The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-22
THE DROUGHT CONTINUES
AND ALL THE LATE CROPS HAVE BEEN
DAMAGED.
Cotton is Opening Very Rapidly 5nd is Ex-
pected to be Much Below the
AVERAGE

The Crop Bulletin, issued yesterday by
the weather bureau here, says that the
week ending Monday, September Goth,
continuer4 extremely hot and dry up TO
the evening of Friday, the 18th, At some
points in the central portion Of the State
higher temperatures occurred on the 14th
than ever before recorded in September.
Light showers. with cooler wea her. fol-
lowed ON the last two days of the week,
but the amount of rain was too small to
break the drought which continues un-
abated.
All late crops continue to be greatly
damaged by drought. Stock is suffering
for water Cotton has continued to dete-
riOrate during the past week; shedding,
premature opening and damage by rust
continue to be reported; many fields look
as brown as in the middle of October
The crop is opening very rapidly; from
one half to three -fourths Of it is open,
and will all be out before the average
date of the first frost. The crop is now
expected to be much below the average.
Early cotton, however, is good, and has
been saved in fine condition, and from
a few sections (Polk and Camden cOun-
ties) good reports are still received. Cot
ton is being ginned and marketed as SOON
as gathered. All late crops, field peas.
late sweet potatoes, uncut tobacco and
rice have suffered severely. Peanuts have
been cut short. The showers at the end
of the week helped turnips, but were not
sufficient to put ground in condition for
sowing wheat and oats. Gardening is
over and vegetation is rapidly taking q
fall appearance.
In last weeks bulletin it should be
noted that a heavy local rain of 1.3&
inches occurred on the 10Th at Weldon.
Fodder pulling, reported finished last
week, still continues at scattered points,
chiefly in the west.
THE CROP. CONDITIONS.
Washington, d. c., Sept 21.-The
Weather Bureau, in its report of crop
conditions for the week ended Septem-
Der Goth, says:
The week has been favorable for ripen-
ing and securing crops, but in the CEN
trail and Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
Tennessee and over portions of the mid
die and South Atlantic States il has
been too dry for following and seeding
of fall grain.
Ime exceptionally warm weather OF
the first half of the month matured
corn rapidly, and has placed nearly
the whole crop beyond injury from frost.
Owing to droughty conditions in some
of the more important States, the grain.
particularly the late crop, did not ill
well, and the reports indicate that much
will be chaffy. Cutting has progressed
rapidly under favorable conditions and
in some of the more important corn
States, will be practically completed by
the end OF September.
Cotton has continued to open very
rapidly and picking has been vigorously
carried on. The reports indicate that
much the greater part of the crop over
the central and eastern portions of the
cotton belt is now open and that the
bulk Of the crop will be secured by Oc-
tober 10th. In Texas picking was inter
rupted over the greater part of the
State early in the week by rains which
damaged open cotton, but proved benef-
cial to the late cotton and the top crop.
Open cotton has also sustained some
damage from rain in Florida.
The weather conditions on the Pacific
coast have been favorable, the absence
of rain in California being especially adj
vantageous for curing raisins and dry
ing fruits. 81 kA-ea4