The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-17 00:00:00

THE COTTON CROP.

The state of the cotton crops in America is at present
of vast importance. We extract the following from the
New York Herald as bearing upon the point:—
" We have conversed with an intelligent merchant who
has just returned from an excursion of some weeks in
the interior of Georgia, and who has made particular in-
quiries as to the extent of the cotton crop, as also the
probable injury which it has sustained by the caterpillar
and bore worm. From all that he could learn, Georgia
will be materially injured, while the greater portion of
Alobama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, will be swept of
fully one-half of the estimated product two mcnths since.
It is the general opinion in those sections that in no event
can the crop reach two mlllions, while the most intelli-
gent ram with whom our informant conversed estimate
it at eighteen or nineteen hundred thousand bales.
We learn also that the crop in this state will not
probably much exceed that of last year. The caterpillar
and worm have appeared on several plantations in the
upper districts."
Extract of a letter to the editors of the Charlc:-ton
Courier :

" DECATUR (De Kalb Co., Geo.), SEPT. 22.—Seeing
a great deal in your paper recently concerning the par-
tial loss and backwardness of our cotton crop, I embrsce
this opportunity of stating that such is the case with us.
Our cotton is at least four weeks later than it was the
last season. To speak in general terms, we have not
more than two-thirds of a stand, and comparatively but
a light crop of bolls. Even should the fall prove pro-
pitious, we shall not make more than a half crop."
Extract of a letter received in Charleston:—
‘• PINF.VILLE, SETT. 16, 1846._1 am sorry to say
that, within a few days the caterpillar has spread over,
more or less, every plantation in this region, and arc
progressing pretty much as described from the island
and main. They commenced on my place on Sunday,
*.nd sweep all the leaves and small pods and buds of the
cotton. Confined at present to the luxuriant bottom and
tender plants, I have no doubt the injury will be con-
siderable; how great, however, I cannot conjecture.
They have commenced late, and most of the cotton being
considerably matured, may be beyond injury from them.
I am anxious to see whether, having destroyed the bolls,
they will advance for subsistence upon the more matured
plants of the high land. From what I have already seen
I can easily conceive the total destruction which would
follow their progress over fields a month younger than
over them at this time. If they can destroy pods half
grown, as the accounts from below seem to testify, our
loss may be very severe. Previous to this visitation of
the barbarians, our crops were better than ordinary, in
fact, than they had been for seven years past."
During our recent visit to the Belle Cheney Springs, in
travelling through an extensive cotton-growing section of
the parish of St. Landry-, we had an opportunity of satis •
fying ourself by personal observation, that the accounts
we have reedved from the country relative to the
destruction of the cotton crop by the caterpillars and in-
clement season, has been anything but exaggerated. In
all the cotton fields we passed on our route, we have not
seen one that indicated from its appearance a yield of
one-third of an ordinary crop ; and we may safely ven-
ture to assert that nine out o twelve of the fields we
passed will not produce the seed to replant them next
year. There will certainly not be a fourth of a crop
raised in St. Landry. What few bolls the worms left on
the stocks, and have since opened, have been beaten out
by the heavy rain, and the cotton lies rotting on the
ground. We have never seen so gloomy a prospect for
a crop of cotton.

