The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-22
THE CROP OUTLOOK.
FOR THE WEEK ENDING LAST
SATURDAY,.

Weather, But the Prospects Good-other
Crops ProsperIng.
The following bulletin covers the
weather and crop conditions for the
week ending Saturday, July II, as re-
ported by Observer Bauer. which were
prepared from reports from one or
more correspondents in each county
of the State.
Ordinarily, the week Just passed in
cludes the dates OF highest tempera-
lures for the year in South Carolina,
and about stationary temperature may
be expected for the remainder Of the
month aud into Auguut, after whica a
slow decrease at first, then more rapid
will ordinarily occur
The mean temperature for the past
week averaged 5 degrees &C oler than
normal; highest temperature 96 on the
5th at Blackville, and on the 9Th at
Spartanburg; lowest So on the 9th at
L?oper's. Mean temperature of 40
stations, n, and the approximate nor.
NAL for the same period is 80.
At many places there Was rain on
seven days of the week. Out of Al re.
ports TIE smallest amount reported
was 1872 at YemeSsee. The distrlbu-
ton Of the rainfall is shown by the
following reports: Augusta, Ga.. 6.44;
A llendale 1.8S, Batesburg GO, Black
vile 2 Sc, Greenwood 9.71, Greenville
851, Spartanbure 6.03, Cheraw COS,
Florence 3.6l, Kingatree 800, st.
Georges 3.11. st. Matthew's 8. SO, Pino-
polls 2.33, Darlington 1856, Tiller's
Ferry 7.41, Shaw's Fork 600, st.
Georges (2) 4 so. Charle3to 6. 81, Lib
erty SIS. McColl $40, Beaufort 900
Wlrnsboro SIS, Anderson 4.90, San
tue 6.48, Reid 5.75, Trial 3.61, Colum-
bia 6.85, Camden 7.27, Chesterfield
6.18, Mont Glare CTS, EIoree 2.37,
Longshore 6 80, Loopsr's s O5, Tren-
ton 6. 81. Little Mountain s. 81 Walhalla
5.36, Clemson College 9.4S, Poverty
Hill IS, Gillisonville 1. 95, Statesburg
7.57, Hagood 4.20, Society Hill 5.21.
The average of these Al reports is
5 As and the normal for the same psr-
iod is approximately 1.29 inches. The
rain fell so that much of it san into the
ground and the subsoil is now
thoroughly Saturated and no appre-
hension of drought need bs felt for the
remainder of this crop season.
There was less than half the usual
duration of possible sunshine, the per-
centage for the State having been 81,
ranging from 18 at Trio to So rer cent.
at Winpsboro. The effect of so much
cloudiness was in the main beneficial
by preventing scalding, which would
have occurred had the sun shone hot
before the ground had become partial
ly dry. y.
Too much rain. That and high
winds on Wednesday, 9Th, caused
general falling off in the condition of
corn and cotton, but with less effect on
other crops, in fact, minor crops were
decidedly improved except on over
flowed land. The wind is reported to
have blown gale in the western coun-
ties, breaking down and tangling corn
and large cotton, and owing to the
changing direction of the high wind.
it worked holes around the roots of
cotton, breaking off the upper re DTS
and retarding its growth materially.
Much of the green fruit remaining on
the trees was blown off, thus further
shortening an already small crop.
Tie rivers, and many of the smaller
streams, overhowed their banks and
ruined large portion of bottom land
crops. In estimating the damage from
this source, the fact should be taken
into consideration that bottom lands
yield nearly, or quite, twice as much
as the same acreage OF ordinary up
lands.
The Great Pee Dee rose to within 6
inches of the great freshet of March,
1865. The Broad, Congaree, Wateree,
Lynches, Savannah and other rivers
We're over their banks more or lees,
but the damage can as yet not be &C
curatel y estimated.
Farm work was delayed by the rains
and wet soil and crops are fest becom-
ing grassy, but as fields were previous
ly we'll cultivated, except in a few
counties, the grass can be brought un-
der control before much injury will
result from that source. Hillside lands
were badly washed in six counties.
The general condition of corn is not
as good as it was a week ago, with the
exception of upland in Laurens and
Chesterfield where it is very 6ue. The
greatest injury ID corn was done by
the ind. The rains prevented the
spread of porlen. Dry weather and
the wet soil will improve late corn, so
that arapid improvement in the condi-
ton OF corn Is exps cted.
Cotton was also injured by the wet
weather but to what extent can not
now be definitely stated. Shedding of
squares is reported from four counties
and the lack OF sufficient sunshine hes
caused rust to appear at places and
the plant to turn yellow. 1t is sappy
and growing largely to weed, never
theless it continues + , fruit heavily and
the general condition is good.
Tobacco curing was retarded by the
rains but the condition of tobacco in
general is very promising now.
Rics is in excellent condition but
planters on lower Santee are apprehen-
sive of overaows when the high wat
ers of the Wateree and Congares reach
the first named river.
Peas are sill being sown to some ex
tent. Peas as we'll as all other minor
crops are in excellent condition.
Sweet potatoes doing very well. also
sorghum cane, lats gardops and pas