The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-08-08
THE WEATHER AND CROPS.
Cotton and Corn Suffering from tho
DrouGht-Thc Crop Conditions Not

! SO Good
The following is the report of the
weather bureau for the wuck ending
3Oth ot July.
Whl'c IN the main tho crop pros
pect' continue promising, thcy have
become greatly diversified throughout
tho State, and in Il few counties are in
IL critical stage owing to the droumhty
conditions that prevail. During lhC
week just past there werc no severe
damaging conditions othcr than want
OF rain, except that in Oraurcburp
county, and thence eastward there was
nigh wind accompanying the thun-
dcrstorm Of the 18th (Thursday) tina,
blew down corn and shook much unripc
fruit from the trees there was another
wlndStorm over the sanr section ON
the 18th (SunuaN), but in both in-
stances tho injury done was compar;.-
lively light.
The temperature for the entire week
was scasonablo and satisfactory, being
somewhat higher than usii.l during
| the first part, and II tritic below during
the latter part. The range Of temper,
| aturc WAS greater than during the
week previous, owing mainly to cooler
nights. The maximum over the cnt ,
State ranged between 81 aud DS, .l
highest temperature, as usual, &C.
Cured in the interior: the min ma
ranged between 80 and IS, having cen
coolest AT night in the interior.
The bighcst temperature reported
was 9S on the Nth at Chcraw aud Me-
Coll the lowest IS on the 18th ut Bates
burg. The mean temperature OF the
week for tho State was about 81. and
tho normal for the same period WAS
Approximately 81.
The conlroiling factor on crop cOndi-
tions was rain or the lack Of it. There
were showers on the 9th. 10Th and
10Th, and in Il few places on She 18th.
The rains were generally light, except
the showers ut the 18th (rhursduy).
which were quite heavy in place :. and
very beneficial, and extended fron
west to east over the central counties
from pickcns TO the coast. The condi-
tlons OF the crops arc directly proper
TONED as the rainfall Of the past week,
and the two may be summarized togrth-
cr, as follows: In Chesterfield, Ian
cas- It +, York. SpartanhurG. Grcrnvillr.
Anderson. OcGnrr, EagcGcld, Ak en-.
Abbcvilir. ana portions OF Burnwcli,
Lulrchs, Union and krrShuw, the rain
fall WAS entirely Insufficient, having
been generally less than o.. 30, aud in
those counties the drought is becoming
Il serious menace TO hitherto promising
crops. This is particularly true of Ian
| caster and Chesterfield. In Florence.
Fairfield. Collcton, Horny, Sumter.
! Darlington and Richland, the rainfall
was we'll distributed and varied from
one to two inches. In beaufort, Hamp
ton, Charleston, Williamsburg. Orun ye
burg and portions of tnllrton ant
Berkeley counties the amount of rain
tail was generally over two inches. inG
in the two last named divisions til,
crops were much improved. MArlbor,
county is 'spottrd, being too dry in
placcS while sections not ten miles dis
| tant nave too much rain. Eight places
reported more than Il normal amount
OF rain during the week, and twenty.
eight less. Tho greatest ruinfulI oc-
crrrcd at t.ll0rco with $50 inches the
least trace II, Chesterfield. The
average amount OF thi"Lysix places
WAS o % inch, and the normal for the
same period is roximatcly l.lO.
The percentage Of possible sunsh inc
ranged between - and 81, averaging
about - for the State, which is about
the usual.
The winds were generally y light south
caotcrly the cntiio week. except that
'n two days they were variable.
Cotton docs not appear rs promising
rs heretofore. due to rust having an
pcarcd in places, and there arc many
reports Of shcddin" both leaves ana
iruitugc. 1t Is not lruiLing :ts well
and IN places growing too much tC
weed. II has generally attained II
orasonablc size, but there are many
exceptions O,cr the entire State. 1t
needs rain over the entire Piedmont
| region.
In the eastern portions Of the State
early corn is safe, and fodder pulling
will soon begin. Where drOughty
onditions nxist. as shown by the rain
all data given above, corn is firing
badly and lis condition has dctcri0r
atrd. Bottom land corn continues to
look very promising. It is all laid by
in tine condition, except some Of very
late planting.
Tobacco curing continues, and whcr-
ever this crop was cultivated it is said
to bc Of superior quality.
The condition Of the rice crop cOntin.
ucs very satisfactory, being reported
better than for many years past, except
in Georgetown county, where it is pos.
sibly below an average.
Sorghum cane Is generally fail
crop, but in places it is turning RED
and apparently dying. 1t was moi
stated whether this was due to faulty
cultivation or dry wcathcr--likcly OF
both.
Fruit continues plentiful, but the re-
ports Indicate that it is not up to an
average in quality peaches and more
particularly apples, arc small and gen
orally inferior. Grapes arc ripcning
very fast, and the yield will be large.
The second crop Of figs yielding well
on. tlc 60 lst: not yet ripe in the lnte-
rOr.
| Considerable blowing being done for
winter vegetables Turnip p sowing con
| tinu.s. Gardens i'm the interior about
burnt out. but are doing well along the
| coast.