1901 
457 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Events of the IVeek. 
domestic.—A cloudburst near Bellaire, O., June 13, 
carried away three boys, drowning them In a swollen 
creek .The Mineral Springs Hotel at West 
Baden, Ind., was destroyed by Are June 14; no one was 
hurt, but the property loss was $500,000. .... The 
Staten Island ferryboat Northfield came into collision 
with the Jersey Central ferryboat Mauch Chunk off the 
Battery, New York City, June 14, and sank soon after. 
There were 1,200 persons on the Northfield, and a panic 
occurred; five persons drowned.Mayor Ash- 
bridge, of Philadelphia, Pa., has Ignored the offer of 
$2,500,000 made by John Wanamaker, and the protests of 
the people of the city, and signed the ordinances giving 
away franchises for 14 city raiiways, elevated, under¬ 
ground and surface. Mr. Wanamaker said he could 
cheerfully pay the sum of $2,500,000 but suggested that if 
the new ordinances required the franchises to be put up 
at auction and sold to the highest bidder an amount 
largely in excess of that which he had offered could be 
obtained readily. His offer, he declared, was merely an 
indication in concrete form of the magnitude of the gift 
conferred upon private citizens without return to the 
people.A hail and rain storm in the vicinity of 
Knoxville, Tenn., June 18, greatly damaged and in some 
sections completely destroyed fruit and vegetable crops. 
Wheat and corn suffered much, and there was great 
damage to fencing, soils, bridges and roads. The loss 
was over $100,000.A cloudburst and heavy floods 
in Virginia June 18 caused much damage. At Harrison¬ 
burg three persons were drowned.A fire in a 
big furniture establishment in Brooklyn, N, Y., June 
18, caused a loss of $435,000. 
administration.—T he Russian Ambassador has 
notified the State Department that in consequence of 
the American Government applying tariff restrictions 
against Russian petroleum, the Russian Minister of Fi¬ 
nance has imposed the high tariff rate of the Russian 
schedule on American white resin, or colophony, galipot 
(white turpentine) brewers’ pitch and bicycles. 
The Treasury Department has Imposed a countervailing 
duty upon Italian beet sugar, in consequence of indi¬ 
rect export bounties alleged to be paid by Italy. 
Information has reached Washington that under a re¬ 
cent classification plows with one wheel imported Into 
Italy are to be regarded as Instruments for art and 
trade, instead of agricultural machines, and that the 
change Involves a higher rate of duty. The United 
States Government is likely to protest, 
PHILIPPINES,—Two officers of the War Department 
will make an investigation of the mysterious loss of 
large quantities of commissary and medical supplies on 
transports between San Francisco and Manila. These of¬ 
ficers are Major John L. Chamberlain, Inspector-Gen¬ 
eral, and William T. Kent, accountant of the Inspector- 
General’s office. It is apparently the belief of officials 
that the losses sustained have not occurred while the 
transports are on the high sea, but at the ports, where 
opportunity arose for the quiet transfer of convenient 
articles to persons acting in collusion with those on 
board the ships. The extent of the losses suffered by the 
Government is not known. They are said to be large. 
In any event army officers say that it is the duty of the 
Government to make an investigation, and to stop the 
Irregularities. Regarding the San Francisco frauds, 
Lieutenant-Colonel Mans, the inspector, who discovered 
them, has telegraphed Inspector-General Breckinridge 
that no commanding officers are involved, and that the 
irregularities are confined to the Presidio.Col¬ 
onel Bolanos, with five officers and 41 rifles, has sur¬ 
rendered at Lipa, Batangas Province. The recent battle 
with the Insurgents at Lipa, in which Lieutenant Springer 
was killed and Captain Wilhelm and Lieutenant Lea 
were mortally wounded, was begun by the Americans. 
The disproportionate number of officers hit is said to be 
chargeable to the fact that there were several deserters 
from the American army with the rebels, 
CUBA.—The main obstacle to complete Independence 
for Cuba has been removed by the action of the Con¬ 
stitutional Convention in accepting the Platt amend¬ 
ment without the explanatory appendix which was ob¬ 
jectionable to this Government. It is not likely that a 
new government for the Island will be established before 
Congress meets next December, and the earliest with¬ 
drawal of American troops cannot begin until next year. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—A fire which started in 
a shipyard at St. Petersburg, Russia, June 14, caused 
the death of 12 persons and damage amounting to 10,- 
000,000 rubles (about $6,000,000).An explosion in 
a cartridge factory at Les Moulineaux, near Paris, 
Prance, June 14, killed 15 persons and Injured 20 others. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The National Grain Growers’ 
Association met at St. Paul, Minn., June 11. At the con¬ 
clusion of the National convention the State Grain Grow¬ 
ers’ and Farmers’ Alliance and Industrial Union held 
their annual conventions at the same place. This meet¬ 
ing was expected to be the largest gathering of farmers 
ever held in the country. Excursions were formed to 
bring them from Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, 
North and South Dakota and Minnesota. Among the 
many notable speakers were Governor Van Sant, Sen¬ 
ator Clapp, Congressman Stevens, Archbishop Ireland, 
General M. D. Flower, Chief Grain Inspector Retshus, 
E. W. Randall, Professor Hayes and others. The Allied 
Agricultural Associations, which met In Minneapolis at 
the same time, gave a banquet June 13 to George H. 
