The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-29
CROPS ARE DAMAGED.
Most Corn and Cotton in Bot
toms Must be RepIanted
The Rainfall Averaged Five Inches For the State.
Crops Are Badly in the Grass and il
viii be Difficult 10 Get Labor.

The Weekly Crop Bulletin for the
week ending Monday, May 9th, says
"A11 minor features of the crop con-
ditions during the past week are over
Swallowed by the tremendous loss re-
sulting from the heavy rainfall ON the
21st and 22nd. This storm appeared on
the coast of Texas on the morning OF
the 18th, crossed the Gulf States, and
thence passed northward over central
and western North Carolina. The char
acteristic feature of the storm was the
extensive area covered by the excessive
precipitation, which averaged over 800
inches for the State, as compared with
normal for the week of only 100
inch. At some points the downpour
was exceedingly heavy; Marion, Me
Dowell county, reported 7,25 inches in
"a hours; Statesville, Iredell, 7.40;
Chapel Hill and Durham, $50; the rain
fall diminished eastward to about
normal near the coast. The damage
caused by the beating rains, high
winds, and subsequent floods in every
creek and river, farm lands, crops,
barns mills, bridges and railroads can
not at present be estimated. Space will
not permit a detailed account here of
the loss reported, which seems to have
been greatest in Mcdowell Buncombe
and Mitchell counties in the west, and
Orange and Durham in the central Sec
ton, but most other counties except in
the extreme east portion, suffered a
proportional loss. Uplands were badly
washed, in some instances whole acres
swept perfectly clear; an unusually
large area of lowlands was submerged
and in the west particularly immense
crops of the finest wheat were covered
with sediment or totally destroyed
Corn and cotton in the bottoms were
very small, and most of it will have
to be replanted, which will be the third
replanting in many places.
'"The floods in the Yadkin, Catawba
and most other western rivers, as well
as in the Roanoke and Cape Fear, were
as high as, or higher, than previously
recorded The dykes protecting the
State farms on the lower Roanoke We're
broken.
1.-THE temperature was slightly above
normal until the latter part of the
week, which was again rainy and cool
Crops have become very grassy, and
as they are still backward and small
they need working to prevent being
smothered by the grass and weeds. A
period of warm, clear weather is need
ed to dispel the present gloomy out
look.
Wheat and oats generally remain in
excellent condition, and where only
beaten down will recover. Manly IA
vorable reports We're received from
southern and eastern counties. Cotton
has a fairly good stand, though some
is dying in consequence of too much
rain and cool weather; chopping has
been much delayed. Flowing corn, set
ting tobacco, and planting peanuts
have made but little Roadway this
week. Fruit is dropping considerably.
1t is worthy Of remark that a large
number of correspondents report a
scarcity of labor.
Rainfall for the week at selected
stations lin inches): Goldsboro LA
Greensboro 4.04, Lumberton $685. New
bern 2.2S, Weldon 276, Charlotte AGO.
Wilmington $50, Raleigh 4.93, Southport
3.21, Auburn 648, Saxon 51S, Chapel
Hill 8.6S. Monroe $50, Marion 9.53
Statesville S.14, Patterson 7.99, Brewers
100"