The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-08-07
wEATHER-CROPBU
OF the South Carolina Climate and CrouS.
Service

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Below can be found Section Director
Bauer's crop bulletin for the past week,
as prepared from one or moro CORES
pondents in each county of the State:
The week was favorable one for all
crops and for some, notably cotton,
exactly tho weather needed for its best
development.
Corn fred in n few localities under
the influence of the hot aun on wet
ground, and in such places fodder
pulling was hurried. Saving fodder
in general in the eastern portion Of
the State and we'll begun elsewhere.
Late corn looks very promising over
the entire State.
Reports on cotton indicate q rapid
development of the plant, and from
number of places come reports of
growth having stopped, but blooming
and fruitinS freely. Rust and shedding
are reported from nine counties, as
cribed to the wet condition of the soil.
In the western counties an excessive
growth of weed is reported, and ut the
same time the crop is characterized us
"as fine crop as ever known" The
Identical words being used by CORES
pordents from four counties. Sea Is
land cotton mado marked improve
ment.
Tobacco curing we'll under way, but
not curing well. In Florence the crop
is doing well, elsewhere it is not SO
good.
Rice continues to. grow we'll, and
much of it is heading. AS far as known
no damage resulted from the high
water on tho Santee, Cooper, Edisto or
other rivers in the main rice region.
Peas, turnips, forage crops and sweet
potatoes are doing we'll, except that the
latter are running very much to vine.
Peaches bloomed freely and the
young fruit set we'll, except for some
varieties that were injured by frost in
March, but the hot weather of May
caused tie young peaches to drop
freely, which continued to maturity.
Peaches also suffered from insect enc
mics SO that of the fruit that ripened
but small portion was perfect or
marketable. There were reports of
peaches rotting on the trees. Taking
quantity and quality into considera-
ton, the peach crop was about ons-
AouAtu Ol uu average one.
Apples are quite plentiful in certain
counties or parts of counties, and very
scarce elsewhere. Some tress that
bore no fruit last year are loaded this
year. Apples blossomed freely and
generally the fruit set we'll, but during
the extreme heat of May it began to
drop freely and the condition of apples
deteriorated steadily. While apples
are plentiful in places, all correspon-
nents speak of the fruit as of very in.
ferior quality, due, it seems to insect
bites and worms. Thus reducing its
commercial value to consid 1, rable less
than half Of an average crop.
Peas were excellent in few places
only, and generally suffered the same
injury with like results rs apples and
peaches did. Blight affected fruit trees
seriously, and in places where never
before know.
Plums, apricots and cherries were
failures. =.
The reports on grapes indicat,
uniform excellence of condition
throughout the State, with local ex-
ceptions where they are rotting more
or less, and one report from Lexington,
where they are pronounced failure,
but this condition will not apply to the
whole county. The quality Of grapes
is pronounced excellent everywhere:
and summing up all reports, grapes are
full average both as to quality and
quantity. The bullace family of grapes
are an abundant crop. go 49,
Cultivated berries did fairly. we'll,
and wild berries wore exceedingly plen.
tiful and of fine quality.
Cucurbitacoous fruit. such cs water
melons and cantaloupes, was plentiful,
but of rather inferior quality aud size.
On the whole the season was poor
ono for fruit. and tho main reason
assigned by correspondents was the
excessive heat during May, co-existing
with severe droughty conditions, and
after the heat moderated and the
drought was relieved, insects damaged
the remaining fruit, or the rains caused
1T to rot. so that there was n steady
decline in condition from the time fruit
blossomed until maturity.