The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-08-26
CROP BULLETIN.
WEEKLY REPORT OF THEIR coNDl-
TfoN IN THIS STATE.

Cotton and Corn Hurt by the Hot and DRY
weather-Rioe, Cane and Other Crops
Doing Very Well.
COLUMBIA, s. G., Aug. 19.-The
following bulletin issued by Observer
Bauer covers the weather and crop
conditions for the week ending Satur.
day, Aug. Is, aud in its preparation
were used reports from one or more
correspondents in each county in the
State. l.
WEATHER.
The abnormal heat continued dur
ing the entire week with but little va.
ration from day to day, although the
tendency was towards lower tempera.
ture. The heat was general, there
having been but five degrees difference
between the highest and lowest week
ly means, viz. !; SO at Allendale and 81
at Greenville. The weekly mean for
the State was "a, th1 approximate nor.
NAL 79. Fifteen places reported max.
imum temperatures of 100 or above on
one or more days. The highest tenn.
perature was 105 on the 10th at Gilli-
sonville, the lowest 67 on the 18th at
Greenville and Cheraw.
The rainfall was copious and we'll
distributed oyer all sections of the
State. although it fell in scattered
showers in the nature of thunder
storms. These storms were most nu-
merous on Wednesday and Friday.
In places, notably Chesterfield and
Pickens counties on, the 14th and Or
angeburg on the 18th, they were &C:
companied by high wind, hail and
washing rains that did material inj1- I;
ry to corn and cotton. This week S6
stations report rain against % last
week and % stations report measure
ments exceeding an iuch agsiEst
last week. =,
The following places reported heavy
rains: Allendale, 1.87; Greenwood,
1.42; Spartanburg. 200; Cheraw, I67;
Florence, 2.24; Kingstree, $50; st. Z
Matthews, 1, Is; Yemassee, 2.01; Co. Z
lumbia, 137; st. Georges, LAO; Pin ::
opolis, 3.32; Santuc, 2.10; Camden,
LBS; Oakwook, 2.O5; E!loree, 1.s0;
Chesterfield, 175; Walhalla, ISs;,
Darlington, 3.11; Trenton, 1.41; Little
Mountain, 2.1o; Gillisonville, 1.16;
Poverty Hill, 1.2O; Society Hill, 1.69.
The average of all rainfall reports Is
Io4449 l. a. and the normal for the week Is
approximately +: 55.----
CROPS.
the weather was more favorable for
crops in general than for some time
previous, especially in the matter" of
rainfall, but the good effects OF the
rains were negatived by the cotinued
abnormal heat which in places caused
scalding of cotton and peas. There
remained localities at the end of the
week which had entirely insufficient
rain aud at those places crop deterio-
ration was rapid, the drought affect.
ing all vegetation. Happily such dis
tricts in the aggregate form but q !
small portion of the area of the State.
Late corn suffered severely from the
heat and dry weather and is called Q
partial failure, being undersized and
the kernels drying and shriveling.
By far the greater portion of the corn
crop was made before the dry weather
set in and is consequently safe. Fod-
der pulling continues. Interfered
with IN places by the rains and by
dry weather in others. Much foddee
on late corn is so bnrnt and dried as
to be untitled for saving, and this I'm.
portant forage crop is comparatively
light one.
The continuous hot weather is still
an adverse factor in the seasonal de.
velopment of the cotton plant, caus'
ing shedding of leaves, blooms,
squares and half-grown bolls as re.
ported during the preceding week, but
not quite so freely as then. Rust Is
common and reported from all Sec
tions OF the Slate. The heavy rains,
where they occurred, checked deterio-
ration for the time but correspon.
dents agree that the rains will not
cause cotton to recover the excellent
condition it had when the extreme
heat and drought began in the third
decade of July.
Improvement is noted in the west
ern counties, but the improvement
will be confined, it is thought, to an
increase of the size of the bolls which
the plant now bears and better matur-
ity. No top crop is generally expect
ed as growth has stopped. There are
localities to which this does not apply,
and where new growth promises q top
crop. On sandy soils, particularly
in the southern counties, the plant ls
dead and from one-half to two-thirds
of the bolls are open. Picking has
begun actively in the eastern counties
and cotton opening very fast over the
entire State.
In every county, except Berkeley,
the prospective yield has declined ma
terially during the past week:
The condition of rice continues ex-
cellent. Harvesting the crop has now
fairly begun, although some fields are
just heading. All of it is fully up to, :
or above, CT averas condition.
Peas are various1y reported doing
we'll in some places and being very
poor in others, having been injured
BY the heat and drynesss, or by too
much rain and hot sun which caused
scalding. The Pea crop is considera-
bly, under an average one and fur
ther falling off is more likely than an
improvement.
Sugar cane is doing fairly we'll in
some places, while others report it
dried up to large extent, and that the
Weld of syrup will be thereby reduced.
An improvement can be noted in its
condition. Sweet potatoes are still
very promising, but the tubers are
renrted undersiZed where dug.