The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-09-24
WEEKLY CROP BULLETIN.

This bulletin covers the weather and
crop conditions for the week ending
Saturday, Scpt12 and in it's preparation
were used reports from one or more
correspondents in each county Of the
State.
The past week was u hot ore on the
whole, with two days quite cool, that
greatly reduced the average weekly
excess oyer the normal temperature.
The midday heat was intense, and as
great as in July or August. The maxi
mum temperature for the week was 80
on the 7th at Beaufort and on tho 18th
at Spartanburg; the minimum was 53
on the 9th at Chcraw.
The weekly mean temperature was
II, ranging from . at Greenville to so
at Poverty Hill. The normal is ap-
proximately IS.
The past week was the dryest one OF
the season. The only section of the
State that had any rain was u narrow
strip along the North Carolina border,
reaching from Greenville to Lancaster
county. All other portions of the State
were absolutely without rain, other
than possibly q light sprinkle on the
9th The droug ht is becoming intense.
The approximate normal rainfall for
the past week is l.27.
There was scarcely any cloudiness
during the week, the average percen-
tage OF possible sunshine was 92, and
the lowest was 64 per cent. at Reid,
Greenville County.
There wer no high winds or local
storms.
The week favored farm work, and
was especially favorable for saving the
lint Of cotton in the best possible con-
dition. The drought Is, however, dis
fNn- in, ff,,,
for stock is scarce. The ground is too
dry for plowing and seeding, although
some fall oats have been sown.
Vegetation Of all kinds is fast dying,
and one correspondent in Edgefeld
County reports that oak and hickory V
trees aud shrubbcry dying from effects
Of continued dry weather.
The weather is too hot for harvest
ing corn. altho Ugh the crop is entirely
made. 1t is feared that it will be in
tested with Tcevels should it be housed
now. Some corn is being gathered
from bottom lands subject to overflow.
Corn is dry and hard, but on many ears
the grain is shrunkcn.
There is u unanimity among the cor
respondents Of this service on the con-
ditin Of cotton: it is that the yield is
shorter than previously estimated.
Cotton lis about all open and over half
picked some fields being entirely
pickeo out. Bolls continue to open
prcmaturely, and the seed in such
| bolls is not matured nor does the lint
separate cleanly from the seed in gin
ming.
1t is generally stated by the CORES
pondents that the entire crop will be
picked by the end. Of this month, if the
weather continues as favorable as it
has been.
They also have reduced their csti-
mates Of the probable yield and now
very generally Eut it at half CROP
The plant is dying and it can be def
nitely stated that there will be no top
crop. Sea-lSland cotton is in need Of
rain. 1t showed deterioration in con-
dition for the week.
Peas are not doing we'll generally.
although in Union they appear to be
fruiting heavily, but the better con-
dition Of all minor crops in the up
counties is due to the copious rains
during the latter portion Of tho pre-
vi0uS week.
Turnips in most places arc a failure
so far, for where tho seed germinated
and came up the plant was subseuucnt-
~ killed by the intense midday heat
Truck along the coast needs rain
badly
Second planting Of Irish potatoes,
in the interior, an entire failure
Sweet potatoes doing fairly we'll in
places, but are generally a poor crop.
There was ideal rice harvest wealth
er during the entire week, a ID that
work made rapid progress. The
weather also favored gathering forage
crops.
Reports on sorghum and sugar cane
vary considerably now, some Indicate
Il poor yield Of sap while others say
the cane is as juicy as usual but all
agree as to the excellent quality of the
sap and syrup made from 1T.
Gardens are burned up and over
large portion of the State vegetables
are scarce. Pastures arc beginning
to AFFORD scant grazing.
}. w. BAUER, Director