1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
485 
THE STATE FRUIT CROP. 
Outlook in Hudson River Section. 
JUNE 26.—The crop of fruit throughout Schoharie 
County will be light, aside from apples. The apple crop 
bids fair to exceed that of last year, which throughout 
the Schoharie Valley was not very good as to quality. 
Middleburg. w. e. b. 
JUNE 26.—Fruit prospects are much better than last 
year, especially apples, and quality of them Is fine. Pears 
are promising somewhat better; still nothing like a full 
crop; Seckels are very light. Peaches are scarce in places, 
while some orchards are promising well, but weather is 
too cool for peaches as yet. The white varieties of 
peaches are looking much better than the yellow or Craw¬ 
ford class. e. c. B. 
Athens. 
JUNE 26.—There will not be a full crop of fruit of any 
one variety in this county. Pears blossomed pretty full, 
but the freeze and high wind of May 10 blasted much of 
the fruit, and 50 per cent of a full crop is all I can see 
from present indications. Plums are better, about 75 per 
cent; early cherries very light, late probably 85 per cent. 
Peaches about 50 per cent; peach trees blossomed quite 
freely, and set nearly a full crop, but the freeze affected 
the vitality of the fruit, and at reaching the size of a 
pea about half dropped. Apples may reach 65 or 70 per 
cent of a full crop; Greenings, although blossoming 
pretty full, have set but little fruit, fled fruit is much 
better, especially Baldwin, which has set quite full wher¬ 
ever orchards have been well cared for. f. b. 
Delmar. 
JUNE 27.—The outlook in this locality for apples is 
promising, Baldwins and Greenings showing nicely, and 
they will be quite clean. Worms, etc., have destroyed 
but little fruit, and the prospect is for a much better 
yield than last season, and better quality. F. H. H. 
Greenwich. 
JUNE 27.—In this immediate neighborhood apples are 
in excess of last year, which was very light, not over 4U 
per cent. This year i should say the crop was about 65 
per cent of a full crop, Quality is good up to date, but 
yet to be determined Pears are very shy, not over lu 
per cent of.a crop. Plums, positively nothing, h. r>. l. 
Annandale. 
JUNE 27.—The fruit crop is not so promising as the 
bloom led fruit growers to expect. There has been a 
good yield of strawberries and will be a fair yield of 
other berries, notwithstanding the freezing of the canes, 
'flie peach yield will not equal that of last year. The 
frequent rains are swelling the fruit, although the June 
drop lias been severe. The cold weather thus far lias had 
a tendency to keep down the rot, although it shows some¬ 
what. Plums that overloaded last year have few on now, 
but others are quite well loaded, in apples, the greatest 
shrinkage of crop is noticeable. Of Summer fruit there 
will be but little in this section. Primates have none; 
Fall Pippins were full but have dropped badly, and wet 
weather is tending to increase the scab in spite of spray¬ 
ing. Baldwins are fairly well loaded, while in my or¬ 
chard 1 have hardly a Greening. This may be different 
with others, as i had a good crop last year while my 
neighbors had none. s. b. h. 
Blauvelt. 
JUNE 28.—The light frosts and continued cool weather 
have seriously shortened all fruit crops, except peaches 
and possibly grapes. The strawberry crop is practically 
all gathered. The crop has fallen far short of what it 
promised at time of blooming. Bed raspberries, currants 
and gooseberries will probably be but a iittle more than 
half a crop. Blackberries winterkilled to a great extent, 
but there will be some line fruit. Sweet cherries rotted 
badly and the crop has been a light one. Sour cherries 
are a very large crop of excellent quality. For the first 
time in many years our Burbank plums nearly all failed 
to blossom. Other varieties of the Japan wiil probably 
yield half a crop. Peaches and grapes promise a fair 
crop of fine fruit. Pears have dropped badly, and the 
prospect is there will not be over half a crop. Early 
varieties of apples have nearly all dropped from the trees. 
Winter apples are doing better. There will be a fair 
crop of fine fruit from present appearances. 
Orange Co. w. d. barns. 
JUNE 30.—In this locality I think we shall have one- 
third crop of Bartlett pears, one-half Kieffer, perhaps 
two-thirds crop of other sorts grown here. Present indi¬ 
cations on apples are: Baldwin very light; Bhode Island 
Greening, two-thirds crop; Ben Davis, same; Spy, two- 
thirds; other sorts one-half to two-thirds crop. It is too 
early to speak with any degree of assurance. Many sorts 
are falling badly. I would not sell less than $3 per barrel. 
Castleton-on-Hudson. e. b. 
JUNE 30.—There will be more apples and fewer pears; 
no cherries in this neighborhood this year. Apples look 
fair at present. Trees that were sprayed last year and 
this have more fruit. Worms are not as bad as the last 
two years. m. l. g. 
