The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-05-28

| "EEkLf CROP BULLETIN.
The Drought Has Seriously Injured
Crops in Some Portions OF tho
| State.
| RMS bulletin COvCrs tho weather
and crop conditions for the week end
ing Saturday, May 49, and in tho pre-
paratlon were used reports from ono or
more correspondents in each county OF
the State.
under review averaged about degrees
per day higher than the normal, with
maxima in the nineties each day, at u
| lew places reaching to and above 100
degrees, except in the extreme west
crn portions whore it was slightly cool
cr: The heat was tempered during the
attcr portion OF the week by partly
which had, however, but littlc effect
IN reducing temperature, and the
| nights were hottest at tho close Of the
| week.
| The average mean temperature for
the State, during the entire week, was
'9dcgrccs, ranging from II at Green-
vile to 81 at McCpll, Marlboro County.
The normal for the Same period Is ap-
proximatoly Il degrees.
! The highest temperatures reported
were l0l at GillisOnville, lO2 at Shaw's
Forks, 100 at Blackville and Greenwood
on the Nth; lOl at Gillisonville and 100
AT l3lackvillc on the 18th the lowest
reported was 81 at Batcsburg on tho
10th and 18th.
The rainfall during tho week was
very light and scattered, and Of tho "A
places keeping rainfall records the fol-
lowing places only reported any rain
for the week : Backvillc, O.30; Tren-
ton, ''lH' kingstrcc, OFT; Little Noun
!. tain, "l''; Poverty Hill, 0.05; Hagood,
n 035; Statcburg, OF. The normal
II amount for the same period Is approx
e imatcly U.90 inch.
Q The drought has become serious
y menace to crops over large portions Of
j. the State. The deficiency in rainfall
n has been accommodating since Septcm-
c Der lst, 1873, and since then only ono
p month, February, 1896. gave more than
Q the usual amount OF rain. The ordi-
e nary or normal amount OF rain from
, September Ist to datc is 81 .22 inches
The amount that foil is 2l.98 inches.
, This shows that no reserve supply OF
water was stored in tho subsoil. Com
pairing tho rainfall since the begin
ming Of the crop soas0n-March lst-
with the normal for the same period
the deficiency is moro marked. The
normal rainfall for tho ontire State,
from March lst to date Ia 9l7 inches,
the average actual rainfall has been
but 800 inches; but this 500 inches
was very unevcniy distributed leaving
| many localities with but a. small per-
ccntagc Of the ueual amount, instanc-
ing Charleston where the deficiency is
900 inches, and Columbia with a def
cheney G.3S inches.
| ~ correspondent in the southeastern
section Of the State writes as follows:
'"Therc is no further use Of denying
the fact, or withholding the truth, Il
most serious drought prevails in this
section OF the State" The samo is truo
OF large section in the interior OF tho
State, having Richland, Fairfield ana
kcrshaw Counties as the center of
greatest rainfall deficiency. Tho def
cheney in rainfall docs not, by itself.
convey an adequate conception Of the
dryEess Of the ground The showers
have been fairly numerous but SO light
| that the surface soil only was wetted
and that cvapOratcd in q fow hours un-
der the influence OF the extreme heat
that prevailed the greater portion Of
the time. At times, too, the winds
were high, hot and exceedingly dry
and desiCcating.
Not IL single report was received but
that stated the urgent need OF rain
Tor some crop or other, Indicating
that droughty conditions of more or
less severity exist over the whole
State.
| Light hail was reported from Barn
well County on the 18th with no injury
to crops.
| Tho sunshine exceeded the normal,
ranging from 10 to 100 per cent. Of the
possible, with most cloudncss in An
dcrsOn County and least in the North
eastern portions Of the State, being
practically cloudless week, except for
q few bours each day during the latter
portion OF the week
Crops are being adversely affected
by the drought. Corn and cotton,
where stands have been attained, are
doing fairly well, particularly in the
western and northwestern counties,
where There was plenty OF rain during
the previous week.
| Corn Is reported as willing during
tho day. 1t is well worked, clean and
iof q healthy color generally. Somo
late planting not yet up and compile
tion OF planting delayed, owing to
drought. The same is reported Of cot
ton and on red lands small cotton is
dying. Where stands are good cotton
! looks fine, is growing we'll, is clean,
and OF a healthy color and fair size
Chopping out continues, aud is nearing
completion in many sections.
AS compared with the previous week
/ crops have dotcriorated in condition,
except corn and cotton, which bave
hcid their own generally, the hot
: weather bcing the condition best suit
cd for thor development, but they also
} would be- greatly benefited by rain.
} The hot weather injured peaches and
berries. j. w. BAUER, Director.