The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-08-19
BUMPER CROPS PREDICTED.
Latest Government Report Very Oh.
timiStic.

| states will this year see the biggest
crops in the cOuntrys history. The
year has been free from prolonged
droughts and the rainfall has been al.
| most normal with few flood periods.
In the great grain growing States OF
the West the crops have been made
| and housed, and in some parts of the
South King Cotton is coming again
into power.
The latest report of the department
OF agriculture is optimistic with re-
gard to the years productions and is
as follows:
On August 1 crop conditions in the
United States were in the aggregate
somewhat better e per cent? than a
year ago, but slightly q per cent?
below a ten-year average condition on
that date. OF the crops that area
bove the average may be mentioned
winter wheat, hay, cotton and tobac-
co. Corn, barley. rye. buckwheat. ap-
pies and flax are slightly below the
average; potatoes above per cent.
below and oats nearly 10 per cent. be-
low the average.
The conditions vary, how ever, IN the
different sections of the United States.
In the North Atlantic States general
conditions are slightly better (1 per
cent? than a year ago. and slightly
below {: per cent? than the te u
year average condition OH August 1.
Corn, wheat and apples are slightly
to moderately above the average con-
dition, while hay. potatoes, oats, rye,
buckwheat and barley are below: the
deficiency in condition of potatoes is
about 10 per cent, and Of hay about
per cent
In the North Central States, which
are east Of the Mississippi River gen.
eral crop conditions are above per
cent. below the average. Corn is
about per cent. below. oats IS per
cent below, potatoes per cent. below,
APPLES 20 per cent. below and tobacco
q per cent below the average. Hay is
good. being about 10 per cent above
the average. wheat, barley, rye and
grapes are slightly above, and peaches
are about SO per cent. above the ave-
rage.
In the North Central States, west
Of the Mississippi River crop icondi-
tions in the aggregate are practically
the same as the ten-year average and
nearly per cent. better than a year
ago. Hay alone Of the important crops
Is materially above GA per cent? the
average; rye is slightly better and
peaches about 40 per cent. better than
the average. Practically all the other
important crops show a more or less
lower condition than the average,
corn being about per cent. wheat 2
to per cent. oats per cent, fax 5
per cent. barley per cent. and ap-
pies 20 per cent. respectively. below.
The condition Of potatoes is about the
average.
In the South Atlantic States crop
conditions are favorable, being about
per cent better than a year ago and
nearly per cent. above the average.
Rice and potatoes are the only ones
Of the important crops which are be-
low their ten-year averages. The re-
lative betterment Of the other impor-
tant crops above their average is, cot
ton per cent, corn per cent, hay
10 per cent. wheat 4 per cent. tobacco
s per cent, sweet potatoes nearly / per
cent. apples Is per cent. peaches 40
per cent. and oats 4 per cent.
In the South Central States. also,
conditions are favorable, being about
8 per cent. better than a year ago, and
2 per cent better than the average.
Cotton, the most important crop. has
the same condition as the ten-year
average. Corn is 3 per cent above the
average, hay per cent. wheat per
cent, tobacco per cent. sweet pota-
toes, oats and rice. each per cent.
and peaches 10 per cent. respectively,
above their average condition. Apples
are IL per cent below. and potatoes
sorghum and sugar cane are each
slightly below the average condition.
In the far Western States conditions
are not as favorable, being about 5
per cent. below a year ago and nearly
s per cent below the ten-year average
condition. Nearly all the important
crops are below the average. Peach
es, however. are about Is per cent bet
ter and grapes slightly better. The
approximate extent of deficiency in
the condition of other crops is. hay s
per cent wheat ner cent harley