The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-05-31
Climate and Crop Con-
dition.
q. S. Department of Agricul-
tnre, South Carollna
Section.

COLUMBIA, S. G., May 80, 1899.
The week ending May 29th aver
aged over four degrees cooler than
usual, with an extreme minimum Of
forty FIVE degrees at Walhalla on the
E25th
The rainfall for she week was heavy
at few widely separated points, bat
was generally light and insufficient
TO relieve the prevailing drought In
some localities no rain fell The
need of rain ia general and is indi-
Gated for all crops Hsil fell over the
central and eastern counties on the
22d, but in Spartanburg. Union,
0rangeburg, Barnwell. and CoReton
only was any considerable damage
done, aud over small areas in those
counties
The dry weather was favorable for
cultivation farm work made rapid
progress, and field crops are free
from grass and weeds. Late planted
seed are not ali up, and large areas
remain to be planted to corn and
ecoston, should the ground become
softened sufficiently to permit prepar
alton within the next fortnight.
Where moisture ;s lacking, corn is
turning yellow, and late paintings
/, are NOT up. Over about half the
State the crop ia in good condition.
and over the more easterly counties
is being laid by. Worms aud grass
hoppers have damaged corn in places.
The cool weather was unfavorable
for cotton. which is making slow
growth, sad in few Localities is in
tested by lice. Late planting not up.
Sea island cotton. has good stands.
Late tobacco settings have poor
stands, and in a few localities the
plants are dying for want of mois-
sure- Early plantlngs doing well.
Worms have appeared in one county.
Wheat is ripening, and harvesting
has begun. Wheat and oats are
below former expectations. the latter
being short crop generally for fall
sown, and q failure for spring sown.
The weather has been favorable for
harvesting
Rice ia doing well in most distsicts.
and haa-good stands. -Ia Colletoo,
some fields are infested by caserpillars.
HoeiDg has begun 10 the Georgetown
district. and is web advanced elsewhere.
Melons, sugar Gaze. and minor c'ops
generally continue promising Truck
farms 10 the Charleston district we're
visited BY heavy rains. and are greatly
improved.
Some few peas nave been planted Oh
e,ubble lands, but the ground is gener
ally too dry. No improvement in the
fruit prospects.
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENT Re
PORTS.
Kersha~-Camdeo The dry weath
er has made the small grain crops very
short, aud cool nigdss are making
cotton look badly !; there is much
ce.son yet up. owing 60 the very dry
ueashsr.-B Ammoos
Williamsburg - Kingstree Light
rain one day did crops considerable
good, bus effects coon passed. aud the
continued dry weather is becoming
very serious; some cotton is not ye, up
aud cannot gerniusse until it rains
oat crop almost failure !; gardens are
ruined eroHs generally clean of grass.
G j Lesesse.
Dsrliog.on-s:okes Bridge: Rain
needed 70. ell crops ; fall oats and
wbess ars good lste oats almost 40
entire failure cotton doing we'll,
except the nights are too cool; corr
small and stands badly broker by cut
worms tobacco small and bad stands /;
gardens are sufFerirg.-J II Pate.
Floreoce-Ebenezsr A favorable
week for farm work light rain on the
22d weather dry aod cool !; farmers
veil up With their work wheat aud
oats we're iojured by the continued dry
weather. also gardens -J G Wilson.
Ceo,oabowc-Pja -Pjantersvii(e Gnod