Stuyvesant. 
JUNE 30.—The apple crop in this neighborhood will not 
average over 25 or 30 per cent of a usual crop in a bearing 
year; Baldwins light, Pippins and Greenings medium. 
Bast year the worms stripped the foliage from most of 
our orchards, though the trees put forth new leaves they 
matured very few fruit buds. There are a few Green¬ 
ings. When the tent-caterpillar only appeared the foliage 
was partly destroyed, and they have some fruit. Or¬ 
chards well sprayed last year will have a medium crop 
of fair apples; pears are very light. w. s. b. 
Red Hook. 
Central New York Prospects. 
JUNE 26.—Apples are dropping quite badly, and where¬ 
as we had bloom and set for nearly a full crop, we now 
think 50 per cent is about right. Quality looks good, but 
too early to be assured of final results. Peaches about 30 
per cent of a crop; plums, 20 per cent; pears, 40 per cent; 
grapes, 50 per cent; raspberries, 75 per cent; blackcaps, 
40 per cent; strawberries about gone, 60 per cent of a crop. 
Wayne Co. b. j. case. 
JUNE 26.—The fruit interests of this county suffered 
severely by the freeze of early May, peaches, pears, 
quinces and plums being almost entirely ruined. Straw¬ 
berries were somewhat injured, but favorable weather 
since the freeze Is giving us nearly a full crop. Grapes 
show an average injury of about 20 per cent. Apples, 
particularly Baldwins, are set for a full crop, and there 
Is every Indication of good quality. e. c. g. 
Penn Yan. 
JUNE 26.—Prospect for the fruit crop in this county 
(Cayuga) is not very flattering. Peaches, plums and cher¬ 
ries are an entire failure; pears and prunes nearly so; 
apples, from present appearances, seem to indicate an 
average crop, probably as many again as we had last 
year, but not by any means a large crop. The apples are 
growing finely and look as though the quality might be 
all right. Grapes of all kinds are setting full, and rasp¬ 
berries and blackberries are making a fine show. There 
is a great deal of complaint of the early apples all falling 
off the trees, but ours all hang full except the Primates, 
and there is none on those. m. m. 
Port Byron. 
JUNE 28.—The strawberry crop has been from 50 to 60 
per cent, and poor quality because of frost and wet, 
which made fruit rather soft. Other berries will be nearly 
or quite a full crop, and probably perfect in quality. Cur¬ 
rants from half to two-thirds crop; large fruit, early 
cherries about 10 per cent, and of course poor; late cher¬ 
ries better. Pears are better than we thought, but less 
than 50 per cent of normal; quality likely to be choice. 
Apples 50 per cent plus, and fine quality. Prunes almost 
a failure; no grapes of account raised here. There will 
be more fruit in the aggregate than last year, and ex¬ 
cept strawberries of better quality. J. G. 
Weedsport. 
JUNE 28.—Strawberries are a full crop except some va¬ 
rieties like the Marshall, which were killed by the frost 
in May. Baspberries promise a full crop, as do also the 
blackberries, grapes and gooseberries. Early varieties 
of currants are very light, but late kinds are a full crop. 
Early apples are very light, but late kinds are full, and 
promise to be fine where well cared for. Pears were all 
killed except some very late Winter varieties. Early 
peaches are a moderate crop, but late ones very light. 
Most varieties of plums are a moderate crop where well 
cared for. There are no early cherries, and a very few 
of the late sour kinds; some apricots in protected places. 
Trumansburg. t>. R. f. 
JUNE 30.—The fruit outlook has materially improved 
since the frost scare last May. in our own case the frost 
was a blessing in disguise, as we will have a fair setting 
of apples with good prospects of a crop another year. 
Strange to say, the Burbank plums are setting a fail- 
crop of fruit, but will need no thinning. Peaches, quinces 
and cherries are shorter than last year. Apples promise 
to be quite fair and free from blemishes. vv. a. b. 
Farmer. 
JUNE 30,—The apple crop is very “spotted” as a rule; 
strong, vigorous trees are carrying fair crops of good 
quality. Orchards in sod, receiving only ordinary care, 
make a poor showing, even less fruit than last season, 
in some cases (four acres estimated 50 bushels only). 
Thoroughly cultivated and sprayed orchards show about 
50 per cent of 1896 crop at present, but many are dropping 
freely, and, I fear, will continue to drop. I consider the 
outlook very uncertain. e. w. c. 
North Rose. 
JUNE 30.—Present appearances indicate less fruit than 
last year. Cherries are not more than half a crop; plums 
about the same. Apples in some orchards are dropping 
badly; how long this will last time will tell. Present 
indications are more promising than last year; it is too 
soon yet to judge what the quality will be. Bartlett and 
Kieffer pears will be a smaller crop than last year; 
quinces not over half as many as last year. Wheat, rye 
and oats are looking well; hay is a light crop, although 
there are some very fine meadows. Corn is very back¬ 
ward. F. E. V. E. 
