^TR>°hoJ4 
VOL. XXXVIII. No. 25. I 
WHOLE No. 1534. I 
NEW YORK, JUNE 21, 1879. 
iPlilCE FIVE CENTS. 
\ #2.00 FEK. YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by the Rural Publishing Company, in the office of the 
Librarian of Congress at Washington.! 
Grtegtojfftt. 
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST BE ? 
Five Hundred Answers from Farmers and Hor¬ 
ticulturists from all parts of the Country. 
SPECIAL AND TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS DP TO THE 
HOUR OF GOING TO PRESS. 
Wheat Below last year’s Average. Last 
year 98—this year 90. The area 
Larger—yield Smaller. 
Com Backward. Fair average stand. Planted 
too early for a Backward Season. 
TREMENDOUS ACREAGE OF POTATOES, 
AND GOOD YIELD. 
POTATOES WILL BUI OUKAP ! 
Oats—Acreage average, Crop will be less. Injured 
by cold spring. Barley poor crop. Rye 
about the same as last year. 
Apples will be a short crop. Peaches 
much less than an average crop. 
Grapes a fair crop only. Other 
Small fruits abundant crops. 
“FARMERS ARE IN FINE SPIRITS.” 
Best reports from Indiana, Nebraska 
and G-eorgiu. 
POOR REPORTS PROM THE EMPIRE STATE. 
Kansas has a splendid Corn, but poor Wheat Orop. 
Gruim u short crop, except in New England, 
where it will he u good average. 
Minnesota will have a heavy Wheat crop. 
Cotton will be a fine crop. Good stand 
large acreage, well tilled. 
On the whole , m promite ol Plentiful Crop» 
once mart) and better timet for Par inert. 
MIDDLE STATES. 
New York. 
Mountainville, Orange Co. — Wheat is 
about a usual crop aud on an average 
quantity of acres. Corn Is looking well and 
promises to be over au average crop. Oats 
look badly, and are late. Barley looks well, 
what little there is of it in this viciuity. 
Potatoes have been planted iu larger plots 
than for several years past, and have come 
up strong, but the bugs are numerous iu the 
extreme, aud the immense quantity of eggs 
ou the uuder sides of the leaves will necessitate 
the use of much Paris-green. I made a dis¬ 
covery the other night. 1 have a garden 
patch of very early potatoes aud had been very 
attentive in taking off every bug which could 
be seen at any time in the day, but had not 
looked at them since morning ou that day, so 
after dark—about 9 r. m.—I took a lantern and 
found the bugs completely riotiug ou the tops, 
and it took two hours to clear them off. There 
were at least six times as many as ever ap¬ 
peared In the day time. Grass will be light 
but there is very little manure ever applied 
even on the meadows which are mowed every 
year. Clover looks better and is just iu bloom. 
Farmers are disheartened: butter is selling 
from 14 to 18 cents per pound—the very best. 
The railroad charges 40 cents per eau for tak¬ 
ing milk to New Y ork city, 60 miles, and brings 
hour from the West for 25 cents per barrel— 
which is au outrageous Imposition, which has 
determined many to give up altogether sending 
milk. It is probable Orange county, is on the 
eve of agreat revolution in agricultural affairs. 
Fruit prospects, good; money, scarce, o. o. 
Dundee, Yates Co.—In this viciuity we are 
having a very severe drought; we have had uo 
rain of any account for six or seven weeks. All 
crops are suffering seriously. The wheat crop 
is already beyond recovery. Many fields are 
entirely, or nearly, ruined. Farmers think 
there will not be more than one-fourth of a 
crop; some put it as high as one-third. Once 
iu a while a piece that came through the win¬ 
ter in good order, will make a lair crop. Oats 
and bailey are very backward, have germin¬ 
ated poorly and are only two or three inches 
high, and at a stand-still, and, unless ram 
comes soon, they must be almost entire fail¬ 
ures. Crass is short and thin. Clover on some 
good soils is heading out when four or five 
inches high. Pastures are already showing 
the effects of drought. Much of the corn 
planted two or three weeks ago, lies as dry iu 
the ground as on the day it was planted, aud 
what has come up does uot look vigorous. Of 
potatoes it is yet too early to speak. Spine 
planted early are up nicely, aud the ’• bugs” 
are waiting for their ehauee. They did uot 
trouble us much here last year, but that may 
be all ebauged this season. The present pros¬ 
pects of f mi tare good, except for plums, which 
seem to be dropping entirely off. Apples, pears 
and peaches are, at present, promising well, 
but we are haviug some days of cold, north¬ 
west wind, which may damage them to some 
extent. Grapes are in fine condition aud prom¬ 
ising well, but they have not blossomed yet. 
Sowing corn for fodder might profitably be in 
order when it rains, so as to give any hope 
that it would come up. w. h. o. 
