do very 
well, but the fruit is quite small—not as large 
as our Northern varieties. All garden vege¬ 
tables do well, but most be planted at the 
proper time and in well manured soil. The 
all-important point with the farmers now is 
to get out a grove of orange and lemon trees, 
as these pay better than anything else for the 
amount expended upon them; the crop is 
looking well, and I think will be a full aver¬ 
age. About 30,000 trees were put out here¬ 
abouts this season. We also have other varie¬ 
ties of the citrus family, all of which do well 
here. Guavas are looking fine. We have a 
few Peen-to Peaches and Japan Plums and 
Band or Le Conte Pears and Scuppernong 
Grapes; and then we have for all uses the 
Cow pea, and it responds handsomely both as 
feed and fertilizer. The melon family is at 
home here and the crop a very good one. 
Melons have been in the market two weeks. 
Finders, chufas and cassava are all looking 
well. The Rural seeds did not do well, as 
they were caught by the drought; hut the 
Sorghum halapense or Johnson Grass looks 
well and is seeding. Some of the corn did 
well under the circumstances. e. g. l. 
Western Island, Hernando Co., July 6.— 
We are about 50mile& below Cedar Keys, on an 
island, one of a group called St. Martin’s 
Keys, and this one is the largest. This is a 
new country and has not been thoroughly 
tested yet; but, as lar as tested, it gives per¬ 
fect satisfaction and yields be) ond imagina¬ 
tion. The soil is very rich and, so far as 
tried, produces anything that is grown in the 
South, such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages, 
pumpkins, melons, corn, sugar-cane, Irish 
and sweet potatoes, etc,, etc., without any ap¬ 
pearance of exhaustion. The soil has a salt- 
sea marl foundation, which seems of inex¬ 
haustible fertility. The fruits all grow well 
with no fear of injury by frost. We can grow 
grapes, bananas, peaches, figs, oranges, lem¬ 
ons, limes, pomegranates and strawberries. 
We have fruits and vegetables all the year, 
with the finest climate in the world. We are 
located in a saline atmosphere, free from all 
malarial influences and with a summer cli¬ 
mate as easily borne as any in the North. 
Laud is to be had by homestead, preemption 
and purchase from the Government and 
State. The land speculators have not been in 
here yet; but this place is not going to be left 
long, as there are so many more advantages 
here than inland. We have the finest oysters 
with plenty of fish all the time, and game of 
all kinds. Communication is had at present 
from Cedar Keys by sail boat, which goes 
back and forth once a week. A large hotel 
will be erected a few miles from here, and a 
steamboat started in a short time. J. G. A. 
Illinois. 
Arlington, Bureau Co., July 10.—Crops in 
this locality generally looking well; but ow¬ 
ing to a dry spell in June, corn in some places 
is rather small and uneven, but we have had 
copious rains in the last week and it will come 
out all right now. Wheat, tye and oats look 
fine; but oats are rather short for want of 
rain; average about the same as last year. 
Potatoes good. Apples and cherries a failure. 
Grass is short and thin; clover winter-killed. 
j. w. 
Pleasant Valley, Joe Daviess Co.,July 3. 
—The issues of the Rural filled with useful 
knowledge in the art of raising and curing 
the various grasses, were worth many times 
a year’s subscription to almost any thoughtful 
farmer. No one could mention a work devot¬ 
ed to tbissubject that would be of more value. 
Prof. Sanborn’s ideas of seeding and time of 
cutting, seem to me especially good. Not 
many farmers can get ground in sufficiently 
good condition to produce a paying crop of 
hay the first year, and 1 have never failed to 
get a good stand of grass by seeding, as early 
as the ground would permit, with Medium 
Clover and Timothy, on land put iu oats or 
spriug wheat. Then if the seeding should fail, 
yon have the oat crop and another chance to 
seed after the grain is off. Sometimes the 
first crop of hay will be pure elover, ami the 
next Winter will kill the clover and a heavy 
crop of fine Timothy will result, and I believe 
the oats raised more than pay for the differ¬ 
ence in the heaviness of the bay crop, a differ, 
ence 1 could never see. I have noticed Tim¬ 
othy cut while the pollen is blooming, is al¬ 
ways full of tbiB fine dust and is bad for horses 
This is the only objection, and Timothy should 
be cut as soon after this period as possible. 
