The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-05-02
THE HEAVY RAINS.
How They Have Effected ths
Seasons Crops.
DAMAGE NOT VERY GREAT.
Although the Precipitation OF a
Few Days Was Equal to
That Of Normal
Month.

Month.
The following Is the weekly bulletin
of the condition Of the weather and the
crops of the State Issued last week by
Section Director Bauer, of the climate
and crop service Of the United States
weather bureau. It is Of especial in
terest in view of the heavy rains Of last
week:
The week ending Monday, April 23d,
was much warmer than usual, due to
generally higher minimum temperatures
and moderately high maximum temper
atures, which, on the 22d and 23d,
rose to or above 80 degrees at various
points.
The first day and the last tRo days
of the week were clear or partly cloudy,
but the rest of the week was cloudy
with light to heavy rains over the en-
tire State. The rainfall for the week
averaged about I inches, and in the
southwestern and at places in the cen
trail portions, was in excess of 6 inches,
while along the immediate coast it
amounted to about 2 inches. The
weeks rainfall was generally in excess
of the normal precipitation for the
entire month of April. The excessive
rainfall delayed planting operations
and they cannot be resumed on clay
lands and on bottom lands for some
time, estimated at week OF ten days.
The damage caused by the heavy
rains was confined principally to the
upper and central portions Of the State.
Lands were badly washed and quilted;
bottom lands were inundated or cover
ed with sand and mud; roads and
bridges were destroyed; fertilizers
leached on sandy lands or washed of
the lands; but the rain benefited
wheat, oats, pastures, truck and gar
dens, and, together with the more sea-
sonable temperatures that prevailed,
caused rapid termination Of the recent
" planted seeds.
The preparation Of lands for planting
made slow progress or came to stand
still, thus making an already late sea-
son over the western half Of the State
still later. Sunshine and dry weather
are now needed.
Early planted and replanted corn is
coming up to average stands, but cut
worms are destructive at places. Late
corn is coming up quickly. Corn plant
ing is nearly finished over the eastern
half of the State, but has not made
much progress over the western half.
Cotton that was planted early in
April is coming up to good stands. The
bulk Of the crop remains to be planted.
Lands are not all prepared. Seed IS
scarce in places. Sea island cotton Is
about all planted.
Wheat is improving aud is very
promising. In places it is heading.
Oats are beginning to ripen in the ex-
treme southeastern portions. Tobacco
transplanting has generally begun and
plants are everywhere ready to set out.
Shipments Of ress, beans, radishes,
lettuce and strawberries are being
made; white potatoes soon will be
ready to ship. The outlook for peaches
continues promising; pear trees are
blighting; melons, sorghum, sugar cane,
pastures and gardens responded quick
" to the weather conditions now so
favorable for them.
THE PAST MONTH.
The following is the monthly sum-
mary for March from the same source:
Temperature, in Degrees Fahrenheit
The mean temperature for tho month
Of March, 1900, was 5l.6 degrees, which
is g. degrees below the normal. The
highest local mean was 81 degrees at
Beaufort, and the lowest local mean
was 40 degrees at Greenville. The
highest temperature for the month was
79 degrees at Charleston and Yenassee
on the Both, and the lowest tempera-
ture for the month was % degrees at
Ssntuc and Spartanburg on the 18th,
making the State range 81 degrees.
The greatest local range was 50 de.
grees at Walhslla, and the least local
range vas ~ degrees st Georgetown.
The mean Of the daily maximum tenn
peratures vas 626 degrees, and Of the
daily minimum temperature 406 de-
grees.
Precipitation, in inches-The aver
age March, 1900, precipitation was
4.22 inches, which is 0.66 above the
normal. The precipitation was heaviest
and in excess Of the usual amount, over
the western portions Of the State, and
Eas least, with less than the usual
amounts, over the middle eastern por
tions. The greatest local amount for
the month was 7.5S inches at Green
vile, and the least local amount was
0ss of an inch at Pinopolis. The
greatest q hourly fall was 2.35 inches
at Gillisonville on the 25th. The av-
erage number Of days with rain was 8,
ranging from, 3 at Georgetown and Pi-
nopolis to y at Charleston.
Snow-A trace Of snow was observed
at Santuc on the 18th.
Weather and Crops-The month of
March, 1900, while cooler than usual
exhibited no marked variation from the
usual or typical weather for this month.
There were no extremely warm or cold
periods, and frosts were not any more
frequent than usual, and but little, if
any damage resulted from them, except
in the trucking districts, Rhere the
growth Of vegetables was retarded.
The prevailing cool weather prevented
TOO rapid budding and early blooming
of fruit trees, and was, no doubt, bene
6cial to that extent.
There were four periods Of general
rains, and the precipitation was in ex-
cess Of the usual amount for the month,
largely owing to the heavy rainful over
the western counties. The rainfall