Phillips, of Chicago, in appreciation of his efforts in 
raising the price of corn from 30 to 55 cents per bushel. 
He was made an honorary member of the Grain Grow¬ 
ers’ Association. 
The prizes in the recent stock judging contest by the 
students of the Dnpn^ftment of Agriculture of the Chip 
State University were awarded June 13 as follows: Firsf 
prize, Henry H. Hamilton, Brownsville, O.; second, W. 
B. Smith, Chesterhill, O.; third, Herbert L. Belden, Mld- 
dlefield, O.; fourth, C. C. Poindexter, Parkersburg, W. 
Va.; fifth, M. O. Bugby, Kingsville, O. The prizes, ag¬ 
gregating $35, have been given annually for a number of 
years by W. B. Smith & Son, of Columbus, O. 
The Western Seedsmen’s Association is the name of a 
new association of lO western seedsmen, formed In Sioux 
City, la., on June 1. Its object Is to have a better un¬ 
derstanding and feeling among seedsmen whose travel¬ 
ing men cover the same territory in Iowa, Minnesota, 
North and South Dakota, Nebraska and ICansas. H. A. 
Johns, Sioux City, la., is president; J. O. Littlejohn, In¬ 
dependence, la., treasurer; Mel. L. Webster, Independ¬ 
ence, la., secretary. 
The Wholesale Seed Merchants’ League held a pro¬ 
tracted meeting at Powers Hotel, Rochester, N. Y., 
June 14. Many matters of trade importance were up for 
discussion. The new members of the board of directors 
are: Burnet Landreth, W. A. Burpee, T. T. Maynard and 
H. W. Wood, the latter to fill the unexpired term of 
Robt. Buist. Officers were elected as follows: President, 
F. W. Bruggerhof; vice-president, S. F. Leonard; secre¬ 
tary and treasurer, Burnet Landreth. 
An examination of the recently published session laws 
of the last Illinois Legislature discloses the fact that the 
game law under the statute offers no protection to quails. 
After July 1 next the birds may be killed indiscriminate¬ 
ly at all seasons of the year. A number of neighboring 
States have recently enacted laws prohibiting the killing 
of quails for a number of years, and it is expected that 
hunters from all over the country will pour into Illinois, 
and that an indiscriminate slaughter will follow. Sports¬ 
men predict that the quails will be exterminated within 
the next two years. 
Prof. W. ’T. Carrington, Missouri State Superintendent 
of Schools, has conferred with Geo. D. Ellis, secretary 
of the State Board of Agriculture, and Dean H. J. 
Waters, of the Agricultural College, in reference to plans 
for the Introduction of the teaching of the elements of 
agriculture into the rural schools of Missouri. It was 
agreed that Dr. Chai’les Thom, professor of botany, pre¬ 
pare a teacher’s guide for plant study. Prof. J. M. Sted- 
man, teacher of entomology, will prepare a siihilar guide 
for the study of animals and insects, which will be fol¬ 
lowed immediately without lines for agriculture and 
horticulture by Prof. M. R. Smith and Prof. J. C. Whit¬ 
ten. The State Board of Agriculture will publish and 
distribute this literature among the teachers who desire 
the work. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
JUNE 10.—Wheat is badly damaged by the fly. Some 
early fields were broken up for corn. Late wheat Is 
better, but is falling badly; will not be more than a half 
crop. The poorest stand of corn in years; cause, mainly 
on account of cold wet Spring, and secondly on account 
of planting too deep. One-horse drills are cause of deep 
plantings. Two-horse planters give a fair stand. Oats 
and grasses promise a fair crop. Peaches promise a 
fine crop, apples a poor one; other fruits fair. Potato 
crop was late in planting, but is coming splendidly now. 
New Bellsville, Ind. c. w. v. 
