1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
5o5 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
JULY 4.—Apples small crop. Corn doing nicely and 
prospect good, although acreage is not as large as 
would have been with more favorable early Spring. Po¬ 
tatoes doing well; the usual crop planted of the late 
varieties. Wheat much better than last year; grass or 
hay medium crop. b. f. d. 
Albion, Pa. 
JULY 4.—Apples, poor outlook; so of most other fruit 
except berries. Corn excellent almost everywhere; a 
brisk shower this evening after an almost unprecedented 
hot spell, will make it Jump. Potatoes, too, needed rain 
badly, though not seriously Injured yet. The hay crop 
was grand, and put in the barn in fine condition. Wheat, 
ready for harvesting next week, is one of the best crops 
we have had for years. But the oats will probably be al¬ 
most a failure owing to rust, which is not usual in our 
part of the State. w. t. s. 
Chester Co., Pa. 
JULY 4.—The outlook lor apples in this vicinity is very 
promising, particularly the late Winter varieties. Until 
recently, apples have not been cultivated for profit in 
this county, except in the western part. There could 
be seen, however, on nearly every farm a small orchard, 
just large enough to supply the family with apples, but 
in later years several large orchards have been planted. 
Farmers are beginning to realize the fact that there is 
profit in the growing of apples, particularly the York 
Imperial, Stark, Ben Davis and other late varieties. In 
the northern end of our county can now be seen a num¬ 
ber of very promising peach orchards. Tlie coming crop 
promises to be one of the greatest ever known in this 
locality. Most of the owners of peach orchards have 
been thinning the fruit very hard to prevent the trees 
from breaking. I have been engaged at thinning nearly 
all of the month of June. The corn crop promises to be 
a very good one. Very much of the corn has been plant¬ 
ed very late. I finished planting June 22. As to the 
potato crop, few farmers have planted more than enough 
for the family supply. Those that have been planted 
promise to yield a good crop. The hay crop here is much 
heavier than expected., w. a. b. 
York Springs, Pa. 
JULY 6.—As to this vicinity, apples will give no more 
bushels than there were barrels in 1900. Corn and potatoes 
not more than 35 per cent of our usual crop; hay, probably 
about 75 per cent; oats almost an entire failure; everything 
is nearly two weeks late. There will be some peaches; 
also plums. Yet, notwithstanding this dark outlook, we 
realize this can be changed into a fairly prosperous year. 
Waymart, Pa. t. n. t. 
JULY 5.—Corn and potatoes are about 10 days late in 
this vicinity. The rainfall has not been excessive here, 
but the weather being cool and cloudy has retarded 
these crops. They are generally quite weedy. Oats are 
rather short yet, and getting rusty. The hay crop prom¬ 
ises somewhat better than last season, but the grass is 
patchy, and there are many more weeds than usual. 
Apples, pears and plums are an entire failure here. 
Strawberries few and Inferior, but raspberries will be 
abundant. With a prospective decline in prices of farm 
products in general the average farmer will hardly bo 
able to laugh and grow fat to any great extent, as In¬ 
dicated by the present outlook. a. w. s. 
Wilmore, Pa. 
JULY 5.—The outlook for apples is not very good. 
Baldwins will be a short crop, and they are the principal 
apples grown in this vicinity. Early apples are also a 
short crop. Corn is looking well so far, and the prospect 
for a large crop is good. Potatoes were doing well up 
to the last two weeks, when the Potato bugs appeared 
in large numbers, both the striped and the old Hying 
gray bug. Great complaint among farmers of the de¬ 
struction they are doing. The Rose bugs are also doing 
great damage to cherries, peaches, etc. Cherries are 
also rotting a good deal. Peaches a very large crop, 
but will not be first class, as the farmers do not thin, 
but prefer to prop the limbs. The wheat is the best we 
have had for years. Hay crop is also good. e. a. b. 
Kittanning, Pa. 
JULY 6.—Hay was a fair crop. Wheat is being cut and 
is an enormous crop, the best for years, and is entirely 
free from insects. Early sown oats will be an average 
yield, while late sown will be short, owing to the 
drought now existing. Corn is a good stand, well ad¬ 
vanced, and fields are free from weeds. Potato fields 
are promising, although very much In need of rain. Some 
cow peas sown for feed, but In most cases as experi¬ 
ments. Apples will be a light crop, but peaches, iiears, 
plums and quinces will be plentiful. e. r. d. 
Barto, Pa. 
