THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JULY 42 
(fbtrgtoiira. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Mass., Monument, Barnstable Co., July 1. — 
Many people think that Cape Cod is a sand 
hill; I wish they were here now, for they 
would change their minds. We have had nice 
rains aud everything looks green und beauti¬ 
ful. There are some very good farms hore, 
and nearly every one has at least a good gar¬ 
den, while the love of flowers grows more and 
more every year, even the very poorest houses 
having their little flower beds by the door, and 
some having very handsome gardens, a. w. b. 
New York, Fluvanna, Chautauqua Co., June 
29.—The weather is delightful; showers fre¬ 
quent; mercury from 60 deg. at 0 a. m., 90 to 
92 deg. at 2 j», M., and 70 to 72 deg at S f. m. 
Crops of all kinds arc looking well. Wheat is 
tine; grass about three-fourths of a crop, and 
in some places above an average. Corn is 
rather small, but of a good color and growing 
rapidly. Oats, barley and spring wheat are 
above an average. Potatoes are looking flue. 
We have had new Early Rose potatoes for din¬ 
ner; also green peas-—McLean’s Little Gem. 
Turban squash vines arc four feet and looking 
unusually flue. Early oUious are beginniug to 
ripen. Fruit prospects arc good. We have 
plenty of old apples in the collar in fine con¬ 
dition, and the new ones arc large enough for 
sauce. Orchard-grass is cut aud in the barn. 
Celery is large enough to begin to hill. Beets 
aud turnips are unusually fine. Cabbage is 
good—no moths or worms appeared up to date. 
I shall start the plow for buckwheat aud sweet 
Russian turnips on the 30tb. Shall put turnips 
in drills, rows two feet apart, so as to do the 
work with a cultivator. The new potato, 
Beauty of Hebron, is very promising; shall 
keep all for seed. Butter very low—12Je. per 
pound; pork advancing a trifle—5Jc.: beef, 
5c.; sheep scarce—no sales. u. a. w. 
N. Y., Croton, Del. Co., June 30.—We had a 
•very long and severe winter in this locality, the 
enow laid on until late in the spring, aud con¬ 
sequently farmers were very late in getting at 
their spring’s work. The ground was dry add 
in good coudition for sowing soon after the 
enow went, aud remained so through seed 
time, but the weather being cold and with very 
little rain uutit recently, was not favorable for 
growth of vegetation. The prospect for the 
hay crop has been rather discouraging, but the 
numerous rains iu the fore part of the month, 
together witii the warm weather, made all 
crops grow lively, aud our farmers are looking 
more cheerful than they have done, though 
with the present prices of butter, most of our 
dairymen get “the blues.” especially such of 
them as are in debt for their farms, e. j. b. 
New Yokk, Preble, Cortlaud Co., June 30.— 
Wheat is very poor: some pieces were win¬ 
ter-killed, some so much so that they were 
plowed up. Corn came up very unevenly 
and is late for the time of year. Oats are 
looking fair. It is too early to say anything 
definite about potatoes; only the “bugs” 
are very plentiful. Pastures are very short 
and meadows very light, in consequence of the 
cold, dry weather since the snow went off; 
wc have not had more than six hours’good 
rain, and front April 28th to May 27th. we did 
not get rain enough to lay the dust well. Fruit 
prospects are poor, iudeed, as we had so many 
Lard frosts—four in succession—when the trees 
•were in blossom. <n d. f. w. 
N. J., Bricks burgh. Ocean Co., June 2tith. 
—With the exception ©f a slight drizzle yester¬ 
day, we have had no rain since the 11th inst., 
•when we had a heavy shower. All crops are 
much in need of a soaking rain, aud from the 
indications to-day we shall soon get it. Corn has 
a fair stand. Hay is poor to fair ; sweet pota¬ 
toes are backward, but of good color—they are 
a leading crop with us. Strawberry picking 
for market closed about the 17th inst.; the 
yield was very fair, and the prices better than 
expected. The mercury, for the last few days. 
Las ranged high. Q- A. m’b. 