Greenwich, Washington Co.—I have been 
from this to Columbus, Nebraska, and back 
three times during the months of March, April 
and May, making six journeys through the 
States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In¬ 
diana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska, aud I have 
just returned from Moutpelier, Vt., aud I find 
the cropB—grass, wheat, barley, oats, corn, 
potatoes, flax, etc.,—more forward and looking 
better in the great Platte Valley than iu any 
other section of the couutry. The cultivated 
acreage there is far in advance of any previous 
year, and their prospects are flattering for an 
abundant harvest. The farther you come 
East, the more backward things are looking. 
I find some farmers iu Vermont aud in this 
section yet plauting corn aud potatoes. Ver¬ 
mont, to a person haviug been West, looks 
like a hard country to farm iu. The crops, as 
a general thing, throughout the country, con¬ 
sidering the backwardneso of the seasou, are 
looking very well. In this county but little 
wheat is raised. Rye is the principal winter 
crop, and that will be nothing to boast of this 
season. Many of the farmers, ou aeeouut of 
the dry weather, had begun to think the grass 
aud oat crops would be failures; but the late 
rains have put a different aspect on the out¬ 
look, and we may yet got a fair crop. It is 
uot the " bearing year ” for apples aud a large 
crop is not expected. The corn crop is uot 
advanced enough yet to enable one to tell much 
about it. If the potato crop is not destroyed 
by the bugs and is auythlng like a fair yield, 
Washington county can make a big show 
towards supplying the world with the tubers. 
The acreage is far more than any in previous 
years; but the bugs are in abundance, and if 
not defeated, will be ruinous to the crop. This 
is quite a famous section for raising dax, and, 
in view of the backwardness of the seasou, ins 
looking well. v. k. k. 
Norton Hill, Greene Co.—This eighth of 
June morning wo arc sittiug by a cheerful 
wood fire and find it comfortable. Frost is in 
the valley aud the thermometer stands at ol t \ 
We have had a very backward spring thus far. 
I live on the border of Greene and Albany 
counties, aud have been about somewhat this 
spring and find a fair outlook hereabouts, as 
we do every spring iu fact j for this is a coun¬ 
try of mixed farming with no one thing as a 
specialty. On almost every farm there are 
kept cows, sheep, poultry and hogs. At the same 
time grain, hay aud fruit are sold from ulmost 
every farm. Some stock also is raised by every 
farmer, for sale. I have been in some fourteen 
States, but have never seen a more prosperous 
country than this. At present grass looks as 
if it would be two-thirds of a crop, if we have 
good weather. Oats now look as if there would 
be about one half a crop—uot more. Winter 
graiu is not oue-half what it was last year. 
Corn has come up badly on account of dry 
weather, but there is time euough to plaut 
again and have a good crop yet. This is a 
good eoru section. Fruit, I think, -Hull be more 
of a failure than anything. What few seta 
there have been on the trees this spring, have 
been more or less blasted by cold, dry winds; 
but there will be some surplus fruit in these 
parts, as there is a great deal of laud iu or¬ 
chards. There will be more pears than any 
other kind of fruit. Potatoes that are up, are 
well patronized by bugs, but our people are 
eapturiug them. Ou a single hill I got 150. 
There has been bad luck with sows this spring 
here: folks lost their pigs so that we are 
scantily supplied with swine. Paoturesare uot 
as -: >i .i jr- usual, aud there will uot be as rnueh 
butter sold this year as last. Stock came out 
well this spring; my herd of 10 cows are mak¬ 
ing 12 pounds of butter a day. They did better 
than that last year at this time. w. h. i. 
Jamestown, Chautauqua Co.—The seasou 
has been extremely dry and cold until about 
the first of the month, when we had rain in 
sufficient quantity to pretty thoroughly wet 
the ground. Since that time we have had fre¬ 
quent showers, hut the weather has remained 
very cool, aud ou the morning of the 7th inst. 
there was a severe frost, that has done much 
damage along the valleys of most of the 
streams. Winter wheat, as a rule, is poor to 
medium, with an exceptional good piece. Oats 
promise a full average crop ; corn was planted 
late, and has come up very unevenly, owing 
to cold and drought. Prospects at present are 
not very flattering. The prospects are tbat the 
apples on the high lands will probably be fully 
au average crop, unless they are blasted by 
cold winds. About the usual acreage of pota¬ 
toes has been planted. Potato beetles promise 
to be a fine crop. Grass, where uot injured 
by the recent frost, will be no more than a 
medium crop ; many old meadows will be ex¬ 
ceedingly light. Times are hard; the best but¬ 
ter sells at 10@15c. per pound, and other farm 
produce in proportion. w. c. o. 
