The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-10-05

portion of the State, but the frost did
no injury other than to retard the
growth of young corn and cotton. Cut
worms were unusually numerous and
destructive during the prevalence of
the cool weather. The temperature on
the Both was higher at many stations
than ever before recorded in May.
The average rainfall for the month
was only 135 inches, with an average
of S days with rain. The rainfall was
81 per cent. of the normal, and drough
ty conditions prevailed by the end Of
the month, being most severe over the
southeastern counties, where there was
large seasonal deficiency in rainfall.
The harvesting of wheat and oats
was elegant and nearly finished during
the month The wheat crop was the
finest raised for many years; the oats
crop was also heavy, except for spring
sowu. which was injured by the dry
weather. Truck crops suffered severe
ly. Cotton developed slowly, being
small but vigorous and healthy. Corn
remained green, but made slow growth,
and in places suffered severely for the
want of rain Tobacco did we'll, and
an almost entire absence Of destructive
insects was noted.
Pastures failed rapidly; berries and
truck yields were reduced by the
drought. Streams reached very low
stages, and wells began to fail by the
end of the month. Rice grew we'll, but
on account of the low stages of the
rivers, was threatened by salt water.
Gardens dried up, and vegetables be-
came scarce in places. Farm work was
we'll advanced, and crops were kept
free from weeds and grass, and were
we'll cultivated. The dust was dis
tressing in the cities and along the
! highways.
June was month Of transition from
the unfavorable conditions that pre-
vailed generally during May on ac-
count of drought in that month. The
mean temperature was 50, which was
, degrees above the normal. The ex-
trcmes Of temperature were a maxi
mum of l05 and a minimum of 90. The
temperature rose to or above, 50 de-
grees on an average Of 20 days.
The average rainfall for the month
was I Is inches, which was OIL Of an
inch below the normal. There was an
average of S days with rain. The
drought of the previous month became
intensified, and continued until about
the 10Th, after which date copious and
we'll distributed showers occurred over
the entire State, md prevented the
threatened serious injury to growing
crops, except to truck, gardens, spring
sown oats and early corn The latter
was too nearly matured in the eastern
counties to be much benefited. The
absence of rain during the first half Of
the month was favorable for finishing
wheat and oats harvest and securing
the grain in fine condition, but delayed
planting of corn and peas on stubble
lands: and transplanting sweet po-
tato slips. Cotton plants developed
satisfactorily; they fruited heavily,
and in the more easterly portions Of
the State put on bolls freely. Lice
damaged cotton in many places; other
wise cotton was in healthy condition,
although small for the season, except
on sandy soils, where it attained nor
moal growth.
Tobacco developed into a very fine
crop, and was unusally free from
worms, Aeas and grasshoppers, and
sustained no damage by hail. Some
early tobacco was cut and cured. Rice
did not do well until near the close Of
the month, when it began to improve
rapidly. Large quantities Of peaches
and plums came on the market but
other fruits and berries were scarce
or of inferior quality. Melons were
smaller and later than usual. The
month as a whole favored farm work,
with result that field crops were gen
orally we'll cultivated and unusually
free from grass and weeds.
July was cloudy and rainy month
with even high temperature. The
mean temperature was so, which was
one degree per day above the normal.
The extremes were maximum OF lO2
and a minimum Of 81 degrees. The
cool spell was Of short duration, and
did no harm.
The average rainfall for the State
was Isl inches, which was LII above
the normal, and was evenly distri-
buted, with an average Of IA days with
rain. There was more than the usual
amount of cloudiness. Few severe
windstorms occurred, and there was
an almost entire absence of destructive
hail.
Crop developed satisfactorily, es-
pccially corn, which attained very
promising condition although the pros
poets did not indicate full crop in all
sections Of the State. Cotton grew too
much to stalk, and. owing to the con-
tinuous wet condition of the soil, did
not receive its usual July cultivation,
and fields became grassy. The plant
lacked sunshine. Cotton fruited heav-
lily, with very little shedding except in
a few localities where excessive she'd
ding occurred. Tobacco cutting and
curing continued througout the
month, and, the bulk of this crop was
saved without any material injury
from any source. Fresh water for
flooding rice fields became available
early in the month, and the crop i'm
proved rapidly. Forage and food
crops grew fast. Fall root crops were
planted The month as whole was
favorable for all agricultural interests
Peaches and melons were plentiful,
but other fruits were generally scarce.
The damp cloudy weather caused much
rotting Of ripening grapes.
August was month of normal tenn
peraturc and excessive rainfall. The
mean temperature for the month was
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