The drought, which has dried lawns and resulted in bans on washing cars in some parts of the state, has caused limited damage to farm crops - so far - the Maryland Department of Agriculture reported yesterday.

"We have not been getting a lot of rain," Ray Garibay, state statistician for the Department of Agriculture's crop reporting service, said in releasing the results of a crop survey based on field conditions as of June 23. "But we have been getting timely rains.

"It's a situation where we get a half-inch here and a quarter-inch there, and every bit helps."

However, the state's report, which shows the corn and soybean crops still to be in pretty good shape, has done little or nothing to calm the fears of farmers.

"We're concerned," said Phil "Chip" Councell Jr., who farms about 750 acres near Cordova in Talbot County. "There's a lot of concern among farmers."

Councell said his 300 acres of corn and 400 acres of soybeans "are taking a beating right now. The heat is really working on them."

The Department of Agriculture survey showed that 10 percent of the state's corn was in excellent condition and 58 percent was considered good. Only 4 percent of the corn was classified as poor.

It was pretty much the same for soybeans. Thirteen percent was in excellent condition and 69 percent was considered good. Three percent was considered poor.

With about 30 percent of the harvest complete, 72 percent of the winter wheat was considered either excellent or good.

Garibay said that crops may have deteriorated since Monday, but only slightly.

Field conditions vary greatly throughout the state.

"I was in Western Maryland Wednesday and Thursday. And when you get west of Hagerstown, it is like a Garden of Eden," said Tony Evans, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Agriculture. "Everything is very lush and green. It was gorgeous.

"But, there are isolated pockets, like the area near Faulkner and Bel Alton, in southern Charles County, where it is as dry as a Dust Bowl. There are farmers in those areas that are moaning and groaning - and for good reason."

Evans said crops in the northern sections of Washington, Frederick, Carroll, Baltimore, Harford and Cecil counties will face a threat if they don't get more rain in the next couple of weeks.

Weather throughout the winter was mild and dry with little snow cover, according to the crop survey report. Spring showers helped conditions improve, but as of June 23, 77 percent of farm subsoil in the state was rated as short or very short of moisture.

"We are beginning to see some stress on the corn plants that you would not expect to see until late July," said Garibay. "I attribute that to a lack of subsoil moisture.

"Right now, we're lucky enough to get a nice little shower when we really need it. We don't know what is going to happen in late July or early August. That is what has many farmers nervous."