The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-07-26
THE COTTON CROP
The Genera. Outlook Not so
Encouraging.
CONDITIONS MUoh VARIED.

Dry; In Others Too Wet s
for the Crop to
Flourish.
I Tho report on cotton covering the
rast woek arc not Of an encouraging
nature, although thoy arc moro ;n-
clined, to anticipate than to chronicle
positive injury. Tho extromoly high
temperature that prevailed oyor tho
central and westorn portions Of tho
belt, in connection with continued
absonco Of rain where it is most needed
checked tho growth OF the plants and
induced some shedding Of leaves and
fruit. In q fow aootions excessive pre-
oipitation caused too much wood, while
in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
and portions of Mississippi slight but
general improvement in ndition, both
as to growth and fruitago; is uotod.
Picking has begun in Texas but will
not bo gonoral for somo time. General
rains over tho boit would quickly
change tho presont gloomy outlook into
brilliant prospect for q big crop.
In North Carolina, in many westorn
and northern oountios, crops nado
favorable progress, but in tho east and
south too much rain iptcrfcrod again
with farm work, but has started grass
to growing rapidly in most I'll crops.
Bottom lands arc in very bad condi.
tion, and hardly any results arc expect,
cd from them. Tho weather has boon
a little cool for cotton, and tho
rainy, damp conditions since tho 18th
is causing it to develop too much weed.
In South Carolina cotton improved
very small, looks healthy and is fruit
ing better than last week. Most Of tho
folds have been cleaned Of grass, and
tho plants are growing slowly. In
plaoes cotton continues to have . yel-
low color, and thcro are roports Of
shedding leaves and squ,ros. Sea,,
island is thriving, but the plants arc
| dwarfed, and blight is present in sp ots.
In Georgia, exccpt over limited
areas, the week passed with little or no
rainfall, attended by high temperature.
While such conditions favored oultiva-
tion of crops, they are detrimental to
corn and cotton, and tho later crops aro
Isbad ly in mood Of ;moisturo.5sA AZ h0bSYind
on tho 18th parohed 3 vege tation tos !! 8
oonsiderableo ont. Nm Ssa $s
D. sganl Il Ali favnr.i
able SSSho B grea pef ton s6f tISe
| State, and a general impf0 0Y6mont ID
noticed in cotton over tho ewostern dis
trict, whore the staple has boon woll
cultivated and issnow fruiting moro
freely. Thero is much grass to con-
tend with in northern and central { is-
tricts, and whero some folds hayo been
abandoned.
In Alabama practically no rain was
received, except insufficient showers in
extremo eastern and southwestern
counties, and the drought is becoming
serious in it's effoots. Cotton is hold
ing up fairly woll though it would be
benofittod by rain ! it is still small, but
clean, woll formed and fruiting fairly
satisfactorily.
In Mississippi tho wook was intensely
hot with high por cont. of sunshine.
Tho mean temperature ranging from 4
to 8 dogroos abovo normal and tho
maximum reached 100 dogroes or moro
in all parts Of the State. Except very
fow light scattered showers in some
OF tho southern counties, no rain fell
during tho waok. Many correspondents
report no rainfall Of any consequence
hinco Juno 9Th. Cotton is being laid BY
and on bottom lands continues to do
vol, while on uplands tho growth Of
tho plant has bccn retarded by dry
woathor and it is blooming to tho TOP.
On tho whole, the staple is withstand.
ing tho drought remarkably VOL.
In Louisiana, ovor that portion Of tho
State lying south of limo drawn
through Avoyolls, Rapides and Vernon
parishes, refreshing and beneficial
showers woro frequent during tho frst
days of the wook, and lightor, local
showers occurred at scattered places
north Of that tier Of rsrishos.
Cotton is doing woll wherever rain
has fallon and has stood tho drought
woll whorovor grown, but is very small
and in many places has stepped grow
ing for tho want Of moisture and is
truiting at tho tep at height Of IL to
IL inohos, whore ordinarily at this soa.
| Soh Va WV Joni Aoo holBHt ~ lWO 70 lOur
| feet.
In Tennessee generally hot, dry
weather, and high percentage Of sun.
shino prevailed during the weok with
damaging effect on growing Drops. In
fow seolionn wore local rains foil
mostly in tho northeastern portion Of
tho oastorn division and tho eastorn
portion Of the middle division Drops
arc, as o rulo, in good condition, but
elsewhcro, especially in tho oon,ral
and wostorp portions of tho weatorn
division, tho drought 10 getting to bo
vory serious on all growing crops,
especially carly upland corn, which is
rapidly failing. Cotton has lnado fair
progress toward fruiting until tho last
fow days, and it 10 now beginning to
Hhow tho etfoot Of the extremely dry
woathcr.
In Texas q marked dcficinoy in rain,
fall for tho State is again notod. While
showers, and in q fow instances heavy
rains, occurred on tho 10Th 1lth and
18th over tho southwestern portion aud
along tho Gulf coast, there woro only
few localities whore tho droughty con.
ditions were relieved. Oger tho north.
crn, contral, Wostorn, aud, notably,
ovor tho northeastern sections, tho
drought is practically unbrokon: tho
few scattcrod showers that foil ovor
L . = - \.