JUNE 10.—Wheat is looking well; the best we have 
had it in four years. No signs of insects in it yet; it 
was not winterkilled to any extent, and promises a 
heavy crop. Corn is in poor shape on account of cold 
weather and lack of rain. Oats are looking poorly; too 
cold and dry. Rye will be a light crop; has been too 
dry all the Spring for it to stool. Hay will be a scarce 
article here this year; old meadows promise nothing; 
some small pieces of new seeding looking well, but the 
majority is very poor. Potato planting is well under 
way. ’The acreage will be about three-fourths of what 
it was last year, nearly double the early varieties plant¬ 
ed that were last year. Nearly all the late varieties 
planted will be Rural or Carman. This is a potato coun¬ 
try, that being the main money crop. w. b. 
Mecosta Co., Mich. 
JUNE II.—A good proportion of the young fruit on the 
apple trees seem to remain yet, especially the early fruit, 
as Duchess, Twenty Ounce, etc. Peaches are very scarce 
on the trees. Pears and quinces are promising well. 
Plums are blighted, and expect about half a crop. 
Wheat is looking very poor; the insect is working in it 
quite extensively. b. w. b. 
Hilton, N. Y. 
JUNE 12.—I think the long cold wet weather has done 
less damage than was expected. We in this immediate 
vicinity did not have heavy bloom to begin with, but 
there appears yet perhaps one-third an average crop of 
fruit. Cherries have suffered more than apples. Bald¬ 
wins are grown here to a large proportion, and they are 
decidedly scarce; did not blossom even where well cared 
for. Early varieties blossomed quite profusely and are 
still carrying the fruit where properly sprayed. c. b. 
Spencerport, N. Y. 
JUNE 14.—Cold, very wet backward Spring. Corn 
planting not finished. Grass heavy, prospects for large 
hay crop. Wheat badly injured by fly; will not be over 
half crop in county. Farmers blue as usual; last year 
too dry; this year too wet. We are never satisfied. We 
complain too much. Let us take things as they come 
and be thankful. b. d. 
Penn Yan, N. Y. 
JUNE 12.—Apples blossomed very light in this section, 
excepting early fruit, which set well. The Baldwins did 
not blossom. Greening about one-third, and they are 
not setting very well. It is a little too early to tell defi¬ 
nitely. Pears and plums have set a fair crop. Tent 
caterpillars have been very thick, and the canker worms 
are getting in their work now. Farmers are very slack 
in spraying this year, as the wet weather has hindered, 
and very light show for crop. w. p. r. 
Williamson, N. Y. 
JUNE 14.—Fruit trees of all kinds are quite full of 
blossoms, and as we had no frost to hurt the buds we 
expect a big crop, but the east wind and rain blasted 
most of the buds. There is a full crop of peaches, cur¬ 
rants and raspberries; plenty of plums and pears on 
some trees; about one-fourth crop of cherries; full crop 
of grapes but very few apples, though the trees were all 
quite full of blossoms. I suppose it is better the way it 
is, for if there had been a full crop we would get notfi- 
Ing for it at all. Wheat, oats and grass are as good 
as I ever saw, though wheat was put In last Fall the 
worst way on account of dry weather. Crops depend 
more on soil and weather than on science. b. r. 
Fayette Co., Pa. 
JUNE 15.—We have 300 Ben Davis which bloomed full; 
nearly two-thirds of bloom false; 100 Kings bloomed full; 
nearly one-half were weak and fell off. Apples now on 
look nice. Oldenburg trees are loaded down. Our 600 
Greening, Baldwin and Russet did not bloom well, and 
are a failure; Bartlett pear one-half crop; Seckel two- 
thirds crop. We sprayed before blossoms and once after, 
using white arsenic, sal soda and lime, which killed 
worms. Sprayed pears once with Bordeaux. c. m. h. 
Medway, N. Y. 
JUNE 15.—Farm conditions in this section of New 
Hampshire—near the sea—have been much the same as 
reported in your columns by your New York correspond¬ 
ents; constant foggy and rainy weather through April 
and May, causing most farm work to be late. Many 
have not yet finished planting, and there is a general 
report of rotted potato seed. Old potatoes scarce, and 
$1 per bushel in the stores. Early plantings on light 
land have come well, however, but are unusually in¬ 
fested with bugs. Much complaint from farmers and 
gardeners of cut and grub worms. Notwithstanding the 
long wet period there is now much need of rain, as we 
have had a fortnight of dry scorching winds, and heavy 
land is baked hard. Hay crop will not be heavy as the 
long drought of 11)00 burned up old fields. There will be 
no apples in this section this year. Greenings, Spy and 
early varieties bloomed well, but the cold and wet evi¬ 
dently prevented setting. Farmers in this section have 
not yet learned to spray as your New York orchardists 
do. They wait until the canker worms have badly 
eaten the foliage and then dose heavily with Paris-green. 
