The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-24
LAST CROP BULLETIN.
Weather. Director Bauer Reviews the Sea J.
son OF Is 81.

son of IS 81.
The following is the weather croE
bulletin of Director Bauer:
The past week was much cooler thar
usual. the departures, averaging six de
erees each day bel low the normal
Highest temperature for the week 80
lowest 80.
There was general, heavy, and II
places destructive rain and wind storm
on the 9Th and 9Th. The amount Of
rainfall averaged ,over two inches, in
cluding the entire State. Many rivers
overfowed their banks and ruined
what was left of: bottom land crops
such as late corn, cottoo, peas, and
much hay.
There was also a great deal of open
cotton blown out and stained. There
were light frosts on the mornings OF
the 18th, 18th and 18th, killing frosts
in the cup country" on the mornings
Of the 14th, 10th and 10Th, which ruin
ed the greater part, If not the whole, OF
very promising top crop of cotton
The injury to other crops is compare
lively insignificant. This early frost
Is more disastrous as the season, In the
localities where the frost occurred, Is
about fifteen days late.
GENERAL REVIEW OF THE SEASON OF
1894.
Weather. There was generally an
excess of temperature from January
to July, the greatest departures, both
above and below the normal, having
occurred in March; after the first of
July the temperature averaged about
normal until the second week IN Octo.
Der when 1t became much cooler. There
were some wide fluctuations In the
temperature, the most notable of which
occurred on March q and Both, when
freezing weather prevailed over the
entire State, destroying practically the
entire fruit crop and doing much other
damage. All vegetation, which had
attained conaj derable growth and crops
that were planted and up, especially
gardens, we,re ruined. There was
another cold wave with frosts about
the middle of May doing slight injury
to crops, and some unseasonbly cool
weatder early in June.
There was less than the usual
amount of rainfall up to June Itch and
28th with severe drought conditions
after the Goth of May. During July
showers were numerous and timely,
and during August and September
there were excessive and damaging
rains throughout the Eastern half of
the State while at the same time there
were portions of the Western half that
needed rain.
There were few hail storms and no
very destructive ones. and until the
storm of September 26th aud 285h, but
little injury to crops was caused by
winds. The storm of October 9th and
9th did some damage principally by
flooding bottom lands. Killing frosts
on the I4th and 18th of October in the
Western portions Of the State cut all
late crops in that section.
The cotton crop was about an aver
age one in acreage. Its condition up
to the first of July was on the whole
poor, but the fields were well worked d
and clean. From July ON the plant
made rapid growth and began to frsit
heavily. This condition was sustained
throughout the season in Western por-
tion of the State, while in the Eastern
half its condition deteriorated rapidly
during August and September entirely
on account of much rain that caused
rot, rust and shedding with a conse.
quent loss of the plants vitality, as
well as causing grass and weeds to
defy the cuitlvator and hoe. Late
planting suffered most. Taking the
aggregate crop Of the State, it prom
ises to be somewhat less than that OF
the previous year, few places report
1t a better one.
The acreage Of corn was larger than
for some years, and the weather, on
the whole, extremely favorable until
the greater portion of the crop was
made so that the corn crop is undoubt-
edly the largest produced in years, and
is of excellent quality. Its condition
was quite uniform over the entire
State. Early planting made the best
crop.
The pea crop was not as good as
usual, although che acreage was some.
what larger. Its condition was fail
and promising until the middle OF
August, after which became diversified
generally deteriorating with a promise
of very ordinary yield, estimated at
go per cent. of full crop. There was
planted In many counties a smaller
acreage of rice than usual, owing
principally to a scarcity of seed, but
the crop grew well and returned a GOOD
remuneratiVe yield, after allowance is
made for the loss from the September
storm.
After auo wing for exceptions, sor.
ghum was full crop of superior
quality. The acreage was up to the
average, If not larger.
The tobacco crop, where cultivated
did fairly well although the weather
was not entirely favorable, but it prov
ed to be paying crop.
Grasses made all their growth after
the July rains set in, vet the usual
amount of forage was saved.
| A large acreage of sweet potato slips
was planted, and the average yield OF
| this Important food crop was, perhaps
in excess of the average. Irish potatoes
did not do as well.
Small grains were more or less fail
ure, except that q few counties pro
duced the largest oat crop ever known
| there. The weather conditions were
generally adverse to wheat and the
yield, consequently, very poor. 1t wa:
la poor year for truck farms anC
gardens, but during the summer
months vegetables were plentiful.
The adverse weather conditions car
be briefly summarized thus: The Marcf
freeze; May and June drought; August
and September, excessive rains; Sep
Iember, hurricane; October, floods anG
early frosts. It was, on the whole, :
fairly prosperous year for farmers, fol
| there was rienteous yield, but they
are greatly discouraged By the prevail.
ing low prices for their products, es
Decially cotton.
J. W. BAUER, Director.
Columbia, s. G., Oct. IL, 1894.
Note: This is the last issue for tht
season of 1894. The Director returns
his sincere thanks to all weather crop
corresp pondentS for their services. The
reports were full. comprehensive, auC
satisfactory.
TIE NEw VNpk HhMShIoM