The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-06-29
-CROP BULLETIN.

during the first four days of the past
week over the greater portion OF the
State was n~nfavOrable to the general
crop conditions, excepting rice, and
e"en the last three days gave scatter
ed showers, though generally light.
The week Was normally warm in
South Louisiana. and slightly cooler
than usual in North Louisiana, but
gave less than an average amount Of
sunshine.
As a result of these conditions, crop
correspondents in the northern par
ishes, with but few exceptions, report
cotton as having taken q backward
step, through lack of field work, but
little of which was possible, and by
reason of fields having become satur-
ated with water n DOGGY, and grass,
weeds and vines growing more rapidly
than the crops. The outlook %is1there-
fore not very encouraging with no
settled dry weather to be relied upon.
and it would take several days of dry,
warm and sunshiny weather to dry
the fields sufficiently to make general
farm work possible. There are a
number of correspondents in the
northern parishes who state that on
siderable damage has already been
done to the cotton crop on lOwlands
and that any long continued wet spell
must result in the abandonment Of
some fields. On ridges and hill lands
cotton appears to better advantage
and blooms are lep"rted more gener-
ally than IL week ago. The crop, as
a whole, continues t" be reported
small, late. and generally grassy.
with some rust and with uneven
stands. Approaching South Louisiana
where the rains of late were not SD
frequent or heavy, cotton does not
suffer as much, and with a short
period of dry weather for cleaning
the crop, will show up fairly well.
The rice crop is doing finely IN all
sections and particularly SO i'll South
west Louisiana. The warm nights
have favored the growth Of tho rice
and the showers received have been
generally all sufficient for the needs
of the crop. While the lower Missis-
sippi continues low, there is a slight
rise in prospect during ensuing week,
though too slight to he of any marked
benefit. and rice planters along the
river must needs continue pumping to
irrigate their crops.
The sugar belt did not experience
any heavy rains during past seven
days and field work was therefore
prosecuted and laying by of cane pro-
crossed. The plant cane looks we'll.
has made quite a rapid growth, and
under the influence of hot sunshine
and showers has improved markedly,
with stubble a generally fair stand.
There is but little grassiness reported
from the cane fields.
The wet weather was very unfavOr-
able to a housing of the oat crop. much
of which had been harvested but was
yet in the fields, and in some localities
it is reported as having been almost
destroyed. Warm sunshine and dry
weather is required to dry it out pre-
paratory to housing the crop.
Irish potatoes are variably reported
some above the average, aud some
below, will, some rotting in the ground.
A large acreage is being devoted to
sweet potatoes, the planting of which
crop is now progressing.
As a rule, pastures, fruit and garden
vegetables are reported favorably,
with stock healthy and in good con-
ditiOn.
The rains of the week, as reported
by telegraph from selected stations,
were as follows:
Alexandria 1.31 inches Amite 1.12,
Cheneyville 2.33. C~onshatta. 2 81, La
fayette LAG, Minden 1928, Monroe 2.69,
Natchez Miss .95. Natchitoches $40,
New Orleans 80, Port Gibson (Miss.i
POI, Shreveport 2.55, Baton Rouge
go. Covington &c, Donaldsonville 80.
Franklin IS. Lake Charles Al,
Opelousas 2.52, Rayne 1.56. Schriever
40, and Vicksburg Miss. go.
The following sOecial r%ainfalls are
reports by mail from correspondents
at those points: Ashly, Madison par
ish, 4.25 inches for the week Audubon
Park 4.39, Brodnax, Morehouse par
ish, 5.55, Clinton, East Feliciana par
ish, 2.94, Crowville. Franklin parish,
$50, Farmervllle, Union parish, 2.59,
Fort Jesup, Sabine parish, Isl, Lake
Providence, East Carroll parish, 3.55,
Oxford, De Soto parish. PIP, and
Trinity, Catahoula parish, 2.1O.
ROBERT E. KERKAM,
Director.
New Orleans, June %, 1895.