The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-03-20
Cotton Production.

production, In which after allu ding to the
explosion Of the popular deasion that
Cotton was king absolute, the following
sensible and practical remarks occur:
But while Cotton ia not king, it is now,
ana 10 destined TO remain, the g.es. est a.
ucle OF commerce among nations. las
vaue and importance generally naturally
creates an Interest in our people rs TO it's
present production and future prospects.
Reports from all quarters show a failure
OF the crop OF ths past year. Sufficient
data can be reached to determined ,ha,
the entire crop OF ls06 will amount to.
about 400 600 ba les. Of 500 pounds To-
the bale. This gives 10000. 900 pou nds
gross weight, and 672 100000. pounds
net weight, allowing four per cent, for tsrs,
| The entire crop would he worth, at cur
rent prices, orer t,oo hundred and t,senfy
eight millions in the New York market.
The Government will reap over twenty
millions Of revenue fromit. These figures
do not compate very fsvorably with those
OF 1859 The crop fos that year summed
up $685. 354 bales Of 400 pounds EACH;
or 4,26s 2e8 bales, Of 300. pounds each
But it must be remembered That the pre-
sent high price viii GO TO make up much
OF the difference in the mouey value OF
|.the two crops, :he increased cos, of pro
duction 10 the contrary notwithstanding.
! 1t has been sa;d that the day is past for
american Cotton. Nevor was there a
more erroneous assertion. 1t is undoubt
sdly true that England, taught a severe
lesson by the late war, has sought bv all
the means in her power to produce all
Cotton needed by her within the lini,s of
her'own possessions, or, ~ least, to throw
off some Of her yoke Of dependence upon
this country in this respect. II WAS well
known, long before The war, that she WAS
making extensive experiments in the East,
and her efforts were naturally redoubled
on the outbreak # the rebellion.
But the South need fear no successful
rival in the production OF her great staple,
| II she hestows upon it's cultivation the
proper degre- ofindusiry and enterprise.
No other country known can produce the
article with so little care aud lahor-
Indeed. all crops car be produced there
! with less labo- than in any other section;
and no crops, anywhere. return more pro
Fl, than those which are peculiar to tha,
prolific region, which embraces both
temperate and tropical zones. almost every
variety OF climate, and every kind of soil !
II has been as>e'te1 that the Egyptian
Cotton is destined 10 successfully compe,
with the American growth in the Liver 4
poel market but all who know anything
Of Cotton cultivation in the various pre-.
scot producing localities in the world,
know That this can. never hs so until the
Snu'h loses a-r overwhelming sdvan,ag-.
| Of climate and soIl. But we design yiy
ing special treatment on the subject Of
Egyptian Cotton at some other day, when
we propose laying before our readers some
facts relative thereto that cannot hut Prove
to be Interesting. and perhaps bers6cisi.
The South cannot afford to lie idle
she has otganzed rivalry to meet now,
Possessing the Government protection and
aid Of other countries. The f.nvth of the
war gave her competitors time tn strength
en- and establish themsrlvas She has NJ
time TO wast.-she mnst be up and doing;
and the most 'mpor,an. york. she ha. be-
tore her, IN this connection--one requr.
ing all her energy, experience and psrss
versncs is the proufp, establishment, 6f
some system Of labor that will satisfacto.
rilY replace her late one.
The crop Of 1860 il considered by
Southern men to. he no, moro than - third
of ths production expected. The failure
OF the yield ia attributable to tho worm,
,bo -aa,bar 81 4
duration, >nd the severe cold in variou.
localities, all Of them unavoidable and
natural causes. II ia an error TO suppose,
as some do, tnat the decrease resulted en-
arely from the effects OF the war. Some
planters. becoming discouraged. have AL.
ready declared their intention not To ,ua TX a
an effort next year,to raise a large crop.
one eqaaIing the average before the war;
bnt We think they will change their
minds by the time the next planting sea
son cones around The staple |. wanted
At homo and abroad, and. commanding
the high price it mus, bring for so,ns time
to come. it offers more prof. than any
thing else they can raise. ..
Tho acknowledgement that the Soutb
need fear co success. lul rival in the pro.
duc'ion OF her great staple. as no o;her
country can produce the article Of so fine
a description with so little care and Labor,
may perhaps be taken as sign Of ihe
awaksniog Of the North to the impoY.
tance TO themselves OF encouraging the
prosperity OF the South. II IA we'll known
also that ws cannot afford to be idle -
idle We are not and idle we have not
been ! No system Of labor can be as,ab-
'ished foE Cotton cultivation that will
equal thas Of the negro in a state OF ser
vitude; but II The Press Is siLcere in IT'S
expressions it can he Instrumental in car.
rying out its desires hy ,aising its voice
BIC favor OF the restoration Of peace and