The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-15
INITIAL CROP REPORT.
Section Director Bauer Makes His
First announcement.

Section Director Bauer issued his
first crop report Thursday. It is as
follows:
The week ending a. N. Monday,
April S, averaged about 2 degrees 2er
day cooler than usual, due to low tenn
peratures at its beginning and again
at it's close, while during the middle
Of the week a few days had about nor
NAL temperatures. There was slightly
more than the usual amount OF cloudi-
ness. The winds we're light until the
night of the 3d-4th when easterly
gales prevailed. Frost occurred on
the morning of the 5th, light in places
and generally heavy to killing especial
ly over the western counties. The re-
Sulting damage to fruit, tobacco,
grain, gardens, truck, and tender vege-
tation generally cannot now be ac-
curately determined, but was not
serious as far as known.
Heavy rains on the goth of March
rendered the ground unit for plowing.
and farm work was further delayed ~
rain on the night OF the 3rd. that
caused the preparation of lands to be
suspended for the remainder Of the
week.
TIE weather conditions since early
in March have been favorable for the
re p:d growth OF vegetation, owing to
that month having been unusually
warm, in fact the warmest March Of
record, but it was also unusually wet,
and had an exceedingly small precent-
age Of sunshine and light winds.
These latter conditions caused lands
to dry out slowly, SO that plowing and
preparation Of lands in general were
delayed, making the season to date, a
late one, except over the uplands OF
the eastern counties where the con-
ditions were more favorable, and where
planting operations are almost as Ia:
advanced as usual. Rice is an excep-
tion, as the low lying lands have been
continuously too wet to work.
In the eastern counties corn plant
ing is well under way: in places near
ing completion, and some corn is up
to stands Some cotton has been
planted, but this work is not general.
Tobacco plants in beds are ready TO
transplant, and some have been set
out. The acreage devoted to tobacco
is being increased, and the territory
extended well into the central and
western counties.
10 the westward Of a north and
south line through the middle OF the
State little planting has been done.
and preparation OF lands scarcely be-
gun, owing to the wet condition Of
the soil Labor is scarce in some
sections.
The oat crop suffered severe injury
from grain louise that infests fields
in the eastern, central and a few west
ern counties. The plants turn red
and soon wither where infested by the
louse The wheat crop Looks fairly
promising.
The fruit prospects are good, with
the exception of regions in the central
Savannah valley, where nearly all
peaches are killed, and the crop will
be a small one at best. The truck
season is about two weeks earlier than
usual, and heavy shipments of straw
berries, asparagus, peas, cabbage.
lettuce and beets are being made, but
the recent cool weather affected ten
der vegetables unfavorably, neceSsitat-
ing much replanting. With the eX-
ception that the soil contains plenty
of moisture, the conditions at the
opening Of the crop season are not
entirely favorable.