Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-26

ity of planters are venturing heavily on
cotton" The prospects unless blighted
by recent storms) are that Georgia will
raise the largest wheat crop she has ever
grown, and cheering reports of the corn
crop come to us from all quarters. The
new system and scarcity Of labor, scar
city of provisions, scarcity of money,
bad cotton seed, imperfect implements,
have all conspired to make the planters
thoughtful and prudent for the future
and careful to look to the adequate sup
ply from cultivation of those prodnc-
lions which are essential to life. The
proposal cotton tax is certainly not en-
couraging. II will not stimulate produc-
ton, and we think very likely it will de-
feat the object for which it was designed
if carried into effect
A member of a reliable firm in Colum-
bus, Miss, writes: The rains and cold
weather continue, and we regard the
crops as seriously affected; there can
be no doubt or mistake upon this subject.
The stand is defective, and what there is
cannot do well, while much of it must
die. Thousands of acres are already
gone beyond redemption. If seed could
be had-which in many cases is out OF
the question: will be the middle of
May, or later, before it could be planted.
With the destruction of crops in the Mis-
sissippi bottom, and the great damage in
the Tombigbee Valley, the magnitude Of
the crops of 1866 must be large ly reduced.
1t is stated in the Livingston ala
Journal, that the extraordinary rains of
the last two weeks have done much
damage to the growing crops in that
section. Along the creeks much ground
that was planted has been overhowed,
and will only be made productive this
year by replanting-providing the
weather will admit of it. The young
cotton has suffered greatly, and under
the most favorable circumstances, the
injury will be material The scarcity of
good seed will prevent replanting in
many instances where it would otherwise
be resortedto.
The Columbus ga San understands
that labor is so scarce along the river
that large planters are offering at the
present time one-fourth of the coming
crop for field hands Almost every one
speaks gloomily Of the future. The I'M
willingness of negroes to have the women
work in the field reduces the number of
productive laborers fully one-third. In
times of emergency tasks cannot be
forced now, as formerly. This greatly
reduces the chances of extensive yields
of grain and cotton. But few have more
than two-thirds of a stand of cotton. Our
figures heretofore have been set for a cot |
ton crop this year of 100000 to l,5OO,-
900 bales. We now lower them TO S00,- |
900 to 100000. Many planters who
land for two hundred bales,
now inform us that on account of the In
ferior stand obtained, they will consider |
lucky if they make fifty bales.
The Lagrange (Ga. Reporter gives
the same melancholy story: 1t appears
that we were in error last week in our
statement that our planters had good |
stand of cotton. Since then we have |
heard considerable complaint that seed |
have not terminated well, and, in many |
cases where cotton has come up, died
after putting out two or three leaves
The Blanford Is. CO. Ne,o South sug-
gests to those who have been making
predictions of large yield of cotton to
revise them, and take off twenty-five per
cent for bad seed The planters in Mis-
sissippi, Alabama and Louisiana are in
despair. Their crops have died ont when
a couple of inches high.
For the past ten days, says the Xiv.
ngston (Ala. Messenger, we have had
an excess of rain-which, we fear, will
put crops awfully in the grass. The
corn and cotton, on all low lands, is
already suffering for want Of hot, sun
shiny weather.
The Taladega ALA Reporter says
he wheat crops in that section are very
and that the planters gener-
lily have good stands of cotton.
The Huntsville (Ala.) Independent
states that the cotton crop in that sec
ion is not yet all planted, but owing to
he wet weather the work on the planta-
ions is entirely stopped.