The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-17
NEED DRY WEATHER
In Many Counties Farm
Work Was Entirely
Prevented.

The weekly crop bulletin, for the
week ending Monday, May 10Th, is
as follows:
The past week was characterized
by very warm, sultry weather, fire.
quent and in places excessive rams,
and some very severe local thunder
storms with destructive winds. Inc
mean temperature for the State aver
aged nearly rs degrees or 80 degrees
daily above normal, with the highest
temperature exceeding so degrees on
two or three days. Between the SHOW
ers there was abundant sunshine, and
warmth and moisture favored rapid
growth of vegetation. Showers were
frequent: in the central-southern pOr-
ton of the State there was generally
altogether too much rain, soaking the
soil, keeping water courses full, and
entirely preventing the most neces-
sary work of the farmer at this time,
the cultivation of rapidly growing
crops The most severe local storms
occurred on the evenings of the 10Th
and 18th over Wayne county, Hafnett,
Johnston, Wake Alamance and Gull
ford, and in the west in Rutherford,
Davie, Alexander, Surry and lredell.
In these much damage was done to
land and crops by washing rains, and
high winds blew down many forest
and fruit trees, fences and barns.
Damaging hail occurred in Wayne
county. Over most of the extreme
eastern and northern counties the
rainfall was moderate and all condi-
tons very favorable.
In many counties farm work was
entirely prevented this week the Gull
tivating of crops, which have become
very foul, has been seriously delayed,
and also the late planting of corn
and cotton. Crops are fiourishing
however, growth having been very
rapid, though many fields are in dan
ger of being smothered by the more
Vigorous development of grass and
weeds. Dry weather is needed.
Much cotton has still to be planted;
the termination of seeds has been
very rapid; chopping is under way
generally and good stands are as
sured. but many fields are very grassy;
there are some complaints of plants
dying on account of too much mois-
ture. Corn is growing fast and good
stands are generally the rule; much
of it. even in the west, is large enough
to cultivate and needs that work, but
the soil is too wet; as yet very little
corn has been planted on bottom
lands; cut and bud worms are dam
aging corn on low ground. Excellent
progress III Trains DIrdfAllAS tODciCCO wa
made this week, but in many impor-
tant counties the land was not ready,
is too wet to be prepared now, while
the plants have grown so rapidly as
to be in danger of being ruined be-
fore they can be set out. Planting
peanuts is advancing favOrably.
Wheat, oats, rye and spring oats are
all ehading, and are generally fine,
though some damage to wheat is re-
ported by hessian fly; rust has APP
peared in wheat, caused by warm,
damp weather. Grasses and clover
are exceptionally fine. Irish potatoes
are growing we'll but the potato beetle
has appeared and is damaging the
crop in some sections. Sweet potato
slips are being transplanted. Truck
crops are doing We'll; shipments of
Strawberries are now diminishing in
quantity. There will probably be a
fair crop of apples, but blight is be-
ginning to cause some injury to fruit.
Rains reported: GoldsbOro, $40;
Weldon, 1854; New Bern, 2.20; Nash
Vile, 2.1O; Angler 3.25; Pomona,
800; Greensboro, 1.3S; Lumberton,
3.4S: Moncure, 1.S4; Lexington, $50;
Raleigh, BIS; Foster, $50; Ramseur,
S.23; Settle, 5.33; Marion, 3.02; Will
mington, Ito; Charlotte, 0.7O; Ashe-
Vile, go.