The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-14
/. S. DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
Climate and Crop Bulletin Of
the Weather Bureau, South
Carolina Section.
For the Week Ending Monday.
September l2, 1898.

COLUMBIA, S C, September 13
The opening of the week was very
warm, aad the last of the weel
uuseasobably cool. The mean tenn
oerature for the week was 7So, and the
normal is approximately 750.
Over the central counties heavy local
showers occurred, but over the remainder
of the State the rainfall was generally
light, with. however, a coDtinuatio.
(doriug the greater portion Of the
week Of the cloudy weather heretofore
prevailing
The average rainfall for the week
vas II inch.
The latter portion Of the week was
dry, generally clear, and with cool N.
E. winds-coDdition favorable for sea-
sonable farm-work, such as hayiug,
picking cotton, and stripping fodder.
A slight improvement was noted in
portions of the State in crop conditions,
owing to better weather, bat there is
still lack of sunshine and dryoess.
Farm work, while still backward, ad-
vauced rapidly in some localities.
Late corn doing fairly we'll DOW
Ripe corn not yet housed, and some
ro,,ing and sproutiug in the buck.
Fodder. pulling practically finished, and
but little saved in good condition.
Cotton picking was hiudered and de-
Iayed over large portion of the State,
and much open cotton was weather.
stained, beaten to the ground, or dis
coiored by mildew, While reports Of
seeds sprouting 10 the bolls, and ripe
bolls rottiog, continue to come from all
sections There is much open cotton
10 the fields, and good weather for pick
ing prevailed at the close of the week
No Improvement in The condition Of the
plant itself is acted. it being nearly
dead 10 many places from rust. Sea
Island cotton is opening and picking is
under way. but the general condition
Of this crop is 90, promising. especially
for top crop.
Early rice harvest has at last begun,
but SONS is sprou,ing in the shock; NJ
land rice lie fine, and ripeoing There
is promise of large crop of pea.viBe
and other hay Sugarcaoe, peanuts,
and sweet potatoes are doing finely.
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS RE.
PORTS, BY COUNTIES.
Aiken-Seivern Rain about half
the week. copl the latter portion !;
fodder all gatbeled, and fully half
ruined; scarcely any cotton picked !;
cane and potatoes doing well, turnips
bad stand rice 6ne.-J F Lyles.
Adderson-Iva No chsnge re-
port ; still having frequent showers,
and ali crops daily suffering further
damage II G Jackson.
Bamberg-Govan: Cotton she'd
ding of all top crop, and doing badly
in every way; picking getting on
slowly on account of rain peas,
cane, rice and potatoes are fine =
Geo MatheT
Barnwell-Blackviile: Continued
rains and lack OF sunshine still fur
ther injured the cotton hay and
pea vines are getting oyer-ripe, very
little harvested peanuts and peas
very promising; remarkable growth
of sugar-cane.-G D G Lange.
Beaufort-Hardeeville: All crops
ruined, except sugar cane. by recent
storm; estimates cannot be gotten at
until water recedes. as yet it is i'm.
possible to get around even on horse
back to make an approximate esti-
mate Of damage; corn is rotting in
the fields cotton badly stained,
weather wont permit gatheripg-J
S Coburh, Sr
Berkele3-Pinopolis: Frequent
showers and cloudy weather have
caused continued shedding of cotton !;
cotton opening rapidly, but picking
hindered by rain and cloudiness !;
same cause also injured peas and po
tatoes. .-Thos P Ravenel.