We have passed through two or three succes¬ 
sive Winters of unusual severity, and the 
effects are visible iu our Northern Illinois 
orchards, many trees appearing as though 
scorched by fire. The Duchess and Dwarf Red 
Astrakhan seem to be about the only varieties 
of apples hereabouts that come out with all 
their usual vigor. Nearly half the other trees 
are dead beyond recovery. There has also 
been great havoc among cherry trees. Crabs 
hold their own. Plums a good crop,aud trees 
vigorous. WM. 8. s. 
Kansas. 
Norton, Lafayette Co.. June 30.— Wheat 
and barley will be about half crops. Rye 
about one-fourth. Oats almost a failure. 
Corn looks well, J. w. L. 
Walker, Ellis Co., July 7.—We now have 
a fair crop of oats—not extra at all, but not a 
failure, as 1 reported for the “Rural Crop 
Special." I think oats in this towuship will av¬ 
erage 30 bushels per acre. Since my report 
we have had frequent rains and all kinds of 
vegetation have grown rapidly, We are in 
the midst of harvest at this time. Wheat is 
short and thin on the ground, but the berry is 
good. The area of corn planted this year is a 
large increase over that of other years, and 
in our couuty’s history we have not had so 
good a prospect for a rousing crop as we have 
at the preseut; it is generally clean and a good 
stand. Barley is very good, it being raised 
here for feed. Sorghum, broom corn aud mil¬ 
let are good. Pastures are flue aud cattle 
look well. Stock raising is one of the leading 
industries iu this part of Kansas. On the 
ranches can be found stock of the very best 
grades of different kinds, aud instead of the 
Texas cow (as it was a few years ago), the 
Polled Angus, Hereford, Short-horn can be 
seen. Laud has advanced rapidly the last 
year, although it is yet cheap, and I think 
within 10 years our land will have trebled 
in value, and where now the Buffalo Grass 
grows, clover and Timothy will have taken 
the place of much of it. All kinds of vegeta¬ 
bles are doing well, and, considering every¬ 
thing, I don’t see that we have any cause to 
complain. The new settlers that have come 
among us, from other States seeui to be well 
satisfied. The “prairie schooners” can be seen 
every day on their way westward, the in¬ 
mates of which are in pursuit of a home in 
Kansas. w. T. R. 
Maine. 
Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., July 5.— 
The areas and condition of wheat, corn, 
oats, rye, barley and potatoes will oouiparo 
favorably with late years. Beans will be in 
excess. Grass will fall short, as it winter¬ 
killed badly. Fruits of all kinds bid fair to 
exceed the yield of any previous year, espe¬ 
cially pears. C. s. n. 
Maryland. 
Westoveh, Somerset Co., July IS.—The 
steam thrashers, of which there are a dozen 
owned and operated in this little county, are 
now busy thrastiing wheat and oats. The 
season has been favorable for oats, and the 
yield is goo ); but of wheat there will not be 
over two thirds of an average crop. Farm¬ 
ers are disappointed, as the wheat is not turn¬ 
ing out as good as it appears to be when 
standing in the shock. Tomatoes, peaches, 
apples, raspberries, blackberries, potatoes and 
onions are now going to murket from our 
section. The weather is warm, ranging along 
in the “nineties'’ the past week; 98° being the 
highest reached, but one of the features of 
this section is “always a breeze.” Rain is 
needed Corn is looking well; a large acre¬ 
age planted; much of it laid by, aud that 
growing on high land is suffering for rain. 
s. c. s. 
Missouri. 
Eldon, Miller Co., July 2,—I planted the 
Rural peas—100 of each—alongside a num¬ 
ber of others. The Prince of Wales were 
ready for table on Ju ne lfitb; yield of 100 peas, 
13 ouuces. Carter's Stratagem were ready 
for the table on June 17th; yield 14 ounces. 
The Americau Wonder—the earliest variety I 
had—were leady for use June 8th; yield from 
100 peas, 17 ounces. Early May—the latest— 
was ready for table on June 22d; yield from 
100 peas 22 ounces. The largest yield was 
from the Large White Marrowfat, 26 ounces* 
the smallest from the Premium Gem 14, 
ouuces. They w*ere all planted the same day 
—April 18th—in rows side by side in good, 
rich soil, plowed up in the Fall and manured 
with good stable manure, aud then replowed 
in the Spring aud put ip first-class condition; 
100 peas of 17 different varieties were planted 
in drills 18 inches apart and the peas one 
inch apart in the drills. N. J. s. 
