The true Democrat., 1857-02-03
The Cotton Crop.

ind it in the colums of the Charleston Mercury. Our planters may read it with the confident as 'urance that it is entirely reliable:
 Washington, Dec. P, 1856.
 GENTLEMEN-Believi as do, that sys tematic effort has been carried on for years, in this country and in England, by specuators and of our great staple, cotton, to swell the estimates of the annual production, iu order that it may be obtained, from it's hon. est producers, a. less than it's real and intrinsic value; and desirous, if can to afford the plan- ters of the south some aid by which they may be induced to realize better price, by holding their crops until the demand forces fair and just value-I have concluded to send you the result of an inquiry, which, for my own satls- faction, I instituted here, and which may have some effect in accomplishing my object
 see that several estimates have recently been published and sent to England, varying from 2, 2,8OO,OOO to 3,2OO,0OO bales, neither of which, in my judgment, will likely be req lized
 It will be recolected that, last year, we had the credit of making 3, 3,5OO,OOO bales, and, be- ileve, about that quantity went to the ports; but 1t Is we'll known that, of that, a considerable portion was of the crop of 1854, which had been retained in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, and perhaps i'll a part Of Louisiana, in consequence of low rivers and want of tran sportation, until long after the month of Sep tember, the usual time of making up the esti- mates. l have never heard that portion esti- mated at less than 20O, ,O0O bales, and, am in clined to believe, 1t would nearer approach 25O,- 900. Be this as it may, 3, 3,5OO,OOO bales were thrown into the market from the first Septem Der, 1855, to September, 1856; and during a war in Europe, for about five months of the first of the season, with high rate of interest for money in England, and d higher rate of prices for provisions than usual throughout the civilized world, and yet the whole crop was sold, leaving no extraordinary accumulation in Liverpool, and commanding, at the very last of the sales in this country about 12 cents per pound.
 In addition to this, it is very we'll known that the crop of last year was more completely sold out at the commencement of the present than has been known in many years previous; a d the present season found Europe in peace, with no serious falling off of the provision crop anywhere, with no known reason why money matters should be as stringent as last year, with prices of almost every thing ranging higher than usual, and Australia and California yielding thelr usual supply of gold.
 Bearing these facts in mind, let me now re- fer to the result of my inquiry, among mem- bers of Congress (without concert together) from different parts of every cotton growing State In the Union, many of whom are plan ters, and nearly all of whom left home after the picking season was far advanced and whose statements, m writng 1 have before me.
 In Texas, Gen. Rask thinks tho crop will exceed that of 1855, by 20 per cent, in conse- quence ot increase of lands in cultivation and hands from immigration.
 In Arkansas, Senator JOHNSON estimates the crop at 10 per cent. increase, in consequence of extended cultivation from immigration. Mr. GREENWOOD the same. Mr RUST thinks the crop will be short in his district 20 per cent on the lands cultivated in 1855 but makes no es- innate from extended cultivation
 In Louisiana, Mr. SANDIGE estimates the crop at 20 per cent. short of the crop of 1855
 In Mississippi, Mir. BENNETT estimates the crop at onethrd less than the crop of 1855; MT. BARKsDALE the same, that is at one. third snort; Gen. QUITMAN at one-third short; Mir Lake at one-tourth short, and MT. Wright at one fourth short.
 In Alabama, Mir. Shorter estimates the crop at one-iourth snort of 1855; Mr. Dowdell one third short; Mir. Harris one-thrd short: Mir. Cobb at one fourth short, and Mir Houston at one half short
 h Georgia, Mir. Crawford represents the crop at 3|42 per cent short of last year; Judge Warner one-third short; Mir. Cobb oue- half short; Mir. Stephens two- thirds short; Mir. Eos ter at oOper cent. short, and Mir. Trip from g. h to 90 per cent short.
 In Tennessee, Mir Rivers (Memphis) repre- seuts the crop one talf short oi 1855; Mir. Wright one half short; Mir. Jones one-third short. and Mir. Reedy (lldIle Tennessee,) IS much as last year.
 In North Caroliua, Mir. Craig estimates the c,Op at one-third short of 1855.
 In Florida, MT. Maxwell estimates the crop as short, decidedly, but makes no estimate.
 h South Carolina Mr. Orr estimates the crop at fourth short of 1855; Mr. keitt at one third short; MT Brooks at one fourth short, and MT. Boyce and myself at more than one-iourth short.
 By reference to these estimates, it may bs seen that Texas will make twenty Der cent, increase extreme: Arkansas ten per cent. sY- treme; Louisiana twenty per cent. short lu Mississippi three estimates make the crop one, third sholt, and two one fourth short which would justify an estimate at more than one.
 
 one-fourth falling of, two oue-t third and one one halt, which indicates an average of a lit tie less than one-third dehcit h Gsorga the greatest falling of is two-thrds of the crop. and the least Is more than third, giving as fair average, but little more than half a crop throughout the State. In Tennessee. the two most important districts are estimated one hali | ot crop, one at two thirds and one full crop. (Mr Readdy's,) where the cotton is mauufac. 1 tured at Nashville. and does not effect the es innate at the ports. North Carolina gives a falling cff of e-third In Florida, the crop IS estimated as short. In South Carolina. the average dehcit Is estimated at slightly over 20 per cent. twill be seen from this, that a ge- neral estimate of one fourth deficit, on the en- tire cotton crop, would be lcss than might be stated upon the above data; still, however. let us make the estimate upon that basis, and as- sumiuS, as l thlnk, correctly, the real crop grown Tn lSo5. to have been 3, 3,3000,OOO bales, ana the present crop as one-fourth short, being oZo,OuO bales, we have, as the crop grown this year, 2,4'o,OOO, which will not be greatly ex- ceeded, notwithstanding there is, in ali the newer States, increased cultivation, and great CT number of hands employed. Many of these hands can only produce an increased quantity in their new fields, while their labor is q loss to the State from whence they were taken. It may be we'll remarked in this connection. that while there is an increase of production from extended cultivation in the newer State. there Is corresponding falling off from the de tenoratlon taking place constantly on old plan 1 tatlons In the older States It is, however. equally true that there are hands carried out rom the non-cotton- growing States, whose la DOT adds to the annual increase of the culture |of cotton. Therefore, in view of all these things, in making liberal estimate of the ac- taai crop, we may add 225,OOO bales to the number estimated above, which gives the out side total as 2,1OO,OOO bales, which, probably, Will be found to be about the amount produced. :, l presume it is hardly necessary for me to say, that no speculative inducement has influenced me ih obtaining the foregoing information. I W was actuated, in the beginning, from desire to .h" ,h'orm n myself as cotton grower in regard to o ono sI.e ,h o' my own crop, (which is more than Ouc-tulrQ snort Of that If