FALKIRK OCTOBER TRYST.
MONDAY, Ocr.
.12.-The third and last for the
season of these extensive annual markets com-
menced to-day, as usual, on the Muir of Stenhouse,
and opened, at an early hour, with the sale of sheep.
The stock was considered to he about one-third
more than that shown in September, and in con-
siderably better condition, the weather since then having
been very favourable for grazing and driving. In conse-
quence of the unpropitious state of the weather in the
morning and early part of the forenoon, the lots
were shown rather to a disadvantage ; but, notwith-
standing, from the great influx of dealers, every
description met with a ready sale ; and not a
single lot remained unsold after mid-day. The
demand was so very great, that a number of
south country dealers went into the counties of Perth
and Stirling at the latter end of last week to meet the
drovers, and after having made extensive purchases,
stood the market to-day, and added very considerably to
their former purchases. There appeared to be a par-
ticularly great demand for white-faced ewes for crossing.
The advance on particular kinds was great, and we
were credibly informed by extensive dealers from the
north and south that the following statement may be
relied on as correct :-Black-faced wedders from 5 to
6 per cent. above last market, and about 71
per cent. ebove the corresponding nvirket of last year.
Upon black-faced ewes the advance was considerable,
this description of stock having ben sold at a very low
figure last year, in consequence of which they experi-
enced a rise of from 20 to 25 per cent above last market.
In reference to the white-faced stock, Cheviot wedders
advanced about 7i- per cent. above last month, and about
10 per cent. above last year; ewes of the same descrip-
tion about 15 per cent, above September prices, and about
20 per cent. above the prices obtained at the October
market of last year.
The principal reason assigned for this extraordinary
demand is the abundance of fog'gage, and other keep in
the south, not a single beast being allowed to cross the
border before being picked up. It may be justly ob-
served, that for many years past such a market has not
been experienced at Falkirk.
As a proof of the abundant supply of labouring work
in the country, we may mention that drivers for the
south were so scarce that 4s. per day were refused, and,
in some instances, ss. obtained for that description of
labour, with a month or five weeks' engagement.
In the early part of the afternoon a considerable num-
ber of black cattle appeared on the ground, and a few
sales were effected; and it is generally supposed that the
business of to-morrow will be as briskly got through as
that of to-day.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13.-This day's proceedings
commenced with the sale of cattle, and our antici-
pations of yesterday have been realised. The stock
that appeared on the ground was about half
morn than last market, and had it not been for sales
effected yesterday in the parks, it would have
been considerably larger. The steel( was in excellent
condition, and the distance of time between the present
and last market gave the dealers from Inverness-shire
and neighbouring county, and also those farther north,
an additional opportunity of bringing their stock for-
ward in as good condition as their nearer neighbours.
pbi p
de
da
nag f
n c e,o
r everyth e onesa
m appa-
rently p
The tryst ground betwensosemveunchansod, ttehnatthtwisompoarnrtiinegs
odaone o'clock, a backwardness
a movement took place; and
Awrweaefnart presentedetelorybtoshaceacnr
taxv asati
occasionally,
bovmulneesera:yl
within less than two hours upwards of 10,000 left the
wl t
yt
toahnneodi
buy;nbms
jae
up to
animated
again
ground.
We have been informed, by respectable individuals who
have stood the market for upwards of forty years, that for
the last thirty years they never saw such a clearance
effected on the first day of the market ; for when we left
° No doubt the principal cause of
tmt
hh
ace r
k deetm atrn
ground,i
it there would be no
osr
rw
the. was generally believed
excellence and abundant quantity of
foggage in the south. The advance upon-7/. beasts was
about 10s. a head higher than last market, and lower
priced
cattle up in proportion ; and about 1/. per head
higher than the corresponding market of last year.
The Aberdeen, Angus, Fife, and other heavy driving
cattle, experienced a similar advance. In short, even the
six quarter Highland queys also brought their advance.
There was a very fair share of fat, which met with a
favourable sale, at an advance of about 3d. per Dutch
stone.
The following are a few of the prices of the lots that
came under our observation :-Mr. Archibald Cameron,
of Glenshalloch, Lochaber, sold 40 three-year-old heifers,
from the Isle of Skye, for 71. a head ; a lot of 60 three.
year olds at 51. 12s. 6d.; 110 two-year-old heifers at Si.;
50 two-year-old heifers at Si. ss. ; 40 two-year-old ditto,
41.; 70 two-year-old seats at 414 60 six-quarters at S/.;
and 48 of the same age and same description of stock at
3/.los. A lot of 20 superior dun-coloured stots were sold
to a gentleman in Dumfries-shire, at 101. A lot of 50 good
two-year-old West Highlanders were purchased by Mr.
Nixon, of Carlisle, for 11/. 10s. A lot of 96 three'year-old
Angus-shire stots brought 8/. A lot of 100 West High-
! lenders, two-and-a-half years old, fetched 71. Mr.
George Campbell, salesman, Edinburgh, bought thirty-
three polled cattle, three-year-olds, for 121, 10s. This
was allowed to be as good a lot of this kind as was in
the market at the price. A score of Aberdeenshire.
stots, three-yrs-olds, were purchased for 11/. 10s. 6d.
A lot of twenty three-yrs-olds brought 131 ;
and a lot of two and three-year-old Aberdeenshires
brought 121. 7s. 6d. A lot of 50 two-year-old West
Highlanders brought 7/. a head by a Dumfries dealer.
Mr. Kennedy, of Tomatin, Inverness-shire, sold his
lot of three-year-old queys to Mr. M'Coll, Cumber-
land, at 71. Bs.; also his two-year-old queys at Si. 78.
A good lot of fat was purchased by Mrs.
Watson, of Glasgow, at 221. a head ; Messrs
M'Phail and M'Cullock, from near Inverness, sold 80
three-yeareold queys for 61. 12s. 6d. A;lot of Skye
stots, grazed near Inverness, sold at 81. ss. A lot of
20 twe-year-old heifers were bought, on Monday after-
noon, by a Northumberland dealer, for 51. 7s. 6d. ; this
lot is about 2s. 6d. a head above last market, and the
purchaser was offered a profit to•day,. but preferred
taking them south. Another lot of the same kind was
purchased by the same gentleman to-day, although not
so good, for the same money ; he also purchased another
lot of 50 six-quarter olds, from Inverness, at 51., a good
quality. A lot of yearling stots were also purchased by
the same dealer at 3/
COUNTRY Cows.-The show of this description of
stock was good, and the quality of rather a superior
kind. The demand appeared to be more particularly
for queys, and at an advance on the sales that
Were
_effected of about 10 per cent. above last
market. A very beautiful pair of milkers were
disposed of so high as 141. a
piece, going to the
neighbourhood of Bathgate ; a rather inferior pair was
purchased by a person in Clackmanuanshire for 13/ a
head.

HonsE ATARXXT.—The exhibition of this description
of stock upon an average was good. It was generally
allowed that the show of draught horses, for quality and
number, was never surpassed on the Muir of Sten-
house. Coach horses and others of a similar stamp
were also very numerous, and the principal part of them
were also Irish. There were also a number of very in-
ferior animals. A very superior pair of draught horses
were sold by the 'Messrs. Wafters,
dealers, Stirlin
shire, for 731. ; and a Glasgow dealer sold another
very good pair for 351. Various other sales were
effected of this kind from 121. to -20/, according to
g -
quality. The sales effected in the coach horses generally
ran from 251. to 301. ; and some good animals brought
as high as 351. A number of inferior animals changed
hands at from 61, to 124—Edinburgh Witness.