The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-30
THE COUNTRY'S CROPS.
Review of Their Condition by
the Agricultural Department.
Corn and Wheat Figures Are
High, but Cotton Unsatisfactory.

The Statistician of the Department OF Ag-
riculture reports from Washington the Sep
tember general averages Of cereal crops as
follows: Corn, Oil; wheat, 96.s; rye, 95.i;
oats, 9O.7: barley, 943; buckwheat 96'6. A
small advance is noticed in all, buckwheat
alone excepted The average for potatoes Is
94.S; for tobacco, 87.4.
The condition of corn is twenty-one points
higher than in September Of last year. and
has been exceeded only three times IN the
last ten years. State averages are generally
high: the lowest are those Of Michigan and
Wisconsin. In the Eastern and Middle
States the crop is we'll grown, is generally
caring well. but little late, and recent cool
nights prevent rapid advancement; frost has
as yet done no damage. The crop IS In hne
condition in the Southern States. 1t Is not
80 much injured by heavy rains as cotton:
In some bottom lands water has caused
material injury, while on uplands the crop
Is remarkably good. It was somewhat late,
but is now generally beyond the reach OF
frost. A fine yield has been made west OF
the Mississippi though in Western Texas
little reddced by drouth. It is above medium
throughout the South as whole. In the
Ohio Valley corn is heavy In stalk. some
what late in caring from cool nights IN some
winds, yet is generally promising. In
Indiana and Illinois there was injury
from drouth In July and early in August.
which has been partially repaired by recent
rains In Michigan there has been consld'
erable injury from frost. Wisconsin reports
damage from frosts; there was also damage
from frost In the Dakotas. In Iowa and Ne
braska the crop is late. In Missouri alter
nate heavy rains and drouth have been
unfavorable. In Western Kansas crops sui
fered from droutt; eastern counties have
heavy crop.
The condition Of wheat is very high, con-
sidering both winter and spring varieties. IN
soils, latitudes and elevations so widely d1f-
fering. The general average has been ex.
ceeded only slightly twice since 1873, IN 1889
and 1854. State averages are quite uniform,
only ten falling below 95, and three below
90, the lowest being SO for South Carolina,
and "a for North Carolina. In the Middle
States wheat was generally we'll filled. har-
vested in good condition, yielding we'll IN
the spring. In a few counties In Pennsyl-
vania, and in parts OF Maryland ana VIZ.
ginia, there has been some injury IN the
stock. .. .
There is a reduction in the condition or
cotton during the last month OF six points,
from $50 to82.7. The cause on the Atlantic
Coast has been an excess OF rainfall, causing
overgrowth Of the plant and diminishing the
tendency to fruitage From Alabama west
ward drouth was the main factor or loss,
assisted by the boll-worm and caterpillar.
Condition is lowest in Arkansas, Louisiana
and Tennessee. In few counties of Texas
heavy rainfall In the morning, followed oy
hot sunshine in the afternoon, caused serious
shedding of forms. The most serious
complaints are of shedding fruit and
leaves rotting of bolls, sprouting Of
seed In the bolls, rust, staining OF open cot
ton, except in a few regions where cotton
worms are unusually destructive. In the
area affected by drouth, rust and shedding
also occur. The State averages are as fol-
lows: Virginia IS. loss Of points; North
Carolina 79, gain Of 4 points; South Caro-
lima 81, loss Of . points; Georgia 81, q lose
Of 4 points; Florida sS, a loss of g points;
Alabama S3 a loss Of 6 points; Mississippi
sS a loss Of 10 points; Louisiana IS. loss OF
5 points: Texas 81, a loss Of 10 pionts; Ar
kansas SO, a loss Of points; Tennessee 81, a
gain Of points.