The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-14
WEATHER AND CROPS.
THE CONDITION OF THE STATES.
FARMING INTEREST.

The General Outlook-WeekIy Bulletin Of
the Weather Bureau Issued Last Week
by Dir. ctor Bauer.
The following weekly bulletin of
the condition of the weather and crops
of the State issued last week by State
Observer Bauer of the weather bu-
reau, will be read with special interest
in view of the severe hot spell of the
past week.
The week was a very hot one with
maximum temperature of 100, or
above, reported from every portion of
the State except the northwestern and
on the immediate coast. The highest
was 104 reported at Beaufort and
Hodges on July 3rd, the lowest 81 at
G~reenville on June 90. The average
of 81 places reporting weekly mean
temperature is IS 5 while the normal
is approximately 80, the excess averag-
ingg 5.5 degrees per day. Twenty
nine places reported temperatures OF
100 or above.
The rainfall came in scattered;
showers, though quite general, during
the first of the week, but its benef-
cial effects were largely negative by
the extreme heat which followed.
Twenty.six measurements of less than
l inca were received, IS of from 1 to
Q. and 6 of over Q with a maximum
fall of 3 Is at Govan. The mean OF
all measurements was 0. SO while the
normal is about 1 20.
The sunshine averaged 80 per cent.
of the possible, the estimates ranging
from IS to 100.
Destructive wind storms occurred in
York near Leslie, Sumter, Berkeley
and Aiken counties. Hail damaged
tobacco in Florence, and injurlng
corn and cotton in Clarendon, Dor
chester, Pickens and Aiken. Wash.
ing rains in Greenwood and Lsurens.
Although the week was exceedingly
hot and in places dry, yet on the
whole correspondent ats pronounced it q
favorable one for the farmer, with
many exceptions, principally on &C.
count of lack of rain, and extreme
heat.
The greatest need of rain exists IN
the upper Savannah valley, the ex-
IRENE northwestern and northeastern
counties, and In scattered sections
else where, but since reports closed
quite heavy rains have fallen over
portions of the State, but whether
the rains covered those portions most
in need of it, is not known.
Cotton is blooming over the entire
State and although the stalk and weed
continue small, is fruiting heavily.
Cotton was damaged by hail in Clar.
endon, Dorchester and Aiken coun-
ties, while from Berkely there are re-
ports of too much rain. Complaints
of shedding, and that the plant has
stopped growing, were received from
Clarendon, Orangeborg and Edge6eld,
and of grassy condition of fields from
Barnwell, Fairfield. Berkeley, York,
Bambsrg, Hampton, Florence, New
berry, Chester and Clarendon. How
ever, favorable reports preponderate
greatly those to the contrary. Sea
island cotton continues in splendid
condition, growing and fruiting well.
Early tobacco is being cut and cur
ed but it's quality is not good as the
later planting promises to be. Hail
damaged this crop slightly in Flor.
ence.
Rice is growing well generally al
though the fields are quite grassy, and
caterpillars continue troublesome in
places, but the fields are being flooded.
Sweet potato slips are still being set
out and the crop is doing well gener.
ally.
Melons are ripening and being
shipped but the crop is q small one in
acreage, yield and generally in size Of
the melons. Only a few report this
crop up to an average.
Peas are doing well with generally
good stands. Are still being sown for
forage.
Cane is tasseling. Army worms in
grass in Charleston county. Gardens
failing.
Special reports on the present con.
dition and probable yield of early
corn were received, and indicate q
more promising outlook than hereto.
fore, but the final results are as yet
dependent on the weather for the next
few weeks. The stalks are smaller than
usual, aud are tssselling low but have
a healthy color generally. The stands
are irregular due to poor termination
Of some seed and to the ravages OF
worms, the wet spring and poor prepa-
ration OF land. -
Corn is caring heavily and in OK.
ceptional cases the crop is made. Con-
dition of corn not uniform, even in
soma neighoorhoods. Uplands moro
even than bottom lands. Taking
present condition as the basis OF prob
able yield, and with good corn
weather" until the crop begins to ma.
ture which will be within the nextslx
weeks, correspondents reports may be
grouped into three divisions the first,
and amounting to As per cent. OF the
reports estimate condition up to q full
average, IS per cent, a fair crop, but
not up to the average condition and ~
per cent. a poor crop. In York, Ches-
ter and Lancaster, chinch bugs on
blackjack" lands destroyed whole
fields and damaged others materially.
Corn planted late in May and during
June looks very promising but is not
far enough advanced to estimate its
probable yield, which will depend on
weather from now on especially on
the rainfall. This late crop forms q
cons derable proportion of the total
for the State.
Mr.. w. Z. B. Littlejohn of Boiling
Snrinns offars the fuIIoWinp suppea