Montana. 
Judith, Choteau Co., June 30.—Prospects 
for wheat, as compared with an average 
of late years, 30 ; oats, 50 ; barley, 50 
Corn is a failure. Potatoes, 250. Vegeta¬ 
bles do well, but as there is no market for 
them, the acreage is very small. Native 
grasses yield one ton of bay per acre; Tim¬ 
othy, clover. Blue Grass 2 to 2% tons per acre. 
No fruit trees in this vicinity. We are too 
far north to think of planting tobacco, broom- 
corn or sorghum. j. c. 
Pennsylvania. 
Linesville, Crawford Co., July, 1.— 
Wheat is good in this western part of the 
county. Grass and oats will be average 
crops. Corn, however, is backward, owing 
to the cool weather; yet there is time for a 
full crop, so that we feel like rejoicing Success 
to the Rural 1 w. h. d. 
Texas. 
Anson, Joues Co., July 7.—The increased ac¬ 
reage under cultivation in the county over last 
year is a fraction over 500 per cent. The in¬ 
creased area in wheat is nearly 400 per cent aud 
the yield is 30 per cent, better-average per acre, 
SO to 40 bushels. Oats 200 per ceut. increased 
acreage, and GO per cent, better yield: 50 to 80 
bushels per acre. Corn no increase in acreage 
but 50 per cent better. No barley planted,and 
but little rye; yield of the latter per acre 
about 30 bushels. Some Johusou Grass 
sown and very fine sorghum cane for 
forage; looks promising aud the yield per 
acre will average five to seven tons; some 
increase in acreage over lasr. year. Our 
grangers are paying some attention to and 
improving their orchards; peaches and apples 
iu particular. Plums aud grapes are also re¬ 
ceiving increased care, and the increased area 
under them is nearly 100 per cent. The Irish 
potato crop was only medium, but much bet¬ 
ter thau last year. The sweet potato crop 
promises to be good, aud there is a cousider- 
erable increase of area over last year. All 
vine crops, such as squash, pumpkin, canta¬ 
loupe, melon and cucumber were much dam¬ 
aged by bugs and other insects, and their yield 
will be only medium. W. P. B. 
Evant, Coryell Co., July 6.—When I first 
subscribed for the Rural Nkw-Y okker, I did 
not care much for the seed; it was the valu¬ 
able agricultural information Contained in 
the paper that I needed aud wanted. The 
amount of seeds was so smull that I did not 
appreciate the value of them, but it is different 
now. 1 do not think less of the paper, hut I 
think so much of the seed that I would not 
take for them three times the money I have 
ever paid for the Rgral; besides, I have 
gained a great deal of valuable information 
by plauting and cultivating them. Although 
I have paid my subscription, 1 shall always 
feel under obligations for the pleasure and 
valuHble knowledge received by reading the 
Rural New-Yokkkk for the last three years, 
and shall work hard to extend the circulation 
of the Rural in this country this Fall. 
The Stratagem Pea is the largest pea I ever 
saw and produced well. 1 have over three 
pints of seed. The Prince of Wales Pea has 
produced welL I have half a gallon of seed. 
The Flageolet Beans have made almost a com¬ 
plete failure, and the few seed produced are 
cream-colored instead of green, like the seed 
planted. The tomatoes are fine. The flowers 
are beautiful, affording a good deal of pleas¬ 
ure for the children. Cross bred Diehl-Medi¬ 
terranean Wheat made a lint' growth during 
the Winter, and was preferred to any other 
by the .lack rabbits, aud they kept it eat down 
until late in the Spring, making it the latest 
wheat on the place. When about heading out 
the black rust struck it and it failed to fill out 
and is worthless. Thousand-fold Rye made a 
fine growtu and yielded a very good crop. 
The Rural Union Corn of last year’s distribu¬ 
tion is very good; some of it is now hard. T 
got one ear out of it a foot long and well tilled 
out. The result of the fifty different crosses of 
corn is a curiosity. Some stalks are now ripe, 
aud have been for a week or more; some have 
just tasseled out; the stalks are from 3’^ to 12 
feet high, bearing from a small, bard uubbin 
to six very good sized ears to the stalk. Crops 
are just starting the thrashing machines. 
