The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-20
TUESDAY. MARCH 20, 1865.
CottOn-Its Culture and the Prospect Of
Future Crops.

COtton-Its Culture and the Prospect Of
Future Crops.
THE London Quarterly ReUielU in a recent
article on DR.. LIvIEesToEE's work on "Zam-
besi and its Tributaries" gives to the British
public the following paragraph
THE basin OF the Shire is characterized by series
of terraces tho first being below the AurchlSon
Falls, the second plateau two thousand, ana the
third three thousand feet in atBdej 1t must there-
fore possess considerable variety OF climate; but
cotton Is extensively cultivated ON all tho terraces
and the population was everywhere observed to be
engaged In picking, c.eaning, or spinning 1t. AS 1t
is doubtful whether the cotton CULTIVATION OF the
former slave States Of America will ever revive under
a system OF free labor, any addition to our know
ledge of the districts where material so essential
for maintaining manufacturing pre-emnenco
can be easily and eheaPly produced, becomes of the
highest importance"
The idea thus thrown out is being gravely
considered in England, and the main argu-
ments advanced in favor of official support
being given to the distinguished traveller
whose work is exciting so much attention, is
that by his explorations country can pro-
badly be secured from which the mills of Man
chester can be supplied with cotton, inde-
pendent of the United States. Such wish is
very dear to the British heart. To be free from
the bonds which bind her to America woHld
be the elimination of her prosperity. She
would sacrifice some her wealth; she would
pay little more for another product than
ours. She would do enything, so that it did
not affect her profits, to break from her
dependence on the United States. In her de-
sire to carry out this plan the world has
been raHsacked to discover cstton-felds. An
attempt was made in Egypt, but no Gotten
came. India was invaded, and the Sepoys
made to act as field hands; but the expense
OF freightage increased the price, and the
scheme was abandoned. A few small plantations
near Cape Town furnish a score of bales, but
taken as whole, the efforts to secure cotton
from other than the Southern States have been
most unmitigated failures. The Government
now designs to invade the mysteries Of the
Zambesi, and seek to Gull some cotton pods
from the terraces at Aurchison Falls. The
prospects of success in the new Quixotic en-
terprise are little darker than those of its
predecessors, and we may deem it decreed
that the busy looms of Britain will have to
continue, for many years yet, to come to our
shores to secure they supplies.
This fact makes it matter Of Importance for
us to understand what is the present appearance
of future crops. If the woEld is still to come
to us for supplies, it is question of vital in
terest to know whether we will be able to
meet the demand. In view Of the Importance
Diminishing the supply, it may be we'll for us
to examine the prospect as given by an intel
ligent and well-travelled Southerner. In the
last number Of De Bolv's ReujelD is an able
article on the cultivation of cotton, which, as
the need of capital is the great clog which
retards Southern progress, and as capital
must come from the North, we will freely
quote from.
DE Bow gives us what is most needed
facts, not theories. To such of our readers
as have money to invest, we would repeat the
data OF cost. In 1859, the expense of raising
$50 bales, at bales to a negro, was $5725
The value of that crop, at cents pound was
$1,000. The profits, therefore, on the invest
ment were less than $500, which, when
we think of the risk and the outlay, is q
much less remunsratiVe business than almost
any stock investment. Hence, all fears of
successful competition from any new planta-
tions OF Great Britain may be abandoned, as
with us labor is cheaper, transportation
lower, and the fabric finer than any which
England could secure. Although cotton is
now worth ten times its value then, yet any
competition would cause it to fall to such an
extent that the enterprise of Great Britain,
based on the present exorbitant rates, would
be failure. It's very success would be It's
destruction. Like the cereus, 1t would expire
bearing its flower. Therefore there need be
no hesitation for fear Of a depreciation oI
price because of foreign competition.
The items of expense necessary to stock SOC
acres of good land are given by DE- Bow from
personal experience
35 mules harness, and plouOhs ....,,..,....$ $685.
Oxen carts, house, and farming utensils. .... 93l
Cotton seed, first year. SOC
Corn, cows and. cattle tle......,,.......,..,.. l05C
s6lOj
So much for stocking the farm. The cur
rent expenses during the year, which are
necessary, are also given:-
Rent for 800 acres, D Observation-Disclosures 5000
81 labOTers hire 39Ol
ClOthng food, ana medicine. ....,,.,,...,,,. 347i
Manager and bOok.keeper ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 120t
SI2,6H
The total expense, then, for the first year
would am cunt, on fair average, to $4,000
or at the rate of $3S per acre.