The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-30
THE COTTON BELT.
How the Crop Locke as the Harvest
Season Opens.

How the Crop Locke as the Harvest
Season Opens.
NORMAL DEVELOPMENTS NOTED.
Much Depends on the Weather Dur
ing the Month of August.
The Crop Opening
Rapidly.
The growing cotton continues to
make normal development over the en-
tire belt, except in limited localities,
distributed throughout the different
States, where local droughts, or poor
soils, insects and improper cultivation
caused slight deterioration. Attention
is called to the special and exhaustive
report from Texas which indicates a
condition seldom, if ever, eXcelled.
Since that report was issued, there
have been heavy rains over western
and southwestern Texas, the regions
where drought prevailed. and these
rains may develop the plants in those
sections, as the season is not too far
advanced to make an average crop.
Open bollS are no longer confined to
Texas, but have been noted in a num-
ber of States. and the crop is opening
rapidly in Georgia where first bale"
has already been marketed. While the
past week, covered by the attached
State reports, was an unusually hot
one, the temperature has been much
lower during the current week, and al
though not low enough to be harmful,
it has generally been below normal.
The earlineSS Of the crop, evidenced by
the fact of full grown bolls being noted
in every section of the belt, also indi-
Gates that the crop is heavily fruited,
and the plants, no doubt, already bear
a fair sized crop, with full month, or
more, of time during which the plants
can take on fruit without danger from
frost, however early frost may occur.
Whether it will be q record breaking
crop depends on the weather during
August.
In North Carolina very warm, dry,
sunny weather prevailed during the
greater portion of the past week, and
drought appears again to be causing
some injury to crops, except at places
in the extreme eastern and western
portions of the State, where light
showers occurred on the 18TH Cotton
stands the droght well; it looks green
and healthy: has made good growth in
the south portion, where the weed is
of good size and plants are fruiting
we'll: in the north portion and on stiff
lands the plants are small and are
shedding forms considerably; where
poorest the crop is blooming to the top.
In South Carolina showers occurred
il every county, but they were partial
and generally light, and at few
points only did they supply enough
moisture for the need of growing crops.
Cotton improved in number Of locali-
ties, but gsnerally it deteriorated dur
ing the week, depending on the rain
fall distribution. Over by far the
greater portion of the State there are
reports Of blooming to the top, of
shedding, Of the plants turning yellow,
and few reports of rust. Generally
the plants are small, but blooming
freely, and in a few sections there are
nearly full grown bolls. The crop as
whole is in condition to be greatly
benefited by rains, should they occur
within the next TWO weeks.
In Georgia the weather was gener-
ally dry during the week in the north
western and portions Of the middle
counties, and rain is badly needed in
those districts. Light to copious show
erS occurred elsewhere, with high
temperature in all sections. Cotton
continues promising on the whole al
though it is shedding, blooming to
top and being damaged by the boil
weevil in scattered localities. In the
majority Of sections the plants made
vigorous growth during the week and
are heavily fruited in the northern
and middle counties, with nearly full
grown bollS in some fields. The first
open bolls are reported in Burke and
Thomas counties.
In Florida cotton on uplandS is Suf
fering for rain and there is much rust
and some shedding The plant is
doing better on lowlands, where fair
growth is maintained, although copi
Gus rains at this time would do a
great deal of good. A few bolls near
the ground are opening.
In Alabama, scattered showers were
received in many central: east CEN
tral, and a few southern counties,
with a few heavy local rains, but the
very long drought continues practically
unbroken in many western middle, and
northern counties. Cotton continues
clean, and, while small, it is healthy
and holding up remarkably well; in
sections where moisture has been re-
ceived, it is taking on new growth: as
a whole, it is well fruited through con-
tinuing to bloom too heavily at the
top; there are several complaints of
shedding of leaves and bOllS, and a
few complaints of rust.
In Mississippi as rule, the partly
cloudy showery weather has kept cot
ton in a healthy growing condition,
and although the plant is small. it is
well formed, blooming freely and
fruiting satisfactorily, except in about
u of the north-central and northeast
ern counties where it is greatly in need
of good soaking rain. Blooming to
the top and shedding are reported from
those counties having deficient rain
fall Laying by cotton is generally in
full progress.
In Louisiana showery weather with
frequent thunderstorms prevailed