The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-06-23
=. C. CROP BULLETIN
For the Week Ending Monday, June
13, 1898.


thunder showers occurred over the CEN
tral and western counties, but at a few
places only was the rainfall coPlous
enough to be of material relief from the
prevailing severe and distressing
drought
Some additional measurements were
received of the rainfall of June 4. on
which date Walhalla had LOO inch,
Barksdale les, Longshore l.26, and
number of other places had amounts
either too small TO measure or less than
one-tenth OF On inch. The normal rain
fall for the current week is 1.O4 inch,
the State average is about .0l.
The deficiency IN rainfall since Jan
uarv 1st, amounts to somewhat over JO
per cent. of the normal for the State.
In charleston the actual deficiency Tor
the above period is IS. 5G inches. In
the former locality the drought has
about reached the stage OF water lam
inc; cattle are dying for want OF water,
as springs, brooks and streams are dry,
while the tides have salted the rivers
for miles inland.
Streams all over the State are either
dry or their water gathered Ill staguant
pools. Few ponds IN the lower coun-
ties but what have dried up and fish
are dying by thousands.
The drought is, however, not con-
fined to the lower counties but in
c!udes the entire State, and is espe-
cially severe in Anderson, Abbevllle
and portions Of contiguous or nearby
counties where correspondents report
either no rain or less than beneficial
amounts for periods OF from 20 to 90
davs, while during this time the tenn
rerature has been abnormallv high,
with but little cloudiness. While most
of the staple crops have as yet suffered
no irreparable injury, continuation OF
the dry weather for week or two
longer would infict severe damage to
oil crops and especially on corn.
The sunshine was practically unln-
terrupted during the week at many
places, with an average estimated
percentage of 81 Of the possible, for the
State.
The winds were light easterly during
the first of the week, changing to light
! and dry westerly and southerly during
the latter p5rt:05.
A severe wind storm on the 12,h IN
Spartanburg county damaged wheat,
oats. fruit trees and buildings Sc
verely.
The continued drought has affected
all crops adversely and injured eome
seriously, especially early, or March
planted corn which is now II silk and
tassels but putting on very small i'm
mature, scrubby ears. Many places
continue to report bad stands of corn
due partly to the ravages OF worms and
| partly to poor termination owing to
| lack of moisture. The condition of corn
in general, is variable; it is green and
lalthy in places while elsewhere it is
yellow and sickly, but small every
where.
There remains considerable land,
intended for corn, yet to plant, esti-
mated at 20 per cent. in Saluda county,
and consisting generally Of bottom
land that early became too dry and
hard to plow. Early corn is dying in
| places for want of moisture. Corn willis
badly during the daytime and is firing.
Corn is being slowly laid by.
Cotton has apparently not been in
| jured by the dry weather, except that
| replanted cotton died for want of mols-
| ture, and that late planted and replant-
ed cotton was slow to germinate and
came up to irregular stands. Cotton
made very SLOW growth, but otherwise
is in vigorous, healthy condition. 1t
is infested with lice in Orangeburg,
Sumter, Clarendon, Bamberg, Barn
! we'll where in spots ii Is dying, Rich
land where lice are more numerous
than ever before observed, and in por-
tions of several other counties. Cotton
fields are generally well cultivated, ex-
cept that clay SOILS are too dry and hard
| to work, and that in upper Berkeley
| and portions of Williamsburg couutles
it was too wet during May, but is all
right now.
Cotton is putting on squares rapidly
in Chesterfield and Darlington, but
| slowly elsewhere Cut worms still
damaging the stand in places. "First
blooms" have been noted in various Sec
tions during the week. Sea island cot
ton is not thriving.
Tobacco failed during the week eI-
cept in portions of Florence where II
grew vigorously. Tobacco needs rain
urgently. Worms not unusually Y num-
erous and are easily kept from infict-
ing serious damage.
Wheat harvest is about completed,
| ard threshing Is we'll under way.
| Yields at threshing are very satisfac
| tory although Oconee and Spartanburg
report yields below last year.
Early oats are harvested and housed.
In Horny the crop was rather light but
| elsewhere from fair to very good
! Spring own oats are q failure IL most
I places. and at best poor crop.
1t has been too dry to SOW peas and
where previously sown they have not
come up 10 stands.
Few potato slips were set during the
week aud she draws are dying IL the
! beds.
/ Irish potatoes are very poor, Welding
less than lurd OF the usual returns.
while the individual potatoes are small
and generally inferior.
Melons about holding their condition,