Pa., Nittany, Centre Co., June 25.—The 
spring was very dry, and early summer has 
Been the same. Wheat will average something 
over 50 per ceut. of an average crop in this 
county. Hay will hardly be 50. Oats are 
looking well—just heading out. Corn is look¬ 
ing fine: a good deal of it was injured by 
worms ; but the prospects are good for a full 
crop. Potatoes are good—a large acreage 
planted. Peach trees arc loaded; some are 
dropping. Apples will be a short crop, this 
Jbeing the “off year” here- Wheat is selling 
for $1@1.15; corn, 50c.-, oats, 85@80c.; pota- 
loes, old, 75®80c.; new, 81.50. Our lauds are 
much exhausted, and there is not enough in¬ 
terest taken in the improvement of the soil in 
Ihts valley. 4. ff. n. 
Omo, Businesabflrg, Belmont Co., June 28.— 
TThe prospects for gpod crops are not so flat¬ 
tering as last season. Wheat is an average 
crop. With oats the farmers will do well if 
They get their seed. Corn is now beginning to 
prow. The season has been too dry for any 
spring crops. The meadows are very light. 
If the weather should be favorable from now 
on during the season, the corn and potato 
crops might be fair averages. Fruit is al¬ 
most a failure. Apples will not be a quarter 
of a crop. There are no peaches. Plums aud 
chciu'ies arc very good crops. We arc uow 
busy harvesting our wheat, which is princi¬ 
pally Fultz and Clawson, these two varieties 
excelling a* others for yielding. t. n. 
Onto, Lima, Allen Co., July 1.—The wheat 
harvest.commenced tills week and is first-rate, 
better than in 1878. Coru looks good, although 
it is about two weeks later than usual. Flax 
aud oats are looking flue, so arc potatoes. 
Rains through the month of June have made 
pastures good, aud the bay crop will be very 
heavy. Apples will not be half a crop. s. s. 
Ind., Lapclle, Madison Co., June SO.—Farm¬ 
ers are now iu the midst of their wheat har¬ 
vest. There never was such a good wheat 
crop raised iu this part of Indiana. Corn and 
flax, too, since the seasonable rains we have 
had, seem fairly to spriug up. We had a 
splendid rain tlieSStJi of tins month, and now 
the gardens are beginning to yield a return for 
all the labor that has been bestowed on them. 
Potatoes are doing finely: no bugs this year, 
nor have we many cabbage-worms yet. The 
few that made an appearance were quickly 
settled with a good dustiug of black pepper. 
Plenty of wild raspberries and blackberries can 
be had in the woods. There are uo cultivated 
oues ; all were wiuter-killed. There will be a 
few apples, but no peaches or cherries. We 
shall get some pears in sheltered places. The 
Blunt corn is far ahead of all other corn in the 
same patch. j. a, 
Mich.. Shelbyvillc, Allcgau Co., June 28.— 
Wheat hereabouts will be an average crop, 
although it was somewhat damaged by frost. 
Corn is backward. Potatoes are fair, so far. 
Fruit is going to be better than last year, 
A. h. n. 
Ill, Fairfield, Wayne Co., June 21.—Farm¬ 
ers are all busy harvesting. The weather is 
cool. Haih est hands are scarce; wages $1.50 
per day. Early-sown wheat is good, but late- 
sown is poor. Oats are very light. Corn looks 
very well. Potatoes are good. Apples are 
scarce. Peaches, none. Grass is a very light 
crop. Prices of produce are: wheat. 75 (Si 80c. 
V bush.; corn, 40@50e.; oats, 35@80b.; pota¬ 
toes, 00®75c.: eggs. 7c. V doz.; butter. 15c. V 
tb,; Logs, 2@7c. ft II). E. A. it. 
Win.. Wauzcka. Crawford Co., June SM.— 
The wheat crop in this section is \ ery good. 
Oats are heavy aud very promising. Rye is 
an average crop. Grass is good ; potatoes just 
middling. Coru is not so promising. Our 
spring has been too cold and backward for 
coru. Emit prospects are not so good; late 
frosts hurt nearly all fruits. We 6hall com¬ 
mence cutting wheat in about two weeks. The 
weather is very warm, accompanied with 
heavy thunder showers—an excellent growing 
time. m. t. 
