The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-22
Weekly Crop Bulletin.
COLUMBIA, S. G July Il. 1896.

This bulletin covers the weather
and crop conditions for the week
ending Saturday, July Is, and in its
preparation were used reports from
one or more correspondents in each
county of the State.
WEATHER
The week averaged cooler than
usual with an average mean tenn.
perature of 80, and the normal for
the same period is approximately 80.
The highest mean was 81 recorded at
Shaw Forks and Allendale; the
lowest, 76, was recorded at Green
vile.
The maximum aud minimum tenn
peratures for the week both occur
red at Spartanburg the former 9S on
the 18th and latter 63 on the 18th.
During the first part of the week
there was very little rain, but on the
last three days showers were gen.
erai and in places heavy.
There was about normal average
amount of rain for the week, but it
was poorly distributed, with the
heaviest fall over Chesterfield and
southwark to Hampton and Barn
we'll. The following heavy amounts
were reported Allendale SO /;
Batesburg 2.7l; Blackville 3.12;
Charleston Ito; Kiagstree IA
St Georges l10; St. Matthews
499; Tiller's Ferry l 90: Shaw's
Forks / IS Reid 3 25; Elloree 1.64
Chesterfield l 81; Longshore l.07;
Columbia Al Little Mountain 10;
Treoton 1.5s, Society Hill 2 04; lla-
good 20 ; Statesburg 2.98. There
were 81 additional places reporting
amounts ranging from 0.09 to one
inch Average Of 40 rainfall reports
l19. approximate normal for the
same period l 81
There was only 55 per cent. of
the possible sunshine, aud the cloudl-
ness was very general over the en-
tire State there having been least
sunshine in Chesterfield with a per-
centage of 40 and most in Aiken
with a percentage of IS. Some COR
respondents reported the lack of sun.
shine harmful, while others consider.
ed it favorable. 1t is thought that
clear weather would be the more
favorable condition now
The weather during the past week
was, on the whole, favorable, and all
crops made satisfactory advance.
But little farm work could be done
in many counties on account Of the
wet ground In Chesterfield, Dar-
lington, Sumter, Colleton, Berkeley,
and Hampton counties excessive
rainfall was menace to cotton and
corn, and locally in other portions of
the State. Many farmers are finish
iog laying by their cultivated crops,
and many fields will be laid by in
grassy condition, the ground being
too wei to plow, or the corn and cct-
ton tangled by the high winds Of the
previous week. The water in most
of the rivers has about reached nor
NAL stages, and correspondents, esti-
mate the damage to crops by over
flows on the prlnclpal lVers to nave
been heavy, .destrying about three.
fourths of all crops on "river lands. )"
Along the Wateree and Great Pee
Dee crops were about all destroyed !:
along the Congaree, Lynch's, Savan.
nah and the numerous smaller rivers
and creeks subject to overflow the
damage was serious. Corn and
meadows were principally affected.
Corn in general is doing very well
and it's present conditions gives
promise of at least an average crop
and possibly better. Extra good
upland, fair bottom Spartanburg
"Never BETTER" York ;"Full aver
age," Barnwell; "Above average" "
Orangeburg; "Good daverage," Edge
field ; and so on from all portions