VOL. XXVIII.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.  SEPT. 2, 1893.
NO. 35.
WEATHER CROP BULLETIN.
Department of Agriculture United States
Weather Bureau. Crop Bulletin of the Indiana Weather Service in Co-operation
With the Agricultural Experiment Station
at Purdue University, Tuesday, August 29
1893.
The rainfall was deficient and badly distributed on many fields no rain fell at
all and the drouth continued; the temperature was excessive during the day but
the nights were cool; the sunshine wa*
average; on those fields where no rain fell
corn is almost beyond recovery while
in more favorable localities more than half
an average crop may be expected. Tomatoes are still in fine condition but the tomato is small and not maturing," if rains
come now the yield will beexcellent,other-
wise a total failure is feared; tobacco
needs rain very much and the good prospect offered in the earlier part of the season is lessening from day to day; melons
are in fine condition and abundant in localities; pasturage has dried up, farmers
are feeding the stock and have to drive ita
long distance for water; where no rain fell
the ground is unfit for fall plowing but in
fields where good rains passed plowiDg
is pushed with vigor.
SOUTHERN PORTION.
Switzerland Co.—The weather throughout the week has been N unusually fair, but
devoid of moisture; corn and tobacco are
suffering and consequently theae Important staples will fall much below the average; potatoes, notwithstanding the drouth
appear quite promising and of excellent
size and quality; the .fruit crop will be
short with the exception of peaches and
pears which will yield a fair crop; some
varieties of tomatoes are unusually large
and perfect, grapes are abundant. No
rain.
Jackson Co.—Light, local showers,badly
distributed, have probably broken the
drouth, but the relief came too late to
save many fields of corn, the yield of
which in this neighborhood can not, at
best, exceed half an average crop; the
ground is still too dry for plowing, water
for stock is scarce and pasturage for stock
is very short. Water melons are a fairly
good crop, but many late vegetables are
nearly ruined; the general crop outlook is
slightly better than last week; no noxious
insects.   Kainfall, 0 60.
Franklin' Co.—The continued dry
weather has stopped plowing for the present; pasturage has dried up badly and
.many farmers are feeding their stock; clover seed is being threshed with a good
yield.   Kainfall, 0.08.
Greene Co—Most of the corn on low
lands where the ground is fresh, will
yield an average crop; on lands more
worn the yield will be light; the recent
rains caused buckwheat and turnips to
germinate; pasturage was nearly dried up
but is improving slightly now; fall plowing is progressing rapidly.    Rainfall, 0.46.
Decatur Co.—Dry, warm days with
cool nights during the past week caused
no especial damage to the growing crops,
and a gentle rain on Saturday benefitted
them; clover hulling has been in progress
during the week with a fair yield per
acre, as high as 3". bushels; one machine
threshing 28.. bushels in one day; the
ground is too hard and dry to break for
wheat; corn will be almost a failure except
in the northern part of the county and on
low, black lands where under better conditions, a half average crop may be expected.   Rainfall, 0.22.
"Vanderburgh Co.—The weather continued hot and dry until Friday and Saturday, when good rains fell, which will
help corn, late potatoes and pastures very
much; peaches, apples and plums are a
failure; farmers are very much discouraged at the prospect of the fall crops.
Rainfall, 2.00.
Jefferson Co.—The continued drouth is
distressing to farmers and stockmen;
stock has to be driven miles for water;
vegetables are parched; some corn still
looks well and one-half or two-thirds of
an average crop is yet looked for under
future better weather conditions. Rainfall, 0.60.
Warrick Co.—The drouth continued unbroken until Friday, when light rains
fell; water is failing fast; the ground is
too dry to plow or harrow; much corn is
past cure; hulling clover progresses,
yielding about three bushels per acre.
Kainfall, 0.22.
black ground and favorable localities
stands the drouth better; pastures are
dried up; potatoes will yield one-third of a
crop; the ground is too hard and very little
plowing has been done.   No rain.
Montgomery Co.—Good showers of rain
fell on Friday which were much needed
as no rain fell for many weeks; corn will
be a poor crop because of the extended
drouth.
Randolph Co.—Another week of dry
weather, with hot days and cool nights;
early corn is about matured; early rains
would be beneficial to late corn; clover
seed is being threshed; the yield is good
and the seed is of fair quality, but the yield
is below the expectation of the farmers.
No rainfall.
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VIEW OF RACE TRACK AT STATE PAIR OROUND...
Posey Co.—Because of much sunshine
late corn and grapes suffered very much
until Friday, when good rains fell and all
farming interests take a new life. Rainfall, 0.96.
Perry Co.—The weather has been dry
with warm days and cool nights, but no
dew; crops and pastures are burning up;
farmers are feeding wheat to the hogs; it
is too dry to plow.   No rain.
Gibson Co.—In some parts of the'county
good rains fell; corn is damaged considerably by the drouth; pastures are very
short, fruit is scarce, and but few late potatoes; some are plowing for wheat. RainfaU, 0.52.
Bartholomew Co.—The drouth still continues; a little rain fell on some fields, but
not enough to do good for corn or plowing; pasturage is dried up and some farmers are cutting corn for fodder. Rainfall,
0.50.