Very few use Bordeaux Mixture. Many orchards are 
now brown and must be badly damaged. All in all crop 
prospects are not bright. Pastures that have been look¬ 
ing finely now need rain. d, n. £*. 
Dover Point, N. H. 
JUNE 17.—Pears and apples except Spy and Astrachan 
were in heavy bloom; but not more than an eighth or 
tenth part of the blossoms set. A few tent worms and 
fewer forest worms. But littie spraying was done, owing 
to the rain. Grass is good; corn backward. a. l. h. 
Norway, N. Y. 
JUNE 17,—^Apples can hardly be estimated at 30 per 
cent; pears are a little better; cherries set full but are 
falling some. Small fruit is a good crop. We have had 
about 10 days of very fine warm growing weather and 
things look brighter. w. b. t. 
Standing Stone. Pa. 
JUNE 17.—Baldwin apples had scarcely any bloom but 
have set some fruit; outlook for a fair crop of other 
Winter varieties. Not many commercial orchards here. 
Peaches, cherries and plums will be a full crop. Wheat, 
oats and grass looking well. Corn late on account of 
wet season. g. w. h. 
Ogle, Pa. 
JUNE 16.—There will be a good crop of apples in this 
section, but as many growers do not spray, there will 
not be over 50 per cent of crop fine fruit. Peaches will 
be about a half crop. Frost is supposed to have injured 
them badly, causing them to drop, although some or¬ 
chards will have a full crop. Plums are a light crop, 
but some orchards that have been sprayed right, show 
up finely. Pears, light crop; weather favorable for spray¬ 
ing after blossoms dropped. Hay not a full crop. 
Allegan Co., Mich. h. m. 
JUNE 15.—’This is the regular year for apples to bear 
well here, and trees bloomed full and set well generally. 
Some are now scabbing very badly, especially Winesap. 
As a rule Winesap brings in more money to this section 
than all other varieties combined. I sprayed mine this 
year pretty thoroughly and it seems to have had a good 
effect, but has not entirely prevented the scab by any 
means. In some unsprayed orchards the apples are so 
scabby that it is disgusting to look at them. The pros¬ 
pect for Albemarle Pippins is first rate. Other fruits 
promise well. Cherries are ripening; fruit very small. 
Barboursville, Va. a. r. l. 
JUNE 17.—Our wheat is partly lodged, and I don’t 
think will fill as it would if it had not rained so much. 
I don’t think the hay crop will be as large as anticipated 
by a great many. The meadows are not thick in the 
bottom, but still it may thicken up yet. I hear of pota¬ 
toes not sprouting; ours came up fairly well, but it has 
been so wet we could not cultivate nor hoe, so they are 
full of weeds, and it is not much of a year to use a 
weeder. Our apple trees blossomed about the time the 
rain commenced, and I never saw trees whiter, but the 
cold wet weather blasted the blossoms, so we will have 
no apples and not much other fruit. There is a big com¬ 
plaint about cows falling off in milk. Ours have shrunk 
from 250 to 210 quarts in the last two weeks, not doing as 
well as they did last June, for all it was so dry. 
Hop Bottom, Pa. _ e. p. b. 
Crop and Weather Report. 
The past week on the Pacific coast has been cool, with 
frosts in the northern part. With the exceptions of 
drought in Texas and Missouri and heavy rains in the 
South Atlantic States, weather conditions east of the 
Mississippi have been favorable. The condition of corn 
is improving, but considerable damage from cutworms 
is reported in the Dakotas. Winter wheat harvest is go¬ 
ing on rapidly in Kansas and Missouri and is commenc¬ 
ing in the Central States, where the fly is still active. 
Spring wheat in Minnesota and the Dakotas is improv¬ 
ing. Cotton is looking well except in the eastern sec¬ 
tions of the district, where rains have prevented culti¬ 
vation. The prospect for the tobacco plant is favorable, 
but some damage from worms is reported In the Caro¬ 
lines. Apples are dropping heavily in Ohio and other 
States of the Central West. In New York and the New 
England States the hay crop will be heavy, and cutting 
will soon begin. Potato bugs and other Insect pests gre 
numerous. Strawberries are being marketed from soqtli- 
ern Jersey; tree fruits are dropping badly. In Marylapfl 
and Delaware work has been hindered by rains. Hay 
will be light. The peach yield will he fair. In Virginia, 
potatoes are fine and melons fair. The Georgia peach 
crop has come through In fair shape so far. In May 
there was an extensive drop caused by curcullo stinging, 
but this amounted to only a wholesome thinning. Some 
report that the size is better than last year. Cantaloupes, 
while several days later than lasf season, promise well, 
and the acreage is nearly double in some sections. 
