fl-crop-weather Week ending August 1, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. August 2, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Widely scattered showers left many localities dry during the week of July 25 through 31. Daily showers occurred in some western Panhandle areas with many Peninsula localities receiving none. Rainfall totaled from none at Jacksonville to a little over an inch at Pensacola with most of the major stations reporting less than an inch falling during the week. Temperatures soared to record highs at many locations with several recording highs in the 100s on at least one day. Daily highs at the major stations averaged in the 90s while lows were in the 70s and 80s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is rated as mostly adequate to short with a few reports of very short supplies. Hay making is underway. Cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, and tobacco condition continues mostly normal. Some corn harvesting is underway. Peanut condition is rated 12 percent poor, 4 percent fair, 66 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Growers reported peanuts pegging at 93 percent. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 9 8 4 7 Short 33 39 19 21 Adequate 57 51 73 71 Surplus 1 2 4 1 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Statewide, the condition of range and pasture generally improved last week. The dry conditions were good for haying. Pasture in the central area was beginning to need rain. Cattle and calves were mostly in good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 0 0 5 Fair 30 25 15 10 Good 65 75 80 85 Excellent 5 0 5 0 CITRUS: This was the hottest week of 1999. Some areas received adequate rainfall while others found caretakers using all types of irrigation to keep trees from wilting from the intense heat. A few growers on the high sand hills and flatwoods growing areas have been irrigating around the clock. There continues to be an abundance of new growth on trees of all ages in all areas. New crop fruit is sizing well in those groves with adequate cultural care. Caretakers are cutting cover crops to help cut down on surface moisture utilization. Growers are cleaning canals to help move water for irrigation. Spraying, fertilizing and tree removal continue in all areas. Tree replacements are being planted in larger groves with a steady supply of irrigation water. VEGETABLES: Transplanting of tomatoes around Quincy is seventy five to eighty percent finished with growers expected to wrap up planting over the next two to three weeks. Some Sumter County summer crop vegetables are suffering from the hot weather. Vegetable planting for fall harvest remains active in northern parts of the East Coast region. Dry soils are delaying some laying of plastic in the southern half of the Peninsula. To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to nass-state-releases@news.usda.gov with the following message: subscribe fl-crop-weather. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.