Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-03-30
THE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Report Given Out Ely the Section
p Director.

Section Director Bauers February
report dealing with the progress Of
farm work over the State and giving
the climatology for the month came
in last week. These reports, which
are made out some two weeks after
the expiration of the month, are
printed in Raleigh and always get to
Columbia late. However, the reports
always contain some facts of general
interest to those whose business is
affected by weather conditions. The
February report says:
"The month was colder than usual,
with night temperatures below frecZ-
ing over the western parts of the
State, most Of the time, but it was
warm enough nearly every day TO
lthaw the ground. This alternate
thawing and freezing was detrimental
to winterI grains on wet lands. In
the central and eastern counties there
were few ground freezes, and grains
were not injured by 'heaying.' The
temperature was generally too low
for grain crops to make any growth,
except along the immediate coast,
where a slight growth made an i'm
progement in the appearance Of win
ter oats and in truck, both of which
are in good condition.
The precipitation was slightly be-
low normal, but it was very evenly
distributed over the State. and the
ground was kept moist b. frequent
rains, especially from the sixth 10
the eleventh, and from the. nine
teenth to the twenty-second. Less
general rains occurred on the first,
the fifteenth and the twenty-seventh.
A portion of the precipitation was in
the form of sleet on the tenth and
eleventh and on the twenty-tirst, and
some snow fell on these days, but not
enough for the protection of winter
grains, as the snow generally melted
as it fell.
"The soil was kept in fairly good
condition for ploughing in the east
ern parts of the State, where good
progress was made in the preparation
of lands for spring planting, but it
was generally too wet over the wes-
tern parts, where very little plough
ing was accomplished. although about
the usual area Of uplands was pre-
pared for early planting. Some gard
ening was done, but the temperature
was uniformly too low for the favora-
BILE termination of seeds.
IA large acreage of spring oats was
sown during the month, and some
fields of oats that were winter-killed
were re-sown. Tobacco beds were
burnt over and seeded, but less at
tention was given to this work than
during the last few years. Peach
and plum trees began to bloom in
the extreme southeastern counties
by the end of the month. Some
peach buds were killed by the sleet
and ice of the eleventh, but tfe ex-
tent Of the damage was apparently
slight and limited to early blooming
vrieties. Fruit trees were backward,
and buds showed no perceptible
swelling in the central and western
counties.
Temperature mean tempera-
ture for February. 1904, was 45.2 de-
grees, which is 2.3 degrees below nor
NAL. The highest local mean was
sos degrees at Beaufort, the lowest
37.6 degrees at Greenville. The high
est maximum was sc degrees at Flor.
ence on the 7th, the lowest minimum
was Is degrees at Clemson College
on the I'd. making the State range II
degrees. The greatest local monthly
range was &C degrees at Clemson Col
slege, the least was 4S degrees at
Charleston and Winnsboro. The
mean Of the daily maximum tempera-
5tures was SAT degrees, Of the daily
minimum temperatures 35.6 degrees,
making the average daily range 1871
degrees.
.1Precipitaton in Inches-The ay'
erage precipitation was 3.59 inches,
which is O.91 below normal. The
greatest local amount was 5.35 at
WalIerbcro, the least was 1885 at Al
lendale. The greatest "a hour fall
was 2.11 inches at Beaufort on the
9th. The average number Of days
with O.O1. or moro. precipitation, WAS
Q. ranging from 3 at Allendale and
Florence to 13 al Camden, Cheraw
(2) and Newberry Excessive precip'
itation, none.