The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-06-21
The cotton crop of 1866.

A planter writing from jackson, Mlsslsslp-
nj. to the Clarion and Standard, makes the
f,llowipg' calculations, and estimates OF the
cotton crop of 1866. He takes as basis the
average crop of 1000, 900 bales previous TO
the war, and says, if 900, 900 bales were pre-
oduced in 31S working days, how many VIII
he produced in 121 days, provided the negroes
work as well as they did before the war. Inc
result of this inquiry will be the production
q 3935. 463 bales But, II the negroes per-
form oniv two-thirds the amount of labor,
then reduction, in the crop, of one-thlrd is
70 he made. which gives 2,223,6 42 bales, adj
hitting the number of lahorers to be the same
a. hofnresthe war. He states it as his opin-
ion that the Cotton Growing Association VIII
ba obla in a short time to furnish such rella-
hlo Information. as will establish the fact be-
vo,,d doubt, that there is not more than one
half the number of negroes this year employ
"a in the cotton culture, thai were SO engaged
in 1860 He then deducts one-half from the
last figures given above, which reduces the
cotton crop of this year to I'LL, o2l bales'
This calculation also supposes the season 10
he q favorable one, because it required fav-
or.ble season to produce the average crop OF
400 900 before the war. The accounts,
however swhich we have received, indicate
tha+ tha season will not be favorable, for they
sIInde T., the heavy rains which have pre-
va;led and the overfowings of the planta
tons n,s several rivers South, besides the de-
fact IN the seed which have been planted, to-
Gather with the fact of the late planting.
Owing to these adverse CAUSES, further de-
auction Of one-third in the production is
made. which reduces the estimated crop of
Is66 to 744,2l4 bales as fair calculation
Of the anticipated crop.
He also gives a calculation, based on the
number If acres in cultivation, in 1850. These
we're 5000 1000 of acres, which produced
1000 900 bales The number of acres, in cul-
tiyation in 1866, he states at 2,666,ec pre-
du,ing, in proportion, l,333,Sa3 bales, from
which is to be deducted one third for casual
ties which may be reasonably calculated on.
This will make the estimated crop of 1866,
s88 $3.50 bales. This is the smallest calcula
ton we have seen of the probable yield of
the present growing crop-and would be
only comparatively small amount over the
number of bales required by the manufacto-
ries of the United States, which cotenlpo-
rary estimates at $50 900 bales year-about
one half of his maximum estimate Of the
crop of 1856 which he states will be from
1900 900 to 100000 bales Assuming that
the tax of five cents per pound will be levied;
that i'll all probability the accumulated stock
aud the cotton of India, Egypt, and Brazil,
on hand and now growing, will be sufficient
for the consumption of Great Britain, during
this and the next year; that the Northern fac
tories will only want hall of our crop; he asks
what prospect there is, that our cotton will
command price that will leave the planter
any profits to invest after paying the expen-
ses of the plantation Upon this gloomy
view, he urges change in our industrial
economy, and strongly advocates legislative
aid in the erection and establishment of cot
ton factories at the So tn, and characteristics
such measure as giving the people straw
wherewth to make brick By the introduc-
ton of such system, he is of opinion that
every class and occupation among us would
lie greatly benefited, and our cotton-growing
and cotton manufacturing region would again
increase and prosper, and make still greater
strides in wealth, prosperity, and power.