Stanley. 
JUNE 30.—The fruit prospects in this section are not 
what was looked for at one time, and with the exception 
of apples are not very flattering. There are some peaches 
now and then on a tree of some hardy variety and in 
protected places. The same can be said of plums and 
quinces; there will be, I think, near one-fourth crop or 
pears. In apples, the Greenings have set quite thin, in 
some cases not any too much so for a nice quality and 
good yield, but in some orchards are too thin for more 
than half a crop. King will be a fine crop; Hubbardstons 
are thin, but still enough for good returns. The Bald¬ 
wins in many orchards did not flower, and in every or¬ 
chard there are many trees in the same condition; a 
great many of those that did bloom are set very full, but 
at this time are dropping very badly; still, in many cases 
not too much for the benefit of either tree or fruit. The 
general crop here will average about 60 per cent of a full 
crop. t. B. WILSON. 
Hall’s Corners. 
Reports from Western New York. 
JUNE 26.—As the season advances the damage from 
early frost is more apparent. Apples are dropping quite 
badly, and the fallen fruit is not wormy, having been well 
sprayed, and I believe the difficulty arises from a weak¬ 
ened stem, resulting from frost. The fruit set in abund¬ 
ance. Our leading varieties of apples are Baldwin, Green¬ 
ing, Russet and Twenty Ounce, Fall Pippin, etc. Apples 
on the trees are large for the time of year, and unusually 
well colored, owing, I think, to cool, rainy weather. 
While the product will be much less than an early esti¬ 
mate would Indicate, I think we now have prospect for 
a fair average crop of well-developed, handsome fruit. 
Cherries are about one-half crop, extra good quality, 
peaches less than one-half crop. Quinces, which promised 
abundance early, are blasted extensively. Pears are not 
holding their own as well as apples; plums badly injured 
and dropping. c. b. 
Spencerport. 
JUNE 26.—After the freeze scare, farmers settled down 
to the idea that they would have a crop of apples, but to 
what extent appearances then did not indicate. Two or 
three weeks after this apples had grown and were very 
promising, so that good judges thought that there would 
be from 50 to 60 per cent of a crop and a high grade of 
apples, Baldwins and Kings leading in quantity. Green¬ 
ings next, all other varieties very light. All of this was 
changed about 16 days since, as a blight or fungus sud¬ 
denly appeared in all orchards, whether they were well 
cared for or not, to a greater or less extent. Some or¬ 
chards show the fungus very light, others a good deal. 
At this time of writing it is very difficult to forecast the 
result, but it is safe to say that, in the event that nothing 
more of this kind appears there will be two-thirds, at 
least, of what was estimated two weeks ago. I have had 
conversations with many farmers, and have been in many 
orchards, and the views that I have given you are based 
on both information obtained from farmers and my own 
observations. The general idea is that much of the fruit 
that is imperfect will ultimately drop, thus leaving the 
better grade of apples to mature better than they would 
otherwise. s. c. bowen. 
Orleans Co 
JUNE 27.—The outlook is for a much larger yield of 
apples than last year. Baldwin and King promise best; 
Greening and Roxbury Russets will be light crop. The 
quality will not be as good as last year. f. h. g. 
Holley. 
JUNE 27.—The cherry crop is light here, but good qual¬ 
ity, excepting early ones, which rotted badly. Tartarians 
are showing up well, but not a large crop. There is a 
good showing of prunes if they don’t drop before pick¬ 
ing time; quality will be fine. Apples are said to be a 
good crop and good quality. Cool weather has kept in¬ 
sects from working. Peaches are pretty well frozen here. 
There will be some pears. l. e. h. 
Plttsford. 
JUNE 30.—The fruit trees in western New York are very 
healthy. Having just spent three days In viewing the 
prospects I can say that we will not be flooded with any 
one kind of tree fruit. Peaches, pears, plums, prunes, 
quinces and cherries are a very light crop; apples mod¬ 
erate as to quantity, but fine quality, j. b. collamer. 
Monroe Co. 
JUNE 30.—We estimate that apples will be about 60 per 
cent of a full crop, Baldwins leading all other varieties, 
which will not exceed over 30 per cent of the crop. Pears, 
peaches, plums and cherries are a light crop, less than 
half of last year. Apples are more than three times that 
of last year, and appear to be of good quality. Spraying 
has been more thoroughly done than In previous years. 
The season is very backward and weather cold. Many 
cabbages are being planted under favorable conditions. 
Corn and beans are small and are poor In color. 
