The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-15

supply has been 242, 1853 bales Of equal weight 10
the American bales.
While the annual imports Of India cotton into
Great Britain are varied by the Chinese demand
and the rates of freight, the annual growth has
not varied materially for great many years.
The recent rebellion in China checked its con-
sumption in that country, and hence its increased
supply to Great Britain. If India is incapable
of producing cotton in competition with US,
Africa is still less able to do 80. In India
the land titles are all in the hands Of the
Indian government, and those who cultivate
it are compelled to pay land tax. 1t is need
less to add that such system, with the absence
Of population like that of the American.
would be more or less q bar to its culture, If no
other difficulties existed. Besides, sugar, indigo,
opium and rice are all more profitable articles Of
culture than cotton.
Let us consider another point of interest; and
that is how much cotton would the region O.
country suited to its growth in the United States
produce, provided every acre Of it was fully cul-
tivated? To arrive within an approximation of
the result we may assume the following calcula-
tiOn-
We find by a careful survey of this region on
map of the United States that it embraces an
area Of about 100000 square miles, which allows
for very small portion Of soil in Virginia and
North Carolina.
If we suppose that only one acre in sixteen is
capable, in this region, Of producing cotton, or
one-sixteenth of 100000 square miles, it will
give us 81 900 square miles as the approxima-
tive amount of cotton producing lands. Now, az
each square mile contains $40 acres, and allow
ing 400 lbs, or about one bale, to the acre, we
have grand total for the whole area (of 81 900
square miles) 23,6sO,OOO bales of cotton; or
say, in round numbers, about 24,O00,OOO bales.
In the older States Of Georgia and South Caro-
lima the average yield is under 400 lbs to the
acre while in the Gulf States, and especial
ly in large portions of Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas, the average ex-
ceeds 400 pounds to the acre.
The United States census returns for 1850 give
the estimate of land employed in the cultivation
of cotton at five millions of acres Hence a crop
of three millions Of bales would give an average
of three bales to every five acres On this basis
23,6s0000 acres would only yield crop Of
IA 20S,000 bales, as the total productive ca
pacity of our cotton lands, or only little over
four times the amount of the present years crop,
which we think too small. The census reports
probably embraced much land on cotton estates
devoted to other purposes We consider our esti-
mate above nearer the probable correct amount.
The most extensive bodies of unopened cotton
lands are found west and southwest Of the Mis-
sissppi in upper Louisiana and in Arkansas, the
Cherokee territory, and in the middle and north
ern parts of Texas. On passing south of the Rio
Grande into Mexico, we pass into those tropical
extremes Of drought and rain which unfit the
country for the extensive growth of cotton
The Tribune will thus judge how long it will
take the present negro labor of the country to
cultivate all its cotton lands. Again, cotton
does not exhaust the soil whit more than Indian
corn. In the primitive geological formation Of
the Atlantic States, it, like Indian corr, impo-
yerishes the SOIL but which, by rotation ana
manuring, can be again restored ; while, in the
great secondary or limestone formation Of the
Gulf States, great proportion Of the cotton
lands, and especially on prairies and river bot
toms, is inexhaustible. II is of rich black color,
in depth. and W itbout a stone When the surface
becomes weakened, all that is necessary to get
new soil is to plough little deeper and turn up
fresh earth.
On the Red river in Louisiana, the soil is a
deep red natural mari, or lime and clay soil
mixed, with vegetable decomposition, and is Of
great depth. Opposite the old town of Naschi-
toches, on its banks, settled originally by Span
iards there are said to be fields which have been
cultivated for 100 years, first for long period
in tobacco, and for many years past in cotton,
and among its latest crops it yielded over 1000
pounds of seed cotton to the acre. So much for
the exhaustion or wearing out OF our cotton
lands We still contend that the only question
regarding its future growth and supply is one Of
labor