Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-06-21
From the Charleston Mercury.
The CrOnS

Up 10 GlllS dme, Ine general progress OF
the crops in this State has been satisfac
tory. There have been occasional changes
of weather which have had an unfavorable
effect, but, upon the whole, the crops
promise an abundant yield.
The area of land in Cotton this season is
probably greater than last year, and plan
ters have fought hard against discourage
ment and difficulty. They have had an
nOyances enough to irritate the most pa
tient, and veXations enough to make the
cheeriest Gespond but they have persc-
vered under peculiar difficulties, and, if the
seasons continue to be favorable, they will
in all probability receive their reward in
the shape Of d fair average crop.
Wheat and corn throughout the State
arc looking well, and in some districts it is
predicted that the crop of the present year
will be the largest ever known. But there
is good reason to fear that enough bread
stut1s will not be raised to carry the State
through the coming season and this will
cause q repetition of the heavy losses and
distressing scenes which we have already
had the misfortune to witness. The plan
terS cannot live by Cotton alone and it is
hoped that the experience of this and last
year will teach them in future to always
SOW CD 0ugh grain to relieve them from the
necessity OF going into the market to pur-
chase food for themselves, their families
and their labOrers
The latest particulars conc erning the
crops may be summed up as follows =
Marlboro, wheat nearly ready for gather
ing, corn and cotton looking well Orange
burg, all crops doing well, numerous forms
on the cotton plants Laurens, wheat crop
good, all danger from rust is over Ker-
shaw, yield OF wheat and other small grain
promises to be fine, corn unusually fine
Lancaster, wheat better than ever before,
too late now for either rust or smut, cotton
little damaged, but looks WE'LL corn ex-
cellent Greenville, wheat very heavy and
nearly ready for harvesting, cotton nine
inches above the ground, and leaves three
inches across. From the river cotton plan
tations, the reports are not very favorable
The cotton plants are said to have been
kept back by the cold nights, and many
have died altogether. Those who planted
late have suffered the least as they escared
the worst of the weather.
From the Sea Island Cotton region, the
accounts are fair. A cold, wet Spring has
done some injury to the plants but there
is prospect that a fair crop may be made
The great disadvantage of this class of plan
ters is the low price of Sea Island Cotton.
This Cotton is now selling for less in cur
TeHCy IMAM III DfOuSuG DGIOf0 Inc war III yOtu'
and, unless there is an advance in quota
tons to enable the planters to contend sue
cessfully against the heavy expenses and
other drawbacks of free labor, but few OF
the Sea Island planters will plant any con
siderable crop in 1868.
The rice crop is looking WELL 1t is some
what grassy and weedy, on account Of the
difficulty of making free negroes work dill
gently and carefully ; but the prospects are
generally good.
This State cannot recover from her pres
ent PROSTATE condition without the stimu-
lus and energy that are born of good crops
and successful planting. In the desperate
condition of the planting interests money
has been borrowed to plant, at fearful rates.
by those who could get it. Misfortnnes
and trials enough have been heaped upon
our heads and earnestly do we hope anu
pray that the Dispenser of all Good may,
in His wisdom, bless us with such crops
and such harvest as shall make this year
in the annals of South Carolina
and that the proceeds will not be taken
away by the action of the Bank of England
or by capitalists specializing on the neceS-
sites of our people.
California now exports ten thousand tons
of copper per annum, which is five tunes
as large as the produce of the whole Uni
ted States only ten years ago.