The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-21
WEATHER N CROPS.
Bulletin of the Weather Bureau Issued
Last Week.

Bulletin of the Weather Bureau Issued
Last Week.
Here is the bulletin OF the condition
of the weather and CROPS OF the State
issued last week by State Observer
Bauer, to the farmers.
TEMPERATURE.
The first part Of the week was above
the normal, the last part below, and
the average temperature of 81 places
reporting weekly means was 81 while
the normal for the week is approx
mateIy 80. The maximum for the
week was 100 on the 4th at Poverty
Hill. Rich Hill and Geenwood, on The
5th 1T Liberty; the minimum was 62
on the 10th at Cheraw.
RAINFALL.
The rainfall for the week came IN
The form of local showers, quite gen.
eyal on the 4th and Sth and scattered
during the remainder OF the week.
Some few places did not receive
enough rain while some received too
much. with washing rains in Fair
field, Bsrnwell and Edge field, but on
the whole, there is sufficient moisture
ior the present need of crops. Eighteen
places reported weekly measurements
Of less than 1 inch; 16 from l to 2
inches: ..13 from Q to inches; 3 over
3inches with a maximum fall OF 10
at Oakland. The average OF these so
measurements is 1,50 while the nor
NAL is about 1.29.
Hail fell. to the injury of crops, in
Chester, Anderson, Barnwell and
Clarendon. =.
The amount of sunshine varied
greatly. The estimated percentage of
the possible ranged from IA to SO, with
about a normal percentage as the aver
age for the State.
CROPS.
Crops are in good condition and
growing we'll. This is the tenor OF
most of the correspondents reports for
the week. The exceptions relate main.
~ to excessive rains in portions OF
Berkeley, Chester, Clarendon, Fair
field, Richland, Orangeburg, Horny,
Hampton ard Barnwell, while in
spots over The central and western
counties more rain would prove bene'
fetal. Laying by of crops was him
dered by heavy rains, and grass IS
threatning many fields, although no
harm has as yet been done. On the
whole, crop prospects are decidedly
better than at any time during the
season, except for SUCH as are matured
or ripening including peaches which
are rotting badly. and melons which
are inferior.
The greater portion of the corn crop,
is being laid by, greatly improved by
the recent rains. Some fields that
were badly parched by the previous
hot. dry weather are revived and look
promising. Early corn is about all in
silk and tsssel, but the stalks are low
and generally small. 1t is firing in
Berkeley, due to excess Of moisture,
and also in Darlington. Chinch bugs
continue to damage it in Chester and
York. Late corn without exception is
in fine condition. .
Cotton continues to improve in most
sections. The exceptions are portions
of Berkeley, Sumter and Hampton
where it is too wet and the plant has
begun to shed its fruit. 1t is yellow
in Barnwell. Cotton made rapid
growth and iruited heavily during the
week. Half.growA bolls are numer-
Gus in the eastern counties. Fields
are beginning to show up grassy in
places ard some will be laid by in
foul condition. Some cotton has 81
ready been laid by. The condition OF
the plant is very promising over the
entire State and in portions OF Or.
augsburg as fine as ever seen. Sea
island cotton is growing vigorously,
fruiting heavily, and no adverse con
diticns whatever noted.
Tobacco cutting and curing making
favorable progress. The reports on
tobacco vary greatly, indicating a lack
of uniformity in condition. Many re.
port it poor, some about an average,
and a few an excellent crop both as to
yield and quality.
Rice continues to maintain its ex-
cellent condition, but sustained some
injury from caterpillars in HAMPTON.
Upland rice not doing well in Will
liamsburg.
Sweet potato draws still being trans
planted and are doing well every
where. .
Pastures revived and afford good
grazing generally. Grass for hay,
making rapid growth.
Melons are ripeniug and shipments
ara heavy. The size and quality OF
early melons are somewhat inferior,
but later growth are more promising.
Grapes continue to rot badly. They
sre ripening and being shipped from
the southeastern counties. Scupper-
long vines are heavily fruited and the
fruit in healthy condition.
From the national bulletin of July
5.h:
Cotton needing rain over the great
err part of the cotton belt, more partic.
uIarly tire southern portions. The
crop is, however, generally clean and
fruitilg we'll. In Southern Texas
bolls ara beginning to open.
I'm The principal corn States OF the
central valleys, corn made rapid
growth, but in the Southern States 1t
is suffering for rain, in some sections
seriously.
An Alabama Defaulter.