Not nearly so much wheat was planted as for 
the previous harvest, and the yield is not 
quite so good—from 10 to 25 bushels to the 
acre. Oats are flue—40 to 80 bushels per acre. 
Corn very good. Cotton good, but a little late. 
Sorghum good and a large crop for this coun¬ 
try. We had no rain from the middle of May 
until the last of June; but I think nearly all 
sections of this country have had rain since 
the latter part of J one. g. j. b. * 
Pearsall, Frio Co., July 6. —The cultiva¬ 
tion of the soil is yet in its infancy in this 
part of the State, the principal industry being 
stock raisiug, for which purpose grass is re¬ 
lied on entirely. West of this place compara¬ 
tively no farming is done; nut as we go east¬ 
ward we find considerable farming, beginning 
in the eastern portion of this county and in¬ 
creasing as we proceed. Corn and cotton are 
the principal crops. Oats are frequently 
sown and generally produce a good crop, 
Sorghum is often sown for feed for Mrses 
and milch cows, and by some to rnaljffmolas¬ 
ses. Melons are raised in any quautity, but 
are seldom conveyed beyond the local mar¬ 
kets. Wheat is sown td^fTlimited extent iu 
the adjoining county of Medina, along the 
Medina River. Altogether. I think the pros¬ 
pects for good crops in this portion of the 
State have never been equaled. Oats were 
harvested last month and are good. Corn is 
unusually good, aud as it has now been rain¬ 
ing for three days the crop is assured. Cot¬ 
ton has good prospects, but it is too early to 
tell much about it. Fruit prospects are very 
good. Garden crops were unusually good, 
but are plauted in small quantities—just 
euough for family use—except in the imme¬ 
diate neighborhood of cities ammoivus. The 
grasses aud clovers are uot cultivated here. 
Some Johusou Grass is being plauted, how¬ 
ever. There is an j:. rjlase of 10 per ceut. in 
the acreage of cotton, and probably 51 per " 
cent, in sorghum. Corn, potatoes and oats 
have increased but little. j. vv. J. 
IT tab. 
American Fork, Utah Co., July 8. —The 
condition of both field and garden crops 
here is quite as good as in former years* 
Apples have suffered these last few years from 
the apple-worm, and have been less in yield 
each year and of inferior quality. The last 
frosts last Spriug did some damage to fruit 
and other crops. Tobacco and broom-corn are 
little cultivated here. Sorghum is fair, but 
not as extensive as formerly. Root crops are 
favorable. t. a. 
Vermont. 
Derby, Orleans Co., July 4.—Extremes of 
heat aud cold, alternate drought and heavy 
rains were the characteristics of the weather 
during the spring months this year in North¬ 
ern Vermont. During the latter half of May 
and almost the entire month of June, we had 
an almost unparalleled drought; since the last 
week iu June, we have had growing weather 
that will, in a measure, make amends for the 
inequalities of the season earlier. Hay, now 
just ready to cut, will not he far from 70 per 
cent, of an average crop. Oats and barley 
have an increased area of 20 per cent, aud are 
now looking fine. Wheat, grown by fam ers 
only for borne consumption, gives indication 
of a full average crop. Potatoes, plauted on 
40 per cent, of an average area, failed to come 
up to the extent perhaps of 15 per cent, of the 
planting; condition now may be set at 90 per 
cent.; recent weather has been very unfavor¬ 
able for the ercp. Imperial Yellow-eyed Beaus 
have of late years been grown to considerable 
extent in this section; many farmers hold last 
year’s crop; area this year about one-third of 
last year’s; prospects of the crop very good. 
Field corn is very backward. It is rarely we 
see more thau two acres to a farm in Northern 
Vermont; corn is a crop that requires high 
manuriug und careful culture to mature a 
crop In this high latitude. The large fields of 
ensilage corn grown in this section a few years 
ago have mostly disappeared. Increased at¬ 
tention is given to the turnip crop for feeding 
purposes. Onions are grown lu this couuty 
to the extent of perhaps 20 acres; badly 
slaughtered by the worms; the remnant of the 
crop looks fine. a. o. h. 
Washington Territory. 
Ilwaco, Pacific Co., July 1.—The prospects 
for good crops of oats, potatoes aud fruits are 
very good. Small fruits, plums and pears do 
better than apples. It is too near the coast 
for wheat—it shrinks in ripening. g. t. e 
