The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-06
ALL CROPS BEHIND
Retarded in Growth by the
Cool Weather.
Cotton Backward, Corn Small, Tobacco De-
layed, Wheat Hurt by Rust and Oats,
Generally Inferior.

The reports Of crop correspondents for
the week ending Monday, June 4, 1900
were generally quite favorable, but, as
the entire week was dry, complaints of
lack of sufficient moisture for the best
development of crops were numerous al
injury by drought has yet occurred, says
the Weekly Crop Bulletin for North Car
DINA issued by the Weather Bureau here.
The week was uniformly warm, dry
and bright, with maximum temperatures
ranging between SO degrees and 90 de-
grees, and cool nights only in the noun
famous portions of the western district;
the mean temperature averaged nearly
three degrees above the normal daily
The amount of sunshine was abundant,
with gradually increasing clOudiness the
latter portion of the week. On Saturday,
Sunday and Monday irregularly distribu-
ted and very light showers occurred,
which, while beneficial, were quite INSULT
cient in amount a good soaking rain is
much needed, as very little precipitation
has occurred snce May oath and the
ground has become quite dry, and low
lands are hard and refractory. Neverthe-
less, farm work progressed vigorously; all
crops have been cleaned and thoroughly
cultivated and are in condition to re-
spond promptly to seasonable showers
by healthy and rapid growth.
Planting is now finished, but some to-
bacco plants and many sweet potato
sprouts have not been transplanted, as
the work was delayed by dry weather. eX-
cept in the western district.
Cotton is still backward, but has adj
vanced in growth during the warmer
weather of the past week; chopping made
excellent progress and is practically fin
ished over most of the central and east
ern portions of the State. but is behind
in the west; on the whole good stands
have been secured, and its present con-
dition may be stated as fair to good :;
early planted cotton is beginning to form
squares in the extreme south portion of
the State.
Corn is small but healthy with good
stands of early planted, and irregular and
poor of late planted on account of dam
age by cut worms; the crop has been
well worked and is in very good condi-
ton; damage by cut worms seems to be
decreasing.
Transplanting tobacco has been some
what delayed again by dryness, but prob
ably not very much remains to be set out :;
early planted tobacco is growing fast
with good stands, though irregularity is
reported in some counties where injury
by insects has been considerable.
Wheat is ripening rapidly with well
filed heads; while rust is reported in
some fields the crop, as a whole, has re-
manned remarkably free from insect enc
mics or disease, and the prospects are
for an excellent yield both in quality and
quantity. Some wheat and oats have al
ready been cut in southern counties. and
harvesting will become general within a
week or ten days. Oats have headed very
low and are generally inferior. Irish
potatoes continue excellent, and sweet
potato slips transplanted last week have
started good growth.
Rice is all up, is growing we'll. and
has been cleaned out. Gardens, clover
and meadows are suffering from drought
Prospects for peaches, grapes, melons,
and blackberries are very good; apples
and pears will be very short. Though
later than the average, the present con-
dition of crops may be regarded as salts
factory.