JULY 8.—The prospect for corn and potatoes is good. 
Hay about an average crop. The outlook for oats is not 
encouraging. They are affected with a rust, blight or 
insect of some kind. It looks at present as though some 
fields will be from one-third to one-half crop. Apples a 
very light crop. Wheat about average. e. a. 
Big Bend, Pa. 
JULY 8.—The prospect for apples is not very bright; 
about half a crop. Peaches, plums and cherries set very 
full, but are falling badly. Leaf blight or rust has 
struck the oats in all this section on both high and low 
land; prospect now for a half crop or less. Potatoes and 
corn look well, and with favorable weather will make 
a full crop; hay an average croit. c. d. g. 
North Point, Pa. 
JULY 8.—Apples made a very poor set except a few 
early varieties, and during the wet cold weather in May 
the leaves curled and dried, the fruit grew rough, un¬ 
sightly and one-sided. I think there will be very few 
good Winter apples. Owing to wet weather potatoes 
were planted late, but came up fairly well except on 
wet or heavy land, but the extremely hot sun the last 
two weeks has turned the lower leaves yellow, so that 
some growers have given up the hopes of a crop. During 
uly 6 and 7 we had very heavy rain, and perhaps there 
s some show yet for the late ones, but none at all for 
early varieties, they being a complete failure. Corn, 
owing to wet weather, was planted far later than ever 
efore in this section, but it came up well, and has grown 
ast during this hot weather. If we have a very late 
Fall it promises a fair yield, but if caught by an early 
frost as we have been some years, fully 50 per cent 
would be ruined. W’e have few silos in this section. 
Hay, wheat and rye have made fair yields. w. h. w. 
Newtown, Pa. 
JUIiY 6.—June's heavy storms with rains left corn¬ 
fields in bad condition. Wheat cutting has already begun 
with the appearance of a good crop. Oat fields look 
well with the exception of some rust. Too much i-ain 
at planting time for potatoes; those that stood the wet 
spell are looking well. ‘By all appearances we shall have 
a heavy hay crop. This is not much of an apple-growing 
vicinity, but all trees are loaded; some complain of them 
falling. No spraying done here. B. F. W. 
Circleville, Pa. 
JULY 8.-^Apples promise three-fourths of an average 
crop; area of potatoes large, and looking fine. Consider¬ 
able complaint of blight; ours are not so affected. Corn 
prospects very good; owing to late planting not so far 
advanced as usual. Watermelons and cantaloupes are 
looking fine. Orange watermelon and Emerald Gem can¬ 
taloupe are the only varieties grown; market Is at home. 
This is my son’s sixth year, and he has 18 acres; won¬ 
derful success; all high land, gravel with sand. Our 50 
acres of peaches are fine; have been busy thinning for 
two weeks. Abundance plums very full; must be thinned. 
We are just finishing cutting our wheat, which is fine 
and heavy in general. Our hay crop was fine, but as a 
rule hay is a light crop, owing to drought last season. 
No clover, all burnt out last season, except old fields 
or those seeded the previous year. This year’s Timothy 
and clover is very fine. We have just picked 16 bushels 
of Fay currants from a small plot, that are very fine; 
plenty of rain for all crops; excessive heat; a number 
of horses have died of sunstroke or heat. e. h. c. 
Bowmansdale, Pa. 
THE WESTERN APPLE CROP. 
At present 1 have no definite information as to other 
than local conditions regarding the apple crop. The 
outlook here is not at all favorable. Some of the best 
market sorts did not bloom abundantly and some set but 
little fruit. The season has been very favorable for the 
development of scab, and we may expect much dropping 
of the fruit, and poor quality in that which ripens. 
Ben Davis, Maiden Blush and Canada Red are a total 
failure. Baldwin V’ery irregular, but promise about 20 per 
cent; Greenings promise better than any other variety 
of Winter fruit. Peach growing is the principal industry 
in this locality. The outlook is for an abundant crop of 
this fruit. wm. miller. 
Ohio State Horticultural Society. 
I learn from the papers and other sources that there 
is about 50 per cent of a crop of Winter apples in Mis¬ 
souri and Illinois; I should think from 50 to 75 per cent 
of a crop in Indiana. However, Indiana does not cut 
very much of a ligure in the Winter apple market, as 
we have few large commercial apple orchards in the 
State. In a recent trip east, through Ohio, Pennsylvania 
and western New York, I noticed the prospects for the 
apple crop are very poor. The frequent cold rains dur¬ 
ing the blooming period seem to have prevented fertiliza¬ 
tion; the older orchards for the most iiart seemed to be 
v'ery much neglected, and badly damaged by the w’cb 
worm and canker worm. It looks very much as though 
commercial apple growing would finally be carried on 
by the few who are willing to employ all the means 
that are necessary to insure regular and good crops. 