Owen Co.—A good rain fell here on Friday andSaturday which will help pastures
and corn; a great many fields of corn are
past help, no amount of rain will do it
any good; plowing for wheat will now
begin, but very little done up to the present time.   Rainfall not reported.
Dubois Co.—The long-looked-for rain
came at last and will help lato potatoes and
late corn a great deal, and make the
ground so farmers can plow for wheat.
.     CENTRAL PORTION.
Marion Co.—Warm and continued
sunny weather with but a few drops of
rain on few fields on Friday and Saturday;
plants are withering and everything is
dusty.   Rainfall 0.02.
Johnson Co.—The drouth still continues;
corn in clay ground is  drying; that on
Clay Co.—Local showers during the past
week have improved all conditions; corn
will be an average crop in the northern
portion of the county; in the central portion the crop will be short, but in the
southern portion of the county the crop
will be heavy; clover yields a good crop of
seed; fall breaking has been delayed; pasturage is reviving.   Rainfall, 0.89.
NORTHERN PORTION
Laporte Co.—The drouth remains unbroken in the northern and northeastern
portions of the county; in the southern
and southwestern portions, however, there
were heavy rains with thunder on the
24th inst.; threshing is about all done and
many' farmers are plowing for wheat; pastures are poor but live stock is generally
in good condition.   Rainfall, trace.
Cass Co.—There has been but .03 in. of
rain during the past two weeks, and the
continued dry weather is making the pasturago very short; plowing is progressing
slowly, oats stubble being the only ground
that can be successfully plowed; oq the
low ground there will be part of a crop of
corn; potatoes are almost a complete failure.   No rainfall.   I
Steuben Co.—Generous showers fell on
Thursday, but the ground is yet too hard
to plow; most of the theshing is yet to be
done; the wheat yield is good, but there is
much disappointment over the low price;
clover seed will be a very light crop; there
is an excellent crop of grapes, but the corn
crop, although benefitted by the rains, will
not be large.   Rainfall, 0.40.
Allen Co.—The weather continued warm
during the days and cool at night; enough
rain fell on Thursday to partly lay the
dust, but it was too late to be of benefit to
thecorn and potatoes; these crops and
pasturage are all dried up; but little plowing for wheat has been done; stock water
is very scarce; farmers are much discouraged, owing to the continued dry weather •
and the low price of wheat. Rainfall, not
known.
Kosciusko Co.—Light rains on the 24th
inst. temporarily checked the effects of
the drouth; on the low ground the corn is
earing; about 75 per cent of the crop will
be beyond the help of rain; many farmers
have commenced feeding their stock;
about one-half the ground for fall wheat
has been plowed, but not near the usual
acreage will be sown this fall. Kainfall,
0.40.
Tippecanoe Co.—This week has brought
no material change in the weather condition; the nights have continued cool, with
warm days; a sprinkle of rain fell at Lafayette on the 24th; north and south of the
station, however, the rainfall was heavy.
Rainfall, trace.
Newton Co.—Weather conditions continue unfavorable for corn; pastures are
all dried up.   No rainfall.
Whitley Co—There has been but very
liitle rain, not enough to start the grass;
but little plowing has been done for
wheat.   Rainfall, 0.41.
Elkhart Co.—There was a nice shower
in the southern part of the county, but
none in the northern; the ground is hard
and dry, and plowing for wheat goes forward slowly and probably less acreage
will be sown than last year; corn is about
half a crop; pastures are parched; potatoes
are a light crop, but of good quality; apples are almost a total failure; pears one-
fourth of a crop; other fruit is scarce except grapes; the big crop of hay is already
fed to the stock, which will make a long
winter feeding.   Rainfall, 0.20.
Porter Co.—It continued too dry for all
growing crops; there was a good shower
on Thursday, which revived things to
some extent temporarily.
LaGrange Co.—The dry spell continues
and corn is just maturing; some is being
cut; it is good in the central portion of
county, but fired in east and south; hogs
and cattle scarce and pastures poor; plowing for wheat is progressing slowly, the
ground being hard and dry; no apples;
pears and grapes a fair crop; potatoes
poor, early being dug, marketed at 50
cents and 60 cents per bushel; clover
seed good.   Kainfall, 0.05.
H. A. Huston,
Director Indiana Weather Service.
Per C. F. R. Wappenhans,
Weather Bureau, Assistant Director.
"What Was the Light?
Editors Indiana Farmeb:
We have noticed something in the west
that was supposed to be the electric light
at the World's fair. It looks like a star.
It was in the northwest awhile, but is now
due west. Please tell us in the Farmer
what it is. S. Clem.
Windfall.
—Possibly it was the reflection of the
search light against the sky. This light is
so powerful that under favorable conditions it is thought its reflection from
clouds or the sky, may be seen at a distance of sixty miles on the sea. There are
four of these lights on the big building at
the World's Fair, and they are being experimented with almost every night. We
hardly think what you saw was the illumination by electric lights. That could
only be seen from one direction, while the
Beach light is frequently turned to. different points of the compass.
Mrs. Burgess, an old lady, of Westfield,
is slowly bleeding to death of hemorrhage
of the nose.