New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-08-31
From the Mobile Tribune, 18th.
The Cotton Crop.

We learn by the arrival Of the steamer Marengo,
Capt, Tarleton, from Tuscaloosa, yesterday, that
there were only twenty-five inches Of water in the
river and falling slowly.
forms us that the cotton crop on the Warrior river
and all through that section Of the country, bids fair
to be the finest made for number Of years. Should
the weather continue favorable few days longer the
corn crops will surpass their most sanguine expecta
TONS
There can be no doubt that cotton has suffered
materially in some sections first, by the late and un
favorable of planting, and afterwards BY the
heavy and frequent rains while in Others the injury
has been much less As general thing, most OF the
upland crops-provided the weather should continue
favorable-will turn out moderately well. Indeed,
we have heard of some plantations the appearances
of which are entirely satisfactory. But no one can
predict with certainty what may be me oona,ton o.
during that length of time would not only almost
ruin the crops on the prares and river bottoms, but
seriously injure those Of the uplands And, SO sure
as the rain comes we may certainty expect Tue cat
terpiar to follow This destructive insect has, in
deed already made Its appearance, as the following
extract from country correspondent will show:
%My cotton is of no account. I don't think will
make more than twenty bales, if that. The wet
weather has ruined 1t, and now tnere Is plenty OF
caterpillars in it. ...
The letter is from a Mssissippian whose crop is
usually 100 bales. We may say of the caterpillar,
however its appearance is too late to be very nu-
rious, Of worms, the boil OF drill worm is now most
to be dreaded and as will be seen in our auson to
the crops on the railroad contained in our railroad
excursion article on yesterday morning, repubshed
to-day that destructive enemy of the plant is doing
serious hurt in some localities. In 1885, remarkably
wet year. the caterpillar was first seen near the mid
die Of July. Its havoc that year will be eVer-mem-
orable in the history Of the plant
We know that there is a considerable breadth of
stiff creek bottom lands especially in prairie districts,
where the rains have been profuse, the crop will be
almost total failure. This character Of land is ex
tensve enough to make q decided impression upon
the sum Of the crop.
The time has nearly passed when lands worn long
enough to lose that sprightlness of production and
perseverance in making up into the very teeth of
biting FROST characteristic of new lands will do more
than barely perfect what frpit it now has This is
applicable to worn sandy as well as prairie land. Al
ready the scar and yellow leaf, indicative of sus
pension Of growth, may be seen on fields of this
character.
By this time of the year. when full, heavy crop is
about to be produced the plant may be seen bending
under the weight of matured bolls even bowling its
head and longer branches to the very ground. We
remarked upon the absence OF that feature to gentle
men up the road the other day. We were answered.
the crop is two or three weeks behind, and has not
had time to up to that point of productiveness
If our theory as disclosed above be correct that cot
ton on old lands whether early to start in the spring
or beated ceases about this time to grow further
do more than mature what it already holds then we
may not expect to witness much Of such encouraging
signs
Upon the whole, "with the lights now before us"
to be cautious in expressing an opinion, we are more
already put forth, that the crop will be considerably
hnrt