The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-05-14
THE WEATHER AND CROPS.
Cotton Nearly All Planted and Rain
Needed.

The weekly bulletin Of the condition
of the weather and the crops was i.
sued last week by Director Bauer of
the South Carolina section OF the eli.
mate and crop service Of the United
States weather bureau as follows:
The temperature averaged - de.
grees during the week ending Monday
morning, May 9TH, which is about d
degrees per day above normal. The
week had maximum Of % degrees at
GillISonyille on the Sd, and minimum
of ~ degrees at Cheraw, Liberty,
l.ongshore and Spartanburg, on April
18th. The nights were too cool early
In the week, but latterly they were
warm. The sunshine averaged above
normal and was favorable.
Inundcr storms occurred on April
Both, May list and 3D., in all portions
OF the State, but they failed to supply
the whole State with sufficient mois-
ture, Us some points had no rain and
many had too little to be of much
benefit. The amounts ranged from
IT, to la inches, the latter at Che
raw, with an average of o. 81 for the
State. The drought i'm the eastern
N''iA'N''S "'ip DiphCll dU IL uuIltler OI
scattered localities, but not generally
so, and over ii large area it has become
quite serious, aud a menace to young
crops. Hail and high winds accom-
panied the thunder storms al many
points but, as crops are small the
damage was light.
The weather was extremely favor
able for prosecuting farm work, which
advanced rapidly, and, were it not for
the lack of moisture in places that
renders Stitf soils too hard TO culti-
vate, the conditions could not very
well be bettered. Fields are well pre-
pared, well cultivated and clean: ger
mination has been fairly satisfactory:
stands are generally rull; growth has
been rapid recently, and the only un-
toward condition is the need OF a gen
cral rain, and this need is not urgent
except in spots that, however. repre-
sent large areas in the aggregate.
Upland corn has about ali been
planted, and on many bottoms the
work is finished. Stands are fairly
good, but have been injured by worms
and birds, making some replanting
necessary. Corn has quite generally
received its first working and i'm many
places has been cultivated the second
time.
Cotton is nearly all planted, with
some still to plant in all sections. 1t
is coming up to fair stands, and as
yet has required little or no replanting,
although rain is needed to bring up
recent paintings. Some fields have
been cultivated. ChOpping out has be-
gun and will be general next week.
Sea island cotton planting is nearly
finished. and, where showers occurred,
planted, and With few scattered ex-
ceptionS good stands have been Sc
cured, and the crop is doing excellent
ly. The acreage has been increased
over last year.
Rice is doing as well as can be eX-
pectcd and is coming up to good stands.
while planting is not yet finished.
Wheat is growing well and in places
is heading, but owing to thin stands
and want OF cOpiOuS rains at this
critical time, the crop will not be a
full average one. Oats range from
very poor to extremely promising, the
latter generally where recent heavy
rains have fallen. 1t is heading gen
orally, low in places, and in the vicin-
ity of Charleston harvesting has be
gun.
Peaches are dropping in places, but
trees are heavily loaded. Apples are
! plentiful. Pastures afford good graz
ing Gardens doing well. Strawber
ries abundant. Truck shipments yer!
heavy. Potato bugs are numerous anC
destructive generally, but are les
troublesome than last year in the vi
| cinity Ot Charleston.