The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-08-13
CROP PROSPECTS,
August Statistics Sent Out by the Agri-
cultural Department

cultural Department
WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 1O.-The
August statistics of agriculture shows
the condition Of cotton S89 per cent
for the whole breadth, practically a
combination of meteorological con-
ditions has wrought injury. The re-
turn was made too early to indicate
it. The crop is quite generally late,
especially in the Atlantic gulf
states; the plant is small on account
of drouth at time of planting
and excess of rain, which later delay-
ed work, the per centage is imperfect
over considerable area. In the
Carolinas the heavy rains of the
month caused some shedding of the
bolls and the future of the plant to
fruit well but in Georgia and Alabama
some Improvement is shown. In other
portions of the cotton belt there has
been a decline in conditions.
There was an excess of rainfall dur
ing the month over the whole breadth,
except in Louisiana and the greater
part of Texas, and the excess of moist
temperature below the normal. The
last week of the month was charac-
terized by further excess of rain, but
accompanied by heat conditions
above the normal. The plant is small
and late but fruiting we'll. The crop in
Mississippi is late but making good
growth with favorable weather and
taking on forms rapidly. Louisiana
not, 60,
has been done by local drought but
more from excess of rain. In some
sections the plant has made too much
growth to the the injury of the bot
tom crop. The decline in Texas is
mostly the result of drought though
the rains at the close of the month
may have been sufficient to prevent
permanent injury.
The presence of caterpillars and
boil worms is barely noted in a few
states Only Texas reports them
from more than one county except
Arkansas where their work is noted
in two counties. The state averages
are: Virginia, 81 per cent; North Car
DINA, rs per cent; South Carolina, 63
per cent; Georgia, IS per cent; Florida,
"a per cent; Alabama, 80 per cent;
Mississippi, 90 per cent; Louisiana, 80
per cent; Texas, "a per cent; Arkan-
sas, 95 per cent; Tennessee, 80 per
cent. The fact that the crops are de-
cidedly late over almost the entire
breadth, makes the season during
August of vital Importance. The first
week of the month shows a contin-
uance of the cool weather that marked
July, with rainfall above the normal
over the larger portion of the cotton
belt.
The August returns to the Statisti-
clan of the Department of Agriculture
make wheat, 95.5; spring rice, 1915;
oats, S9.5; barley, 93.S; buckwheat,
97.3; potatoes, 96.5; tobacco, 1856; hay,
9O.9 Corn has fallen OFF, points dur
ing the month, the decline being
almost entirely in the states of the
Ohio valley and the northwest. The
decline was due to dry weather, the
approaching drouth in portions of
Indiana and Illinois and the low tenn |
perature in all sections of the corn
surplus districts.
There was sufficient rainfall in Kan
sas and Nebraska with some local eX-
cesses and the month was fairly favor
able Notwithstanding the low temper
atures in the east Allegheny districts |
and in the south, the conditions were
favorable, and the state averages adj
vanced. The crop continues late in
most sections, result of poor start
and the absence of hot forcing wea-
ther during July. Unless August
should prove unusually favorable
and the season be long one, there is
grave doubts that the crop may not
mature properly. While the general
average is reasonably high, the cor
respondents qualify by emphasizing
the necessity for favorable season
from this date on. In the surplus
states the averages are: Ohio, 93;
indiana, SS; Illinois, SO; Iowa, 80; Mis-
souri,, 81; Kansas, S8; Nebraska, 80. 1t
should be noted that but one of the
surplus states returns an average
higher than the average for the coun-
try.
Wheat returns relate to spring
wheat only, the average for the whole
breadth advancing somewhat for the
month. The improvement is general
ypXcnpt in Wa chin UtOD where hot