Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1898 — CLIMATE AND CROP BULLETIN. [ARTICLE]

CLIMATE AND CROP BULLETIN.

.Farm Work Retarded by Cool Weather and Moisture. The United States Department Agriculture issued the following climate and crop bulletin for the past week: The week has been too cool for best results in New England, the central valleys and east Gulf States, while excessive moisture has retarded farm work generally in the States northward of the Ohio river and in the east Gulf States. In the middle and south Atlantic States, Texas, the Dakotas, generally throughout the Rocky Mountain .region, and -on the north Pacific coast the weather conditions have been more favorable. No rain has fallen in California during the week, and consequently the severe drought previously reported continues unbroken. Drought also continues in Florida, though partially relieved in localities in the northern portion of the State. The bulk of the coru crop is planted southward of the northern boundaries of Arkansas, Tennessee and the Carolinas, but northward of this line, except in Kansas, slow progress has been made, owing to excessive rains and the cool weather. None has yet been planted in Indiana, but planting has begun ip portions of Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. A little planting has also been done in Nebraska. Poor stands are reported from the South Atlantic States, :uid but light growth has been reported generally in the Southern States. In southern and central Texas, however, the crop is growing, and is now receiving its second cultivation. Over northern Texas the crop is late and irregular. The winter wheat crop continues in promising condition in the principal wheat States in the central valleys. Further improvement is rejtorted from Ohio, and in Michigan the crop has been benefited by recent rams. In the Southern States it is now heading. As a result of the severe drought In California the grain crop Ims been injured beyond recovery, except in the northern coast counties and in some of the foot hill regions and over the southern portion of North Dakota. Seeding is well advanced over the northern portion of North Dakota and in Montana. In Oregon seeding is complete, but considerable is yet to be dome in Washington. The early sown over the spring wheat region is coming up and is generally in promising condition. Slow progress has been made with oat seeding where unfinished iu more northern States. In the central and southern portion of the country the cr<x> has made favorable progress during the week. * In Alabama .the early sown is nearing maturity. The general outlook for fruit in the Northern States continues promising, and the prospects in the middle and southern sections appear more favorable. There is abundant supply of tobacco plants. Transplanting continues in South Carolina, and has commenced iu North Carolina, Tobacco is suffering from drought in Florida.