Rome, Oneida Co.—Wheat came out of the 
winter looking well, owing to the covering of 
snow that lasted about four months ; but the 
severe drought of May is causing it to head 
out short and to look uneven. Spring wheat 
was a failure last year, and hut little was 
sowed this year. Grass is about half a crop, 
owing to the severe drought. Oats look quite 
well. Corn is very small. Potatoes are well 
covered with bugs as soou as the vines are out 
of the ground. Apples blossomed full, and 
promise a fair crop. Strawberries aud Cur¬ 
rants are loaded with fruit. Grapes iu ex¬ 
posed places were killed by the frost on May 
20th. The weather is quite variable ; on June 
1st the mercury was up arnoug the umetios ; on 
June 7th we had some frost. Nice rains have 
fallen during the past week, and they are help¬ 
ing the crops greatly. In a ride of ten miles 
south to-day, I M as surprised at the poor ap- 
pearauce of all kinds of crops, but if we have 
favorable weather henceforth, they will gain 
fast. jc. d. p. 
Geneva, Ontario Co.—The spring is very 
backward. In the counties of Cayuga, Seneca, 
Yates, Ontario aud Wayue the wheat und hay 
crops will uot he more than a half yield. 
Spring crops look fair, but very backward. 
Fruit was injured iu some localities by the late 
frosts, especially Strawberries. Cherries aud 
plums promise well. Apricots and poaches 
bid fair to be a good yield. Pears look well, 
and the apple crop only middling. It is very 
cold aud dry, aud unless the warm weather 
comes soon, spring crops will be poor. Roses 
and shrubs never looked better, the cool 
weather ha« kept off the vermin so that they 
have had a chance to grow, and the lovers of 
Roses rejoice. j. h. s. 
Albion, Orleans Co,—The wheat crop in this 
section bids fair to be a full average one, per¬ 
haps the straw will not be as heavy as last 
year. Corn and potatoes are not sufficiently 
advanced to enable me to form an opinion as to 
their yield. It has been very dry, but recent 
rains arc bringing np both these crops aud the 
prospects are now much better for good yields 
than they were a week ago. I think, therefore, 
that we have good reason to hope for good fair 
crops of both. The fruit prospects are good 
for those orchards that did not bear last year. 
As many apple trees will not bear thiB year as 
last. Peaches and small fruits produce a good 
yield- j. g. 
Rural Farm, Queens Co., L. I. —We are hav¬ 
ing showers daily. Wheat that up to this time 
has looked splendidly, is now showiug rust to 
an extent that may injure the crop materially. 
Rye, corn, potatoes and all vegetables are all 
tbat could be desired. Old hay, of which there 
is still a heavy stock, does not sell readily at 
50 cents per cwt. and the present promise, 
which is about as good as fnlfllled, of another 
fine harvest, will uot tend to raise the price. 
Our Blunt com plot, regarding which we in¬ 
dulged in “ great expectations ” is far behind 
other fields. We had counted upon a dry sea¬ 
sou—and wo counted wrong. 
Catharine, Schuyler Co.—It was very dry 
here up to June 1. We have had some fine 
showers since then. Not more than two-thirds 
of the corn planted is up, it has been so dry. 
Wheat is short and very thin on the ground. 
Will not be half a crop. Apples, cherries and 
poaches will not be more than half a crop. 
Pears are good. About the usual amount of 
potatoes has been planted. They have not 
come up yet. The prospect is that corn, wheat 
and grass will be poor this season. Oats and 
barley are backward and thin on the ground. 
J. S. B. 
Friendship, Alleghany Co.—The farmers 
hereabout are looking rather blue on account 
of the backwardness of the season. The 
weather has been very cold aud dry. We have 
had frost to the injury of fruit in many locali¬ 
ties, more especially In the valleys. Grass ou 
old mcudowB is very light; that newly seeded 
is better. The usual number of acres of vari¬ 
ous crops has been sown and planted. Not 
very much old hay Is left over. On the 10th 
aud 11th we had tho first rain of any amount 
for several weeks. w. a. h. 
Bykksville, Livingston Co.—Weather cold 
and dry. Some of the farmers in this section 
have plowed up their winter wheat. The re¬ 
mainder iu this towuship, (West Sparta), will 
hardly yield au average of over five bushels per 
acre. Spring crops are very backward. Corn 
came up very unevenly and has grown but little. 
There was quite a heavy frost in the eastern 
part of the town ou the 6th inst., which dam¬ 
aged the potato aud corn crops quite badly. 
The prospect for an abundant apple crop was 
never more favorable. Grass is very short. 
N. K. D. 
Norwich, Chenango Co.—The season has 
been cold aud dry, aud is late, but within a 
few days we have had rain, aud vegetation 
has changed materially. We have not much 
of a wheat country, having raised but very 
little till within two or three years. Now, 
however, aimocf every farmer raises enough 
for his own use. Potatoes that are up look 
well. Fruit has been killed somewhat by the 
frost. I think we shall have euough, however, 
for home use. h. h. 
Andover, Alleghany Co.—Late frosts have 
put everything back here. Wheat looks well 
