The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-05-27

crop conditions for the week ending
Saturday, May 23,aud ia its preparation
were used reports fcom ooc or more
correspondents in each county Of the
State.
WEATHER
The average mean temperature ct
40 places for the week vas IS degrees,
the same as for the previous week. and
was due to somewha, lower day tenn
peratrres, bu; warmer nights The
means ranged from II at Hagood to
50 ct Giliisonvllle. The normal for
the week is approximately - The
maximum temperature vas 100 at
BlackvlIIe on the l7th, Gilisonvllle 90
the 18Th, and Cheraw on the 2lst; the
minimum was SO at Batesburg on the
2lst, Greenwood 90 the 22d and 23d.
There we're numerous showers dur.
ing the las, three days Of The week
over the greater portion Of the State,
but in lower Barnwell, CoIleton, Hamp-
ton, Charleston aod Bsaufor, Counties
the rainfall was either very light or en-
tirely absent, and there the drought
vas Intensified to the detrimens of crops
generally.
There are other limited areas where
but little or % rain fell, as follows /:
10 the vicinity Of Hawthorne, Wind.
so7 aud Oakwocd, Aiken County !;
Springfield, Orangebnrg County; Jor-
dan. Clarendon County; Wiunsboro,
westward to Broad River, Fairfield
County Anderson, Anderson County !;
portions of Pickens aud Greenville
Counties; Waterloo, Laurens County !;
Poverty Hill and Trenton, Elge6eld
County; Little Mountain, Newberry
Couoty; aud Leesvilie, Lexington
County. Heavy rains damaging crops
and washing lands occurred 10 lower
Richlaud, Green7llIe, Pickeus, Auder-
son aud Fairfield Counties. Hail fell
in various western add centra! counties
oa the 2lst aud 23d. damaging the
stands of cotton to some extent.
The following heavy rains were re-
ported Columbia 1.20; GFeenville
2 OF; Florence 81 Edugbam 2.53;
Camden 169; Elloree l so; Liberty
1.50; Central / 30 +; Pioopolis 3 "a !;
Darlington LIS; Clio 2 80; Society
Hill l So Statesburg Isl; Clemson
College 125. Six other places report
ed amounts from 050 70 LOO inch ;
and 22 places amounts under 0 50 OF
an inch, the average Of ~ reports be-
ipg 0.80 aud the normal for the State
is approx imately 0.S8.
The sunshine ranged between ~ aad
90 per cent of the possible, except 10
Berkely and Williamsburg Counties,
where it ranged bas8een 80 aod SO.
CROPS.
The geocrel condition of crops is de-
cidedly better than i; was on the pre-
vious week, the exceptions being coz
fined to those sections where there vas
little or go raio, as already 0oted. acd
elsewhere to such crops tias we're too
far advanced towards maturity or va;c
sc neasIJ ruined BY tie previous
d1oughtto be benefited by the late rains
Corn has made satisfactory advance 10
growth and has been generally we'll cul-
tivated, IS clean. healthy and Of good
color 10 places it viIted badly during
the day. Earliest planting is abaut
ready to clay by BUD worus did
some damage on bottoms IN EagGe!d
County. but generally worms have Civ
en- very little trouble. Late corn COM
ing Up aud scme being planted.
With the exception of small aud
comparatively uninportauc areas where
the stands we're damaged by hail, and
also where it is jas: coming up, CT
came regularly, cotton IS in 6ne con-
ditiou. It is of tair growth and improv-
ing is Of good, healthy color, we'll
cultivated, aud oaly few sections are
threatened With grass. It is free from
insects and disease generally. The
drought did cotton no apparent injury,
and the abnormal! heat since planting 6
favored its development. Squares are
forming p!entifully on April cotton
Tobacco growing we'll and trans.
planting is again being pushed.
Plants continue scarce, and some IN
beds are too large 70 transplant, SO that
lands intended for ,obacco are being
pat to corr.
Wheat in the western counties prom-
iscs fair yield, bas elsewhere Is poor.
Oats are generally poor, and spricg
oats VIII amount to nothing. Wheat
aud oats harvest quite general.
Sugar and ribbou cane are ia very good
condition, and seemingly have cot >ui-
fercd from lack Of rain.
Melons generally 10 blossom aud lock
ing promising. Have beeo attacSsd
ooG oro 1u;no from f,.-o.cf7S [;son CO