Indiana. c. m. iiobbs. 
My present opinion is that the apple crop in Indiana, 
Illinois, Missouri and Kansas wili be light, but that 
Iowa, in the western apple section, will have a good 
crop. The bloom in many parts was light, and there is 
much complaint of insects and of fruit (fropping. The 
Illinois product has been placed at a half crop by some, 
but I am satisfied that in my own section of northern 
Illinois (which is not a large apple growing section), 
the crop will not be over 25 to 30 per cent. I do not think 
that, as a rule, any section or orchards which bore a 
full crop last year will give a full one this, and 
many of them are almost failures. As the crop last 
year was called almost a record breaker, although much 
shortened in final results by wind, bitter rot and hot 
weatlier, it can readily be seen what this means for the 
crop this year, if true. l. r. bryant. 
Brinceton, Ill. 
From the present conditions existing in the West, 
there will not be over 50 per cent of the average apple 
crop, and this takes into account both Fall and Winter 
apples. Winter apples alone are very scarce. I really 
do not believe that there will be over 25 per cent of an 
average crop of Winter apples; at least this is the pres¬ 
ent indication. Weather is very hot and dry; everything 
needing rain. We have had a very fair crop of small 
fruit, and currants and gooseberries have been extraor¬ 
dinarily full. Cherries have been a full crop, and at 
present time the shipments are very heavy from our 
locality to the Northwest. Varieties are Early Rich¬ 
mond, Wragg, Montmorency and Dyehouse. Plums 
promise a good crop. Grapes at least promise a full half 
crop. Pears and peaches, where planted, are making a 
great show, but with apples we are sorry to say this is 
an “off” year with us. m. j. wragg. 
Iowa Hort. Society. 
From my information to date, based on observation 
and reports from reliable sources, the apple crop will 
not go over one-half of a fair crop. Northern Missouri 
has about a half crop, and the apples are in good con¬ 
dition. Southern Missouri has more, perhaps 75 per cent 
of a crop. Kansas not over half crop, and Mr. Well- 
house, the president of the Kansas State Horticultural 
Society, said several days ago, that unless there was a 
favorable change in the weather inside of a week, the 
apple crop of Kansas was gone; that already they were 
burning and dropping from the trees. The greatest 
shortage in general over the West was caused by a 
great many Ben Davis not blooming, and it is our lead¬ 
ing commercial apple. I have two sons who have 12,000 
apple trees in commercial orchards, one-third of which 
is in full bearing, but they will not make one-fourth of 
a crop. Smaller orchards, with less Ben Davis in, show 
better. But I am confident that 50 per cent of a fair 
average crop is the outside limit for the West, and it is 
my opinion that it will fall below this. We never have 
the bitter rot in northern Missouri. n. f. Murray. 
Pres’t Mo. Florticultural Society. 
I am not qualified to speak for any except this section, 
and even here the conditions in different localities, in 
different soil, with different varieties, and with orchards 
of different ages, are so diverse that it is difficult to give 
an intelligent report. The Ben Davis, which comprises 
a large part of the crop, set very light, and at no time 
has there been promise of more than a light crop of 
this variety. Young orchards are bearing better than 
old ones. The varieties which are most promising are 
Jonathan, Missouri Pippin, Willowtwig and Winesap, 
An unusual amount of twig blight developed this season. 
Some varieties, notably Jonathan, suffered more than 
others. It seems now to have run its course for this 
season. No more twigs are dying, and no injury to the 
fruit is apparent. We are suffering now from an un¬ 
usually severe drought. There are rumors that farther 
west the apple crop is destroyed. In the Ozark region 
of southern Missouri and Arkansas the damage from 
drought and consequent dropping of apples is said to 
be very great. Here, I think, no great damage has yet 
been done to the apples by the drought, but it is a criti¬ 
cal period for the crop, and if the drought continues 
much longer it is likely to prove disastrous. The fruit 
here is smooth and comparatively free from worms. Not 
much difference is apparent between orchards that were 
sprayed and those that were not. One things seems to 
be certain, however, and that is that no grower need to 
part with his apples for anything less than a good round 
price. w. d. c. 
