The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-05-17
THE WEATHER AEc DROPS

ine iolio"ing Is the weeHy bulletin
issued by the weather bureau in
| Columbia as to the condition NJ tho
crops in this State:
| COLUMBIA, S. c., May 0. 1898
The warmest weather OF th, current
season occurred during the week with
maximum temperature OF 8 on the
4th at Jacksonville, while GER the
State generally the temperatue rose
ABOVE 30 on the Sd, 4th, 5th, w;h cor.
respondingly high night tempehtures
but during the afternoon and nht NJ
the 9th tn temperature fell fpidlv
reaching a minimum of 80 on thenorn.
ing OF the Ith at SparLanburg. The
rest OF the week remained cool
The average temperature deQced
from A weekly means was 70. an tho
normal FOR the same peiod is appxi-
nately 60. Light frost was not; on
the morning Of the 7th and St at
various places in the northwesrn
counties, but in no instance was,be
irost heavy enough to destroy veea-
tion.
The rainfall for the week was n.
lined to the 9th, on which date th-
der showers occurred over the ente
State, having been heaviest to /
northward OF the Santoe river. II
rainfall was light, and in many plac,
there was none over the northern an
western counties and in the southeas
tern group OF counties. In the latter
section the ground is very dry and rain
would prove Beneficial, while over the
upper counties rain Is needed to soften
the surface, as the ground Is badly
crusted, making it difficult foe sprout-
Ing plants to come up. Forty. four
places reported rainfall measurements
OF which 81 were less than hall an inch
and but three Of more than one inch.
The average OF all measurements was
0.42 and the normal for .ne same period
is ABOUT rs inch.
There was large percentage OF
bright sunshine ave aging SO per cent.
or the possible, and on two days only
dld any cloudiness prevail.
High winds, attaining to almost
tornado force in Orangeburg, Flor
ence, Clarendon, Lexington and Horny
counties, prevailed on the 9Th, doing
considerable injury to fruit trees,
fences, and in some instances to build
lngs, and the cold, high winds on the
following days had damaging effect
on cotton, corn and tobacco.
| The first portion of the week with its
nigh temperature, light winds and
| bright sunshine, was extremely favor
able to crop growth and made notice
| able Improvement In the appearance OF
field crops generally.
During this time farm work made
rapid progress. The. latter portion OF
the week, however, was below the
active growing temperature for some
of the principal crops cultivated In
| this State, for instance cotton which
will not grow or thrive under So de-
grees.
Corn has improved generally al
though it's condition is extremely
varied and in but few places entirely
satisfactory. Stands in many places
are very Irregular owing to replant-
| ing, and cut worms have destroyed
stands In many places. Early corn on
| sandy lands is doing fairly well. In
the western counties considerable
area remains to b. planted, while in
York County fields planted to cotton
and which failed to come up to salts
factory stands have been plowed over
has received its first and second culti-
vation. The cool weather recently has
| given it a yellow cast.
Cotton did fairly we'll during the
hrst OF the week, especially on sandy
soils where 1t is up to fine stands and
In the more easterly counties Is being
cultivated and chopped out. On stiff
lands the surface is so crusted and
baked that cotton cannot come up'
readily. The recent cool weather
gave cotton q severe setback and
number Of correspondents reported the
plants dying. Fields are reported
grassy in Edgefield and Kershaw.
Probably more than the usual amount
OF replanting is necessary as whole
fields are being replowed and re-
planted. Planting is not entirely
| finished, but the area yet to plant is
small and confined principally to the
upper portions of the State, although
| planting Sea-Island cotton still con-
tinues The region devoted to this
variety has been too dry for It's best
development.
Reports on wheat continue favorable
except that rust has developed to a
slight extent in Anderson, Greenville,
Lexington, ewberry, Laurens and
Spartanburg counties. Wheat Is head
ing but the straw is short.
AS oats near maturity the prospects
for full crop diminish In many sec
tions, although over the northe eastern,
northern and western counties its con-
dition continues very promising. In
Bamberg and Barnwell counties fly
has attacked oats, while over the
southeastern counties generally 1t he's
been too dry. Oats are heading with
the straw short. Spring oats are look
ing fine.
Some rice is still being planted and
the stand, color and general condition
of this crop has shown marked i'm
provement during the week.
Transplanting tobacco Is being
rushed to completion. The weather
has, on the whole, been too cool for
young plants to grow we'll, but this
crop has received no serious set back,
although In some places cut worms
and grasshoppers damaged 1t more or
less.
Sweet potato sets are being trans
planted, but not as yet to any great
extent. Draws are not very plentiful.
Irish potatoes appear to be doing finely,
except in Charleston and Beaufort
counties, whore they will not yield
more than ne-fourth OF q crop.
Melons have not shown much, IL any,
improve ment and have not made satis-
factory growth, except In Williams
burg County, where the vines are
growing nicely.
Fruit prospects, vary greatly through
out the State, being exceeding pro-
missing In places, while in other places
there will be mono. Pears appear to be
dropping badly and doing poorly.
Peaches give promise Of fair average
crop generally, and In Greenwood
County the trees are overloaded. The