The age-herald., 1898-09-01
A DAY AT THE
 STATE CAPITAL Commissioner Culver Issues an Interesting Report GOV. JOHNSTON IS BUSY With Applications for Pardons-1nstruc- tions to Would-be Railroad Com
 missioners and Soldiers
 Capital Chat

Montgomery, Ala, August S1-(Special)-
 | Commissioner of Agriculture I. F. Culver 1 today issued the following report:
 The crop report for Alabama on Septem-
 Der l, 1S9S As compared with the same
 date of last year is as follows: Cotton 79,
 corn no, field peas 1o7, peanuts 97, hay 115,
 sweet potatoes 1O5, sugar cane 12O, sorghum
 112, work stock 100, hogs 102.
 At the time of my last crop report, which
 was on August 1, the cotton crop was re-
 ported very fine all over the state, better
 than it had been for years past. Rains
 which set in about the last days of July, 1 and continued up to the middle of the | month, damaged the cotton crop at least | 40 or 45 per cent of the then prospect, es- | pecially in middle and southern portions | of the state; in the northern section of the | state not so much rain and consequently
 damage less. The rains set in again about | the 2lst, and has continued up to date, do- | ing still more damage, and the whole coun- | try for the last few days have been flood | ed with heavy rains. In some sections it
 is reported that the open cotton is sprout- | ing In the bolls. My observations of forty | years planter are that very wet Au- | gust shortens the cotton crop by causing tOO tluCH weed, SncQulnS the IOrmS ana rottlng of the bollS. have never known | heavy crop after a very wet August I am fully satisfied that some of my country | reporters overestimate the present crop; it
 has gone too much to weed shedding, rot | ting of bolls, etc. The light sandy lands | blighted the last days of July and first of | August, and the most of it now open, the | present heavy rains are damaging it very | rapidly. To sum it up throughout the cot | ton belt of the state, excessive and continu- 1 ous rains, blight on sandy lands, rust, rot | ting and boil worms, the cotton crop in | the state will be very short one this year, about 8 or 30 per cent short of last years crop.
 The corn crop is fine, also peas, potatoes, | sugar cane. sorghum and hay The farmers will begin soon to prepare ana plant wheat, rye, and oats this fall. l have received a number of inouiries rom farmers asking where they can pur- | chase good seed wheat and the price of same. After investigation am now ready to inform them where they can get it and | the price is from soc to $1 OO per bushel, in Alabama and Tennessee. Alabama raised | rye soc.
 The governor desires it to be known tbat l he has received a large number of letters from convicts and others in reference to pardons. Owing to his absence of week | on visit to his wife, who is i'll at Battle Creek Mich, and the pressure of other bus mess upon him he has been unable to &C., knowledge and act upon these applications, but that all will have his attention at the earliest possible moment. Railroad Commissionerships The governor also desires the fact to be made public that he would greatly prefer that recommenda tions for appointment os railroad commissioners should not be pre- sented until after January l, as the matter will not be taken up for consideration until after that time.
 | The governor is receiving many letters al- leging to be written by soldiers now in the volunteer service, but unsigned He desires 1t to be known that anonymous letters have little weight and that letters from privates and non-commissioned officers, over their own signatures will have respectful con sideration.
 Soldiers Discharges The governor has recommended to the secretary of war that honorable discharge be granted to every Alabama soldier now in the service who does not desire to continue; but he has no authority to grant any dis charge, and does not think it proper 10 make application for the special discharge of any one.
 Apply for Commissions Many county commissioners and treasu- rers recently elected have failed to apply for their commissions and to send in the fee for the same to the secretary of state. and are liable to penalties therefor. Some have undertaken to act without a commits sion in direct violation of law. Applications for Pardon Acted On John Stone, colored, Mobile, burglary, four years, Paroled, lost an arm in confederate army; served over half his sentence. | Ed Elmore, colored Henry county, bur | glary. served half sentence; bad health; recommended by judge, convict officers and many citizens. Partoned. Wiley Burns, Dallas county, convicted of stealing bottle, 15 cents; sentenced to one year and costs; under new law only petit | larceny; recommended by solicitor and com- muted to three months.
 l Vim. Evans, Mobile, forgery, two years, | on recommendation of judge and solicitor | and other citizens. having served nearly l eighteen months. Pardon granted. John Underwood, Butler, larceny of -uin- | brella, three years. Commuted to one year. C. D. Mccullough, Montgomery county, 1 forgery. Refused.
 John Beasley, Cullman county, burglary Refused | Wallace Bussey, Dallas, grand larceny. Refused.
 Alex Grant, Tuscaloosa county, murder Refused.
 | Cad Brown, Lauderdale county, murder