Edwardsvllle, Kan. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—Judge Fawcett, in Omaha, July 3, re¬ 
fused an application for an injunction against a Mexican 
bull-fighting exhibition, saying he was “satisfied that 
the bull fights will not present one-tenth of the brutality 
that is to be witnessed on a football field.” .... The 
body of Abraham Lincoln, which has been reposing in 
a tempoiaiy vault at Springfield, Ill., while repairs 
were being made o!i the liincoln monument, has been 
secretly replaced in the private vault within the monu¬ 
ment.July 4, a big business building at Balti¬ 
more, Md., chiefly occupied by engravers and printers, 
was destroyed by fire; total loss $650,000. . . . ; At Mc¬ 
Keesport, I’a., July 4, five persons were killed by light¬ 
ning, while seeking refuge under a tree.Re¬ 
vised reports of the recent flood in the Elkhorn Valley, 
W. Va., place the total loss of life at 36.Three 
masked men held up a train on the Great Northern Rail¬ 
road at Hinsdale, Mont., July 3, broke open the express 
safe with dynamite, and escaped with $83,000. 
July 6, fire devastated the town of Versailles, O. Many 
l)eople are homeless and destitute, and the loss is said 
to be over $500,000.A farmer near Williamsport, 
Pa., is under arrest, charged with sending through the 
mails a challenge to fight a duel. The offense is a mis¬ 
demeanor in that State, punishable with $500 fine as well 
as three years in prison.Snow fell at Hough¬ 
ton and Calumet, Mich., July 6. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—As a result of the drought 
and intense heat in central Missouri the stockmen and 
farmers are shipping out all of their stock which is in 
any way marketable. The farmers are becoming dis¬ 
tressed and alarmed at the intensely hot and dry 
weather. The wheat crop, which was generally good, is 
all the farmers have to bank on. The oat and hay crops 
in most instances have been pastured and are gone, the 
pastures are as scorched and bare as in August, and 
the corn crop bids fair for a complete failure unless 
rain falls soon. The cornfields are well cultivated and 
the plant is in excellent shape to grow if it had the 
necessary moisture. 
it is reported from Mattoon, Ill., that the Union 
Broom Supply Company has cornered all the broom corn 
crop of 1900, and raised the price to $120 a ton. Fifteen 
eastern manufacturers are said to be in the combination. 
The Treasury Department, July 9, drew warrants ag¬ 
gregating $1,200,000, or $25,000 each for 45 States and two 
Territories, being the maximum amount provided by 
Congress in the act of August 30, 1890, for the endowment 
and maintenance of colleges for the benefit of agriculture 
and the mechanic arts. The money is the proceeds of 
the sale of public lands. 
The twenty-seventh biennial session of the American 
Bornological Society will be held at Buffalo, N. Y., Sep¬ 
tember 12 and 13, 1901. The details of the programme are 
being rapidly determined and promise a rare treat. 
Among those announced to speak are L. H. Bailey, J. H. 
Hale, S. D. Willard, L. A. Goodman, H. M. Dunlop, Geo. 
T. Powell, Wm. B. Alwood, Judge Fred Wellhouse and 
many other well known men. The fruit exhibit of the 
Society will be held in the Plorticultural Building at the 
Exposition, and all exhibits of the Society will be eligible 
for exposition awards. 
A severe outbreak of anthrax is reported in Bolivar 
County, Miss., affecting mules, horses and swine. 
Government Weekly Report. 
In the northern and central districts east of the Rocky 
Mountains, the heat continues excessive, and crops are 
suffering greatly. Early corn in Kansas, Missouri, Okla¬ 
homa and Texas is damaged. In Nebraska, Iowa and the 
Ohio Valley, some damage is reported, but conditions 
are not so serious. The Winter wheat harvest is practi¬ 
cally finished in Kansas, Missouri and the lower Ohio 
Valley, and is in progress in the northerly sections. The 
coast States are having abundant rains, which have 
hindered harvest work. Spring wheat in the extreme north 
looks generally promising, although parts of Dakota are 
suffering from drought, causing the crop to ripen too rap¬ 
idly, and large areas have been flooded in northern Min¬ 
nesota. Oats in the central valleys are in bad condition. 
New England and New York are gathering a large crop 
of hay. Cotton conditions are improving, though the 
.plant is still small and in need of cultivation. Tobacco 
cutting is in progress in the Carollnas. Apple reports 
continue unfavorable. The fruit is suffering from sun- 
scald in Missouri and adjoining States. 
