The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-27
TINE coTToH csop.


QUIrhAN, Brooks county, Ga, Nov. ~, 1850.
Al great anxiety is felt by spectators and manufac-
turers both In our country and Europe to learn the
probable quantity Of cotton that win be raised ID the
South the current year. win state the impression made
on my mind in reference 70 u, and Sepors some
facts that may assist others in forming coelusons for
themselves. ! win premise, however, that have no
personal interest in the matter being neithGa planter
SPECTATOR manufacturer, but mee 'looker on
in viennan
The press the South have generally represented that
the crop Of the present year will fall short f 100000
bales some express the opinion that will not exceed
100000 Ny own impression is that IL win mot fall
short Of 100000 salea This impression has been
made by what have myself Of the GRIP In South
ern Georgia, East and Middle Florida ant by reports
received from reliable OF the crop other Sec
lions Of the country; but will procees to notice,
seratim some Of the data upon which thos who make
the lowest estimate Of the growing crop bag their
clusions.--
I Fst-The general complaint made throug the papers
Of short crops, Of drought excessive rains bolworms
caterpillars &c. Can any remember h year when
such complaints were not made during theummer and
early autumn ? once was young but nowam old, yet
can not remember the time when il epr admitted,
through the Southern press that there void be full
crop made. Generally some cause wouldbs assigned
why the mgnt ne expected 10 1e SnOb tnirO,
one-half or more. These represenationssre made 70
keep up the prce OF cotton. The product haSnvaraby,
believe, exceeded the calculations made during the
growing and gathering seasons ga
Sscond-The ammunition In the area cultivated and in
the force employed in the cultivation Of cotton. II is
trne very largo proportion Of every large plantation has
been left this year to grow up waste OF weeds 10
also true that the force employed has Deengreatly d.
minished There has been perfect rush the freed
men land the women too) to the towns aid villages
Many Of these find profitable employment ant doing
WELL bat very many more loaf about being tor lazy and
any one else This latter class however beg reduced
every month by disease and conviction OF Offences In
courts Of justice, which subjects them TO imprisonment
The offences for which they thus sentenced to
fpement are often committed against persons Of their
own color AS an Offset to the reason last assned for
short crop, viii state a few inconroyertibe facts:-L
The decrease in tho cultivated allows tho planter TO
select the best lands for his cotton. Frequently new
land, and land hitherto planted only In com, is now
planted for The first tmo in cotton, and cotton always
docs best on such lands The proportion Of cotton
planted to tho hand this YEARS. much Than usual
Many or poor backwood5 people, who never cnlt-
waited cotton before, have small fields in which Is
cultivated; and in nearly all country towns and vii
lagos the rich lots hitherto cultivated 'truck
patches" arc now put In cotton and the cotton Isl OF
course, doing we'll.
ThirdA third reason assigned for short crop is the
ideness OF the hands IL Is the unnecessary inter
ference, in many parts, OF The military and the Freed
mems Bureau during the sst part of tho year. operated
very much TO the prejudice OF the planting interest in
the South, and encouraged the freedmen Though NOT
intended to do so) to disregard tho Instructions and
authority Of tneir employers and TO be remss in the
discharge OF their duties; but in sections remote from
military encampments they have done well; and in
other parts, since tho withdrawal Of the military,
they hGve done much better than vas anticipated.
Largo fields OF cotton and corn have been given
up TO the grass and tho reason assigned for IL has
generally been "the freedmen would not work. =
In very many instances the truo reason
has been tho planter was too evarcious; no planted
too much to tho hand repeat. general thing the
freedmen have done much better than expected.
This admission Is frequently made by those who com
plain loudly Of tho dloneas OF their hands. Some few
have tried white laborcrs and found them fully ndo
ent and as dishonest tho blacks They all require
watching.
IN conclusion allow to caution speculators against
drawing basty conclusions from comparison Of The re
cepts OF cotton during tho ensuing fall and wintol
months with the receipts during tho same months in
former years Their want OF funds will compel mos
Of small planters to hurry forward their crops into
markst; hut many Of our large planters and wealthy
Spectators will hold back thor cotton until the spring
summer under the belief that the shorness OF the
crop this year will great increase in the prics
after manufacturers convinced Of tho fact that this
crop is short spent night not long since with
aplantor who calculates making thirty bales OF
island and seventy Of upland cotton. He informed me
that be did not intend 70 sell bale OF his cotton before
spring.
Tho facts stated above may be relied on as correct
leave tho reader 70 doduco from them his own con-
customs