The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-19
Farmers More Hopeful
OUer Crop Conditions

close OF the present week finds the
crops of cotton and corn IN Colbert
County In much worse condition than
last week. The fields had hardly dried
out sufficiently from the heavy rains
Of Wednesday and Thursday OF last
week to permit of work. when one of
the heaviest and most disastrous rains
of the entire season fell Tuesday az
ternoon, resulting In incalculable dam
age to the crops. In this immediate
vicinity 1t simply, poured from $3.50
to 1880 in the afternoon, the fall meas
uring 2.0I inches. while in the eastern
portion Of the county 1t Is estimated
to have been much heavier. No part
of the county escaped, and work has
been practically suspended except on
high lands. until today. Reports Of
great damage to cotton and corn in
the bottoms and basins have been re-
ceived. as the result Of Tuesdays rain.
many fields of both being entirely In
undated. and where the overfows oc-
Cured both crops are said to be lost.
Grass and weeds have been given fresh
growing impetus, further delaying the
tanners at time when work Is most
important and essential. Heavy rains
are again reported to have fallen
Thursday night in the eastern portion
Of the county.
The situation at this time through
out this section. as 1t affects about so
per cent Of the planters, 10 exceedingly
grave and difcouraging, the outlook
being anything but bright Where
lands are being cultivated by negro
tenants. II is said that the prospects
are especially gloomy. and their crops
the "sorriest' and "serubbiest" for
many years. The only promising crops
are those that have been persistently
and inteiligently worked. Some few
planters tell of exceptionally good cot
ton and fine corn, others that the
crops are fairly good, while the ma
jority are palpab1y blue" and despond-
ent. The week can truthfully be said
to have brought little or no Improve
ment in the conditions In this section,
the only Improvement. IL any, being
noticeable in the high lands where the
drainage Is good, and much Of this
was badly washed by Tuesdays de1uge.
With favorable weather, laying by
will hardly be finished before August
I, when. under ordinary conditions.
July 4th finds nearly all the crops
laid by In this section.
ELMoRE.
Wetumpka, July 1s-(Special)-
Crops are showing some Improvement
though they are still far behind the
growth they should have attained at
this season.
There is a good deal of complaint
throughout the county over an insect
which is cutting the squares off cot
ton.
The corn stalk Is rather small, but
farmers hope that the ear will be large
and well developed.
In sandy lands the fertilizer was
washed out by the excessive rains and
on such land growth is slow. but In
sections Of the county where there was
clay subsoil cotton is doing nicely
though three or four weeks behind the
Advancement of former years. In other
words, the stalk should have been as
large late in June as 1t Is now.
GREENE.
Eutaw, July 1s.-(Special. 1T has
been many a year since an observer in
this county has seen the negro work as
hard as he has worked in the last two
weeks
Continuous, concentrated work un-
der able and Intelligent supervision
can do q great deal that is worth
while. Such is seen to be the case
here. The high grass ana thick weeds
which two and three weeks ago en-
tirely hid the cotton plant have been.
to certainly a surprising extent, sur
prising even to the most sanguine, re-
moved so as to allow the struggling
plant necessary full exposure to the
rays of the sun.
The farmers and planters although
by no means optimistic. are neverthe-
less smiling now at their ultra hope
less views OF things which they took a
month or so ago.
Whenever the working OF the fields
is under the direct personal supervision
of the white man, the crops are GER
tainly far from being in a discourage
ing condition. OF course the maturity
of the cotton crop will be month or
longer behind time.
Corn has developed remarkably well
and II properly marketed will be a pay
ing crop to the planter this year
Greene County produces a large
amount OF cotton, but the most hope
full predict not a discouraging, but
very noticeable falling off. both in
the quality and quantity of the sta
pie this year.
HALE.
Greensboro, July a-(Specia)-
From information gathered from diff
ferent sections of the county, IT can
be said the crop conditions have i'm
proved very materially during the last
two weeks.
The hot, dry weather with occasional
showers, has enabled the farmers to
get rid of much of the grass and put
the crop in good growing order; but
with the crops now a whole month
behind what It ought to be at this
time of its growth, 1t Is safe to say.
we cannot hone to have a crOD equal