The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-24
CROPS SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Weekly Bulletin of the Department
OF Agriculture.

COLUMBIA. 8. c., June 16.-The
bullatin covers the weather and crop
Conditions for the week ending Satur'
dav. June 13, and in its preparation
were used reports from one or more
correspondents in each county of the
State.
The main temperature characteristic
of past week was a declining tendency
of the night temperatures which
reached marked departures below the
normal by the end of the week. The
general range of day temperatures was
between rs and 80, although some
lower and some highter ones were re-
ported. The maximum for the week
was 81 on the 18th at Gillsonville, the
minimum was 81 on the 10th at Spar,
tanburg. The local weekly mean
temperatures ranged from 70 at Green
vile and Looper's to 80 at Gillison
vile, and the average of 36mean tenn.
perature reports was rs. The normal
for the same period is approximately
n.
The weeks rainfall was rather poor
~ distributed, much of the Western
and North central portions having re-
ceived very little, while over the South
central and Southeastern portions there
was too much rain in many places.
The following heavy amounts were
reported: Charleston 2.74: kingstree
@ reports) 2.51 and 1926; PinopollSS ;
2.S7; Elloree 2.65. There were In ad-
dition 81 places that reported amounts
from one to two inches, and 30 places
that reported less than one inch of
rainfall, the average of AZ reports be-
ing O.S0, while the normal for the
same period is approximately 1.O4.
There were high winds over various
portions of the State accompanying the
thunder storms of the 9th, that injur-
ed crops severely in places and tangl-
ed high corn so that it could not be
worked. There was also adestructive
hail storm in Marlboro on the 18th
that damaged crops locally.
There was about normal amount
: of sunshine for the State, but the per-
centage of possible range from As to
! s., showing that cloudiness varied
considerably in different localities.
CROPS.
The week on the whole was favora-
bic for crop growth and cultivation.
There was moisture enough even
where least rain fell; in fact those Sec
tons were best favored as it gave them
an opportunity to clean the fields OF
grass, which has appeared luxuriantly
everywhere but has been kept pretty
we'll under control, except in a
few localities where some cotton has
been abandoned, or else plowed under
with the grass and the lands put to
corn or>peas. Such areas are really in
significant. Over the Southeastern
portions of the State the ground has
been hardly fit for cultivation, owing
to the heavy rains.
Reports on corn continue to be en-
entirely favorable. Both early and
late corn continue very promising;
the former in silks and ''tassels"
and being laid by and the latter just
coming up to stand up to stands and
receiving its first cultivation. Some
reports Of injury from heart worms.
Lice on cotton are reported from all
portions of the State usually with the
comment that they were never before
so prevalent. Reports of injury by
lice vary considerably; in places it is
confined to certain kinds of soil, in
others the stands have been injured,
and in others no injury has resulted,
except to check growth and give the
leaves ''curled up" apparence, others
say the plant has stopped putting on
squares, probably the result of growth
having stopped. In certain localities
they seem to be decreasing, while
others report them increasing, the
cool nights seeming to favor their re-
production.
The cool nights have also had bad
effect on the uninfested cotton, on Ger
tain soil the lower leaves are turning
redish yellow.
The general tenor of correspondents
reports are not very favorable on cot
ton. Squares continue to form plenti-
fully and blooms are quite common,
being much earlier than ordinarily.
Hot sunshine and dry weather is the
indicated need for cotton. both to rid
the plant of lice and to kill grass.
Peas continue to be extensively sown
with corn and on stubble land. Ear
ly planted peas up to good stands.
Tobacco does not seem to be doing
very well, it continues small but in
healthy condition.
Rice has about all been sown and is
doing well. Upland rice improved
decidedly.
Setting of sweet potato slips contin-
ues, and this important crop is very
promising.
Irish potatoes have improved where
not too nearly matured, but the crop
as whole about failure. Second
planting doing we'll and in blossom on
the coast. Colorado beetles are trou-
blesome in upper Darlington.
Melons are ripening in the lower
counties and musk melons are being
shipped.
Wheat and oats thrashing in prog
ress with fairly good yields of the
former and poor yields of the latter
reported.
Fruit prospects continue to lesson
and are very poor for all kinds OF
fruit. Berries continue plentiful and
a good quality.
Gardens are improving very rapidly
now and seasonable vegetables are
reasonably abundant.
Pastures afford excellent grazing.
The condition of crops in. general
continue very promising, and as the
season of least variability of weather
conditions is about at hand, the out
look for the midsummer season is en-,