The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-08

The progress of the crop season is in
dicated by the following brief summaries
for each month:
The month OF November, 1902, was un-
usually warm, indeed the warmest on
record in North Carolina since 1872; the
rainfall was slightly above the average.
A period of uninterruptedly warm, pleas
ant weather extended from the 10th to
the 26th. The conditions were highly ia
vorable for winter wheat, and a large
crop was sown in we'll prepared SOIL At
the close of the month fields were green,
showing rapid growth, healthy appearance,
and good stands. Winter oats and rye
we're also in good condition There was
some compliant of damage to early sown
wheat by hessan fly.
Although the temperature and rainfall
for December, 1902, We're nearly normal
the weather was not pleasant on account
of the frequency of rainy periods. The
close of the month was cold and without
protective covering of snow. The pros
poets for winter wheat and oats continued
generally good. Although there were
some complaints of too much rain, which
interrupted late seeding, the abundant
moisture brought up all wheat and oats
sCWn before Christmas, and enabled the
plants to become we'll rooted. Wheat was
checked in growth by the severe cold
weather from the 23rd to 2Sth but was
not greatly injured. Both wheat and oats
at the close OF the month were healthy
and vigorous, and fields presented a fine
appearance, but some oats were mown on
account of too forward growth.
January, 1903, made the impression of
being a rather mild winter month owing
to the absence of severe cold waves ana
snow, but the temperature and precipl-
tation were really both below the normal
The frequency of rains and the large
number of cloudy days were noticeable.
Alternate freezing and thawing were un~
favorable for wheat and other grains, but
owing to the excellent start secured the
amount of injury was slight. Late seeded
cereals made comparatively little growth.
In some sections, crops in low grounds
were INJURED by excessive moisture. While
reports of damage by hessan fly were
more numerous than last month the in
jury seems confined to limited areas. The
stands of early seeded winter wheat oats
and rye at the end of January were eX-
celent and the plants were spreading
nicely.
The month of February was mild but
otherwise a typically bad winter month,
on account of the excessive rainfall and
the unusual number of severe gales,
which caused some damage at most
places even n the interior of the State.
The rainfall exceeded 10 inches for the
month at six western stations. A Sc
we're cold wave occurred from the 18th
to goth with the lowest temperatures for
the winter on the 18th, reaching at noun
tain stations a few degrees below zero
On account of the frequent rains very
little farm work was done during Feb
ruary, and the conditions were not favor
able for the cereals. Excessive warmth
and moisture the first half of the month
caused succulent growth of wheat which
/ was much INJURED by the subsequent
/ freezing weather. At the close of the
month, therefore, the appearance OF
! wheat oats and rye was not so good
though the excellent stands were unim-
/ paired, During the latter part of the
/ month which was more favorable, farm