Minn., Cedar Mills, Meeker Co., June 25.‘— 
Wheat, on the w hole, promises at least an av¬ 
erage crop; some fields are looking remarkably 
fine, while others, which were sown later by 
reason of thf drought which prevailed at that 
time, do not compare favorably with those sown 
early. Some pieces of wheat are heading out, 
and it is thought that harvest will commence 
in three weeks. Oats aud barley are looking 
fine, and corn also promises a good crop. Po¬ 
tatoes will probably yield well, from present 
prospects. Very few beetles have made their 
appearance. Fruit prospects are only tolera¬ 
bly good; less small fruits of all kinds than 
usual. We had an unusually dry winter and 
early spring, which injured fruit more or less. 
S. D. L. B. 
Kansas, Parsons, Labette Co., June 28,— 
Rain, 1 find by the Rural, has fallen every¬ 
where during the last thirty days, except just 
around here. Up to Thursday of this week 
everything, except corn, trees, and the osage 
hedges, were burning out. But on the evening 
of the day mentioned we had a good shower, 
and on Friday about midday we had a fall of 
three-quarters of an inch, which was followed 
iu the evening by a rain of several hours, 
which, added to the preceding rains, made 
inches. Our reservoir, for the use of stock, 
Dad become so low that the water was so hot 
and muddy that the fish were laid dead on the 
margin. This morning I find that it has re¬ 
ceived, within36 hours, 140,000 barrels of water, 
which will serve all the season. It is quite 
reasonable to suppose that this rain will 
“make" three-fourths of the area planted in 
corn hereabouts, as some of it is uow iu silk. 
Corn is eight days earlier than last year, which, 
itself, was early. This is brought about by the 
extremely liot weather of this month. At 
least on one-half of the days the thermometer 
has been 94 deg., or over. The heat was ao- 
eompanied by strong southwest winds, aud 
had not the soil been generally in a fine condi¬ 
tion, there must have resulted severe injury, 
as iu exceptional cases coru had commenced 
firing. We have a reasonable promise for a 
great yield, and this, coupled with the in¬ 
creased acreage, will give us such a quantity 
as was never before seen. Our Blunt’s Prolific 
is eight feet high, the stock averaging 1| 
inch in diameter, and is in tassel. It was 
planted April 23. Our ordinary corn was 
planted about the 10th, but it is behind the 
Blunt. Wheat is mostly stacked aud in per¬ 
fect coudition—a thing that has not happened 
hero iu live years, as Kansas seems to have 
rains in Jiinu always, though an exception was 
threatened in this season. Oats are poor here, 
as elsewhere. Early potatoes are good, and 
those late oues recently planted will probably 
do well. The prairie grass is now too thin on 
most places to make hay; whether this rain 
will start the present brown grass, I cannot 
say. On a portion of our coru laud, about 
half of it was plowed early last fall, and re¬ 
ceived several inches of rain before winter set 
in, but so late that no verdure appeared. It 
was harrowed and made smooth just before 
being planted this spring. The other portion 
was plowed thi6 spring, and was in splendid 
condition—the corn being planted as soou as 
it was harrowed. The fall plowing seemed to 
be hard, below the surface, and we had a de¬ 
cided impression that the spring-plowed would 
excel the other. One farmer, a young one, 
said that “fall plowing had not succeeded this 
(the first) winter.” Another farmer said we 
shotild “find the fall plowing would win, 
though it might look unpromising.” The re¬ 
sult is, that the fall plowing is, for a given 
number of plants, 35 per cent, heavier, and the 
stand is 15 per cent, better. 4, b. 
Kan., Phillipsburg, Phillips Co., June 23.— 
The prospects for small grains are uot good. 
With all our rains we had heavy winds to¬ 
gether with hail down to May 30, when it set 
in dry aud we didn’t have a drop of rain un¬ 
til the 16th inst. The hail and drought have 
injured the crops. Winter wheat and rye will 
not be over half crops. Spring wheat, oats 
and barley are poor; the heads are short aud 
farmers arc plowing under some pieces. Corn 
is looking fine. “Bugs” have hurt the pota¬ 
toes somewhat. There are some peaches and 
small fruits. v. n. 
