The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-29
CROPS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
The Prospects Very Grave on Ac-
count of DrOught-CottOn and To-
Condition..

Condition.
The weekly crop bulletin, issued at
Raleigh for the week ending Monday,
May %, says:
over a large portion of the state
severe drought continued to prevail
| during the past week, and the prospect
for the crops has become extremely
grave. In many counties, especially IL
the central-weSt portion, no appre-
cable rain has fallen for nearly fOur
weeks, and on account of the small
size of the plants and their inability
to withstand drought, present Conedi-
lions may prove to be very disastrous.
At Raleigh the number of consecutive
days without rain was %, the longest
period of drought IN record. Where
no rain occurred the great increase III
temperature which otherwise would
have been favorable, served only 20
intnsify the drought. Conditions be-
gan to be favorable for local thunder
showers abou the 21st, and since han
in some dozen chiefly eastern counties
irregularly distributed showers have
fallen, generally IN amounts quite in
adequate, only two places. Lumberton
and Raleigh receiving over an inch.
The small amount of rain that did oc-
cur was very De1leIlCldI. Inc oInpSTd-
ture averaged ove 10 degrees bOv
the daily normal, the maximum eX-
ceeded 80 degrees during the last half
of the week, reaching an extreme of
9S degrees at Marion. Every day was
warm n sunny The drought has
caused the practical suspension of all
farm work, as the soil is in bad con-
dition- For the time of the year crops
are generally quite small and inferior.
Early planted cotton is being chop
ped out. n this work is nearly COM
pleted in he south portion; much cot
ton is not yet up, n it is feared that
seeds have started to terminate n
have subsequently, persisted in the hot,
dry soil; planting is not finished, n
necessarily stands are Door; the
growth Of cotton that is up has been
slow, and in some sections plants are
dying. Corn is in somewhat better
condition, early planted and we'll cult
waited fields are doing very we'll,
though suffering for moisture; late
planted is irregular, much is not up,
and considerable replanting must still
be done; worms are doing some injury;
growth of corn is also slow. Tobacco
could not be transplanted this week
except by watering. and very little of
that work was done Early trans
planted tobacco has a fair stand, but
many plants are %buttoning low, and
I1tS ~ ooSll 1lAp SSlSASO SoAAi piSAAASo ~
run up to seed. Wheat and winter
oats Will give a fair yield in many
counties. in others both crops are
nearly a failure; spring oats are de-
bloom, but heads cannot fill we'll with
out more moisture. Digging and ship
t~eriorating rapidly; cereals are now in
ping irish potatoes are under way IN
the east, with short yield of fair
quality: in the west potatoes are up
and being injured by the Colorado
beetle: sweet potato slips are now
growing well. Pastures are becoming
parched; gardens are suffering II
the outlook for fruit is less promising.
Rains reportd Gin inches): Mon
cure, .O5: Settle, .O1; Marion, Trace;
Goldsboro. 0.72: Lumberton, $50; New
Bern. O.62; Weldon. O.6S; Raleigh. 1.01;
Charlotte. Ole"
THE GOVERNMENT REPORT.
Washington, May 26-The weekly
crop bulletin of the weather bureau
says:
There has been a general improve
ment in the outlook for cotton, par
| tIcularly in the middle and western
districts, but the crop is generally late.
Portions of Mississippi and Northern
Texas continue to suffer from rain and
the boil weevil is reported from several
counties in Southern Texas, where cut
| worms are also causing damage. as
we'll as in some central counties Con-
siderable replanting is necessary IN
the CarolinaS. Georgia and Y
More favorable progress has been
made with transplanting tobacco II
the Valley. but in the middle At
| lantlc states little or none has been
set up to the close of the week, when
much needed rain fell in Maryland
n Virginia, placing the soil in fay
orable condition for this work.
Plants in Virginia and Eastern Ken
lucky are failing. In the Carolinas
tobacco is buttoning low.