The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1910-08-05

OUUU [
COTTON WEATHER.
P,aaters. Are Busy with c~uitlvatloaL
Prospects Brighter.
The past week has developed m im-
prevement in the weather conditions
over the greater part Of the cotton
belt. The excessive rains, which gave
cause for complaint for many weeks,
gave place to clear, warm weather IN
the central and eastern cotton States,
afording farmers q m~uch-needed oppor-
tunity to cultivate their crops and got
rid Of the grass and weeds, which had
run riot during the rainy spell. As ,
result of the better weather, the crop
has shown = considerable improvement.
In the western portion Of the cotton
bolt. dry, hot weather has been the rule
and, although it cannot be said that
any important damage has been done to
the fine crops in that section as yet,
continued absence of rain would I'M
doubtedly cause deterioration. While
the temperature has been high, tho
crop has 70 far been spared the hot,
parching winds that are sometimes Ok
perienced in Texas and Oklahoma at
this period Of the year, the prevailing
winds having hsen southerly, which are
usually moisture-ladeH.
From all sections of the South there
are reports of good corn crops, the
conditions which have initiated against
cotton not having damaged born to
anything like tho same extent.
Tue rice crop has also made good
progress, the frequent rains having
been beneficial to that cereal.
While there are complaints in the
sugar belt of excessive rains interfer-
ing with the laying by of tho cane and
it's proper cultivation, there is little
complaint of any actual damage. ALI
) sections report that tho cane is grow.
! ing rapidly, and, with the exception OF
! the spring plant, in which the stanas
! are gappy, the crop is looking finer.
! Dnring the past few days the weather
! has been dry and hot, and planters are
J evidently securing the much-desired op
! portunity for giving the final toucne'
( to the cultivation Of the crop prior II
< it's laying by.
MISSISSIPPI.
A week of favorable weather fnd'
most of tho cotton fields free OF grass
: but the process of cleaning some o
1 them has been severe, and the cotton L
I still in a bad way. There is in the Stat
= some very good cotton, some hat
very bad, and much that is neither ver'
/ good nor very bad. The plant is'every
Z whore late, and has just begun t
. fruit. A late fall would permit OF tn
y maturity of considerable fruit, and tn
farm tone is hopeful since h rain
. ceased.
u The crop has improved materially j
! all sections, but in eastern Countie
= still shows the effect Of past excessiv
8 rainfall, tho plant being very small an
! very late. In central and western par
: of the State = fair crop is indicates
5 though rain would be beneficial With
I = week. Boil wsevils are said to
: less numerous in tho infested distrlc'
l. than last year. The crop is not y
= laid by, and cultivation will be late.
OKLAHOMA.
The cotton crop in Oklahoma, heret
fore in excellent condition and mo
promising as to yield, has reached
critical stage, owing to lack OF mo
ture. and will now stop advancement
deteriorate without rain. Along tt
Red river the plant is still holding
we'll, but in the northern parts OF e
cotton-raising belt it has begun
shed.
TENNESSEE.
The crop improved rapidly during t
week. Tho plant is two to three wee
late, but is thrifty and growing w
and has begun to fruit satisfactorily.
has been fairly we'll cultivated, =
within another week will be laid |
A moderate rain would bo beneficial.
TEXAS.
The soil is dry in all parts of
State, no rain having fallen in seve'
weeks, except a few local showers.
( northern counties and the north cent
3 districts the plant is holding up W
and is setting fruit. In the west a
southwest shedding is reported, a
! the crop has begun to deteriorate,
unless rain falls very soon, the Ct
will be small, and the premature op
ing of bolls under a very hot sun Is
be expected.
NORTH CAROLINA.