Kansas, Edgerton, Johnson Co., June 27.— 
Our drought here is at an end. It commenced 
to rain on June 20th, and has beeu raiulng 
every day since, and is still raining. This will 
help oats and flax a great deal, but wheat will 
be injured in the shock; there is none stacked 
here yet. Corn aud potatoes will be heavy 
crops. My Blunt corn was planted the latest 
of any I have; but it is uow the largest, stand¬ 
ing fully six feet high. I thinned out about 
half the. suckers and left the rest. It beats 
any corn I ever saw in suckering. Probably 
the manure caused it. a. b. ». 
Kan., Ellsworth, Ellsworth Co., June 25th.— 
Winter wheat is good. Spring wheat, half a 
crop. Potatoes are injured by “bugs”—will 
make two-tbirds of a crop. Fruit is doing 
well where cared for; most of our trees are 
too young to bear. Peaches are a failure this 
year; cherries are doing well. All kinds of 
small fruit are a success. It was too cold last 
winter for our peaches. This is a good fruit 
county. w. e. f. 
Kan., Kinsley, Edwards Co., June 23.—The 
weather continues dry. Thcrewill benobarvest 
of oats or barley. Winter wheat will average 
•about five bushels per acre; spring wheat, an 
entire failure. J. n. n. 
Neb., York, York Co., June 22.—I have lately 
been in the south and west parts of this county 
and the east part of Hamilton County, aud 1 
have found the crop prospects are good, with 
the exception of rye—it was too dry last fall 
for that. Corn is just splendid; some were 
afraid that the small graius would not be long 
enough to bind, but on the L9th and 20lh we 
had a good, heavy rain, which will help the 
leugtb of the straw. There will be some few 
pieces of barley ready in a week or ten days. 
Farmers are expecting a better yield (ban last 
year, and wishing for better prices. Wheat is 
now worth from 83 to 88 cents ; corn, 25c., and 
hard to get; hogs, $2.50®2,65. Immigration 
continues at a rapid rutc. There have been as 
high as 26 teams in a single day in York, be¬ 
sides many who are coming by rail. a. b. n. 
Nev., Mason Valley. Esmeralda Co., June 
30.—We have bad a very backward season— 
the thermometer ranged 50 to 70 degrees in 
daytime, and from 80 to 35 degrees during 
night. Grain louks very fair; straw will be 
short. Barley is our maiu crop, and will aver¬ 
age about 25 bushels per acre, though as high 
as 60 are reported. Wheat is not a good crop. 
There is enough plauted tor home use; it aver¬ 
ages about 15 bushels per acre. Oats arc not 
raised generally, and what there is will be a 
poor yield. I am experimenting with Waterloo 
White Oats, received from the Agricultural 
Department; it looks promising. Fruit trees, 
so far, are only ornamental, late frosts having 
killed the blossoms. The Pearl Millet from 
Rural New-YoukHK was killed by frost. De¬ 
fiance Wheat looks well. Haying will eom- 
meuoe next week; entirely Alfalfa; yields 
about five tons per aero. u. f. m. 
Idaho, Salmon City, Lemhi Co., June 30,— 
The prospects for wheat, oats and all other 
small grain are good. As to potatoes and 
other vegetables, we always have good crops, 
and the prospects now are better than ever 
before. Corn and fruit, have not been raised 
here successfully, so far. a. s. j. 
Oregon, Halsey, Linn Co., June 26.—We 
had only one. shower of rain in May r , but it 
lasted 31 days. Fall-sown wheat looks fine, 
aud is in bloom. Early spring-sown wheat 
looks good, and that sown late is just out of 
the ground. The apple crop is light—late 
frosts injured it. 4. d. 
Washington Territory, Alpowa, Columbia 
Co., June 20.—The farmers in southeastern 
Washington Territory including the couuties 
of Walla Walla, Columbia, Whitman, Stevens 
and Yakama, were never in such high hopes of 
securing an abundant harvest as this season. 
