Ernesto hurts crops

By RAY WYCHE

Rainfall accompanying tropical storm Ernesto brought only average rains to most of Columbus County last week but in the eastern part of the county, heavy rains brought some damages to crops.

The N.C. Crop Research Station northwest of Whiteville had recorded 4.29 inches of rain for the month as of 7:30 a.m. Thursday, August 31, and from Thursday morning until 7:30 Friday morning, the station’s gauges showed 3.70 for the 24-hour period.

It was in eastern Columbus where the heaviest rains–reported to be nine inches—brought by Ernesto were noted, and some residents report crop damages from excess water and from wind.,

Calvin Malpass, who grows 600 acres of corn as well as soybeans near Delco, said the rains Thursday and Friday would reduce his soybean crop by about 25 percent.

“I’m sure we’ve got some soybean damage. The rain stressed the plants,” he said.

The corn crop for the most part has matured and there have been few reports of the stalks, now heavy with ripe ears, being blown down by heavy winds.

Extension Service Agent Dalton Dockery said he noted the tops blown from some corn stalks in the northern portions of the county but no stalks downed.

Malpass said the heavy rains in the Delco area would cause a spurt in grass growth that will make gathering the corn by combine more difficult. Modern harvesting combines normally can gather corn that has been “leaned” by winds, but if the ears are close to the ground, the machine will be hindered by heavy grass growth.

Al Daniels, who grows mostly garden crops for sale, said, “We’ve got some damage.” Okra plants, now heavy with ripe pods, were blown over by the wind, he said, as were butterbeans growing on poles. His collard plants drowned from excess water.

Daniels said some recently planted mustard and turnip seed had begun to sprout under water but will not survive to produce plants.

Total rainfall for August, as measured at the Crop Research Station, was 4.29 inches, about average for the month.