St. Landry democrat., 1890-03-01
Louisiana Weather.
j RECITAL OF TIE CROP CONDITIONS In
ALL PORTIONS OF THE sTATE-REfoRIs
.,no,t TILE SIGNAL. OBSERVERS.

LQulS1SA@ shSAs@SA'
,pcrrA1, OF TIE CROP CONDITIONS IN
All, PORTIONS OF THE sTATE-REpORTs
FROM THE SIGNAL OBSERVERS.
The following weather digest by Cap
tain R. E. Kerkam appeared in the Loaas-
lana Weather Journal of Feb. lo, 1881:
Eleven years ago we bad a sunospo' sun po
period; that was the winter OF ls'9-oo.
Ia that winter, as in this, the 20" area
storms (rain producers) pursued a pain
through the northern latitudes, giving US
prevailing. southerly winds, thereby in
creasing our warmth without sugmenting
our rainfall, although increasing the
moisture derived from fog and dew.
Anti-cycloues (cold waves) follow cy-
clones to certain degree, and, in the
nature of things, if the great majority OF
cyclones pursue path through the lar
North, the anti cyclones, although they
NAV curve southwark and then northeast
ward. vet Che great flow of the cold sur
face winds is toward the direction OF the
low area storm and the wave of cold air
forced southwark by the superabundant
pressure is modified to remarkable de-
gree before reaching Louisiana on account
of the warm earth over which it must pass
In Northwest Louisiana it is reported
that not more than 30 per cent of the usual
amount of rain fell during December and
January. The more tender vegatlon was
not killed by frost until Jan. IL. and at
this date fruit trees, flowers Of all kinds
and some cotton plants are in bloom; the
grazing for cattle is excellent, and the
weeds and grasses that usually spring up
in March and April are now growing
rapidly.
In northeast Louisiana the Interruptions
of the remarkably warm season have been
| few. and not suff ;ienIly marked to check
| in any appreciable degree the growth OF
vegetation Except that deciduous trees
are bare of leaves the whole country pre-
sents the appearance of spring. The grass
is green and growing rapidly; all kinds OF
| flo vers shrubhery and fruit trees are IN
| bloom. 4 few weeks ago apples and
peaches were nearly ripe enough for use,
but the frost of the 10Th of January de-
stroyed them. The tees, however, are
| still blooming, and they will soon bear an
other crop. 1t is scarcely possible that
they will escape frost later, and it is gen
erally thought that the fruit crop in that
section will be total failure. Apart
from this fact it is not thought that the
unusually warm weather will have sny
| Injurious effect upon the crops or other
| material interests of this section of the
country.
The deficiency of the rainfall is not as
marked in northern Louisiana as IN other
portions of the State. The temperature
excess is, however, about the same rs in
all sections-about 120 above the normal
for the winter
Central Louisiana stations report an av-
erape of twenty days during December and
January, when the daily maximum TEN
perature was to above 80. In thenorthern
portion of the sugar region tho excess OF
| mean temperature is about 13ss. The lack
of moisture has not been so keenly felt ID
this section owing to the heavy dews and
fog deposits Vegetation is considered
! fully six weeks in advance, and the soil is
reported in excellent condition; canes tba!
we're nipped by the frost of the 17th OF
January are again up, and the corn plant
ing has commenced. A severe f.ost later
on would undoubtedly be disastrous to the
fruit crop, and materially damage the
sugar prospect, which at this date prom
ises wonders.
In the heart of the sugar region The
phenomenal weather conditions during
december and January seem to have had
no other effect than rapidly advancing
growth of vegetation of al kinds, and es'
pecially on the cane crop, which. notwlSh-
standing the deficiency in rainfall, has
grown beyond precedent. The early morn
ing humidity has yielded adequate moisture
to the soil. The fall plant, spring p'aa'
and stubble cane have responder 40 tno'
usually do in April, and an early lay by
and CONSEQUENT large yield of sugar, is the
confident and universal prediction of The
planters.
: It is remarked by an observer who notes
that although the orange trees bio0med il
December, that fruit trees are in bloom
} throughout the entire State and fig tree!
} are putting out their leaves. yet the pecai
tree sho IS no signs Of budding and that i
, ia said that the pecan is never caught by 1
J late freeze or frost.
The high temperature and the fogs ant
dews appear to have been very favorabl.
in their effects on cane generally, yet
; good soaking rain is needed and would b.
, highly beneficial in all sections,
, Insects cutworms in particular, are do
. ing considerable damage to the garden
crops in some few localities in South Lou
isiana.
In the Florida parishes reports regard
ing the strawberry crop are favorable
The frost of Jan. II killed the strawberr.
blossoms and the potato vines, but did no
injure the maturing strawberries. Sine
. then the budding and blooming has re
commenced and the condition OF the crop
is reported as being from one 10 tw
months in advance.
In Southwest Louisiana the fruit tree
are in full bloom; fig trees lea6ng; black
berry blossoms were noticed early in Jan
uary, and many rice fields are green an
, there is some talk of flooding them. Th
fields have all been plowed and farmer
are ready for planting.
The deficiency in the rainfall for Sout
Louisiana since Oct. is nearly II inches
Ia October, we had but an average of l
of an inch, in November, 3.49 inches; De
: cember, 157, and January about LIE
, making a total of less than Z inche
against normal for that period of II
inches.
The deficiency in the rainfall since Oct
| in North Louisiana is nearly 8 il. ches
? October, 1859, had 40 of an inch; No
a vember COT. December LOS, and Januar
will average about 90 inches, making
total for the season of 11.46, against
a normal of over 19 inches, for the seaso
' for that section of the State.
40