Wheat is the principal crop in the above coun¬ 
ties and the very promising yield is 60 flatter¬ 
ing to the cultivators of this cereal that exten¬ 
sive preparations for securing it are being 
made many- weeks before it matures. Expec¬ 
tations in regard to the yield ruu as high as 60 
bushels to the acre, and even this great yield 
has been exceeded in seasons less favorable 
than the present. Home consumption will re¬ 
quire ouly a very small part of this immense 
crop, and the surplus will be taken to the sea¬ 
board, there to be shipped to the markets of 
the world. Rates of transportation to tide¬ 
water are exhorbitant now, but the great num¬ 
ber of prospective railroads gives the wheat- 
raiser a strong hope that he will soon siug the 
Bong of “hard times” no more. The growth 
of oats and barley is exceptionally fine, and 
an abundant harvest is expected. Corn is 
quite late, corresponding with the season, but 
sufficient is always raised for home consump¬ 
tion. A great yield is never expected, for this 
is not a corn country. Potatoes in enormous 
quantities are raised every year, and this sea¬ 
son has been a remarkably good one for an 
extra crop. Apples, peaches, plums, pears 
and cherries are in great abundauce and there 
is an excellent promise of the quality be¬ 
ing very choice. n. a. w. 
Dakota, Deadwood, Lawrence Co., Juty 
2 2.—Wheat is looking good; but I don’t think, 
there will be any more than euough seed for 
next year, as a large increase of acreage is. 
likely to be planted. This is the first year in 
which we have tried coru. Oats are fine; 
there will be too much for market. This is 
(he potato country, and the crop is looking iu 
flue condition. h. c. 
Montana, Boulder Valley, Jefferson Co., 
June 32.—Wheat is at present looking very 
favorable ; it will probably be a No. 1 crop, as 
there are no grasshoppers this year. The out¬ 
look for the potato crop is good. Corn in this 
Territory is of but small account, as there is 
but little planted, and that is the small and 
early kind. Fruits, where trees have been set 
out, arc looking very well, though heretofore 
the altitude has been considered too great for 
fruit-growing. J. K. R. 
Wyoming Ter., Lander, Sweetwater Co- 
June 25.—The weather is fine, and the crops 
promise well. Young grasshoppers, however, 
are bothering some of the crops. Wheat last 
year averaged thirty bushels per acre. Pota¬ 
toes were so plentiful that hundreds of barrels 
were thrown away. Cattle are getting fat, but 
for humans times ure still very hard. 4. J. F. 
Cal., Norwalk, Los Angeles Co,, June 2L— 
This is one of our dry eeasous. Crops iu gen¬ 
eral will be light. Of wheat there is scarcely 
any raised here. Early potatoes are plentiful, 
aud selling at 50 per cental. Corn is a short 
crop, very low, about 50c. per eentfll, sacks 
furnished. Fruits look pretty good- Barley 
is a short crop. Alfalfa is about the best crop 
here. N. J. k. 
Cal., Fresno City, Fresno Co., June 25.— 
Wheat, coru, aud crops of all kiuds are total 
failures, except on irrigated lands. Fruits will 
be large crops. h. n. e. 
Va., Chula, Amelia Co., July L—Wheat is 
au average crop, although badly wiuter-killed. 
Corn is very fine, baviug been well worked aud 
the season being suitable. The fruit prospects 
are bad, our hopes being confiued to apples 
and a few defective peaches. Owing to dry 
weather the early potatoes are a failure ; late 
potatoes are looking well. w. o. h. 
Ai-a., Selma, Dallas Co.. June 26.—After a 
long spell of dry weather we are having a fine 
rain. This will make corn a good crop : Cot- 
tou looks well aud will be a fine crop, if the 
worm forgets to visit it. Not many potatoes 
are raised here. I don’t think that this year 
we shall have half as many as usual, owing to 
the injury donu them by late frots. Oats are 
all saved in good order. Colton is well 
worked ; laborers are doing finely. 1 hear no 
complaints ou any side. Everyone looks 
and feels prosperous. •*. u. 
Louisiana, Pattersonville, Si. Mary’s Parish, 
June 24th.—We are too far South for wheat; 
none here. Potatoes arc not planted as a field 
crop. What were planted this season are ripe 
and dug ; our yield was rather below the aver¬ 
age on account of drought. Very little fruit 
I is grown here, except oranges. They were in- 