Hilton. b. w. b. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—Six men were killed June 26 by falls of 
rock in an iron mine at Port Oram, N. J. . . . A tor¬ 
nado which swept across central Indiana June 25 extended 
for about 16 miles, and varied in width from three to six 
miles. In this path factories were wrecked, houses un¬ 
roofed and blown from their foundations, windows and 
doors crushed by the weight of the wind, thousands of 
acres of growing crops were torn to pieces by the wind 
or cut into shreds by the hail, and barns were demolish¬ 
ed. Cattle were killed and Injured, machinery was wreck¬ 
ed, forests were twisted and bent and broken, telegraph 
and telephone poles were snapped off and the wires scat¬ 
tered in confusion along the highways and the lines of 
railway. Great as the damage was, it is remarkable that 
only two persons were killed—James Van Hoy, a young 
man of 22, crushed in a falling barn at Pendleton, and 
James Bailey, a farmer, caught in the wreck at McCords- 
ville. A conservative estimate of the total damage in the 
path of the storm places it in the neighborhood of $1,- 
590,000. A similar storm extended over South Dakota and 
northwestern Iowa on the same day. The path of the 
storm covered a space about 50 miles wide, and extended 
from Pierre, S. D., to a point near Be Mars, la. Within 
its track there was not a community that has not suf¬ 
fered loss of property. At Hudson, S. D., one life was 
lost, and the damage to towns in the vicinity will amount 
to about $50,000. The entire loss from the storm will be 
more than $500,000. The principal damage is to barns, 
house roofs, outbuildings crops and stock. The storm 
was like a fierce tropical gale, which swept across the 
country with unabated fury for more than an hour. Its 
velocity was from 70 to 80, and, at times, 90 miles an hour. 
Store fronts and plate glass windows were blown in, 
houses were unroofed, barns were overturned, and 
throughout the entire section there is not a windmill left 
standing. . . . June 29 severe storms prevailed in many 
parts of the country. Near Evansville, Ind., three per¬ 
sons were killed, several others injured, and property 
damaged to the extent of $100,000. At St. Louis, Mo., ex¬ 
cessive rain and wind prevailed June 28-29, causing $250,- 
000 damage. Four persons were killed by a storm in Ten¬ 
nessee June 29. 
CONGRESS.—June 26 the House passed the Philippine 
Government bill practically as it came from the commit¬ 
tee. . . . June 27, the General Deficiency bill, the last 
of the big supply measures, was passed by the Senate. A 
slight protest was made against the appropriations of 
$500,000 for the Buffalo Exposition and $160,000 for the 
Charleston Exposition, but finally they were included in 
the bill. The measure also carries $45,000 for the pay¬ 
ment of the expenses of the last illness and death of 
President McKinley, that amount Including the pay of 
the physicians. ... In addition to regular appropria¬ 
tion bills the work of the present Congress may be sum¬ 
marized as follows: Passed Panama Canal bill. Killed 
bill for Government cable to Philippines. Passed River 
and Harbor bill carrying $70,000,000. Passed Irrigation 
bill. Passed thousands of special pension bills. Pro¬ 
hibited sale of oleomargarine as butter. Abolished $70,- 
000,000 In war taxes. Ship Subsidy bill passed by Senate 
and killed in the House. Reenacted Chinese exclusion. 
Appropriated $360,000 for remodeling the White House. 
Passed appropriation bills exceeding those of any session 
except in war. It has failed to relieve Cuba by means 
of reduction. Failed to enact a militia law. Refused to 
pass a bill for a general staff of the army. Smothered all 
reciprocity treaties with foreign countries. Failed to 
provide for Consular reform. Passed no legislation for 
the regulation of trusts. Set its face against tariff revi¬ 
sion and tariff reform. Postponed action on the bill 
creating the Department of Commerce. Placed no new 
restrictions on European immigration. ... In the Sen¬ 
ate. June 30, Mr. Elkins, of West Virginia, made a speech 
in favor of the annexation of Cuba, which drew sharp 
replies from Mr. Platt, of Connecticut, and Mr. Hanna, 
of Ohio, who deprecated any annexation proposition at 
this time, and urged that the United States ought to be 
sensible of its obligations to the civilized world, if not 
to Cuba. The Elkins resolution for annexation was re¬ 
ferred to the Cuban Relations Committee. Hot words 
passed between Mr. Bailey, of Texas, and Mr. Beveridge, 
of Indiana, on the floor of the Senate, and, after adjourn¬ 
ment, was followed up by a physical assault by the Texas 
Senator on the Senator from Indiana. The trouble grew 
out of Mr. Bailey’s criticism of the State Department and 
of Ambassador Clayton in connection with the case of 
an American citizen in Mexico. . . . Congress ad¬ 
journed July 1. The appropriations made during this 
term amount to over $800,000,000. 
