The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-10-17
From the Charleston Mercury.
COTTON CROP AND COTTON MAN
KIT

KET.
The two clements which constitute
the basis of reasonable probability as
to the Cotton crop and state of the
market are-1st. The probable yield
of 1Se7-6S. Cd. The prospective
supply and consumption. Our read
ers are aware that the present year
forms an exception to almost every
previous year, in the small quantity
of Cotton remaining in the interior
towns, at the commencement of the
present Cotton year on the first of
September. The accumulation of pre-
vious years will constitute no portion
scarcely of the supply of 1S67-6S;
There arc two considerations that
present themselves at the outset ofthe
question of future supply. 1. The area
Of land planted with Cotton. 2. The
quantity oflabor available for the Cot
ton culture. On the first of these qucs-
tions our information is necessarily
imperfect and conjectural. From tho
most reliable data it estimated that
smaller quantity of land has been
planted in Cotton than for many years
past. As regards the quantity OF Ia
bour available for the cnlture OF Cot
ton our conclusions are, perhaps, not
so wide of the truth. IF we suppose
that one-ffth of the working force,
devoted before the war to the raising
of Cotton, has been applied, say
100000 hands, We shall reach a con-
clusion not very different from the
actual result, about 100000 bales
in 1866-67. This estimate wouldal-
low an average of four bales to the
hand. Fut Keeping in view the fact
that on the 1st of September, 1866,
besides the reported stock of 242,O00
bales at all the ports, there were
still 35O,O0O bales in the interior, Of
whose existence nobody seemed to be
aware, the actual crop Of loGG-67
would have given an average OF only
three bales to tie hand.
It must not be forgotten that there
was much white labour engaged in the
cultivation of Cotton during the past
wear. Ofone fact we may be assured,
that it was far more effective than
black labour. AS we have assumed
that there were 100000 negro work
crs. it wosld be reasonable to sup
Dose that one-ffscenth Or $4,000 were
white, and added to the crop from
100000 to 100000 bales. If VIC
eve- estimate the loss from the cater
pillar and heavy rains at ten per
cent, We might fairly compute the
crop of 1867-68 at 100000 bales.
PROBABLE SUPPLY AND CONSUMPTION.
We will now estimate on probable
data the supply and consumption, OF
1867-68.
Bales.
-D' ''''A ''' - 100000
Stock in Havre August % 9o,2OO
Afloat for Great Britain August 4io,oOo
1856, 200
Estimated weekly consumption in
Great Britain from August ~ to
January l, 1868 'oe'ooo
5o1, 200
Limiting ourselves principal to the
seat of consumption, Great Britain,
we thus find the supply in excess Of
the consumption nearly 100000
bales.
AS regards the consumption there
are yet several circumstances-some
of a temporary and others of per-
manent character-by which it may
be controlled. Among the first is
the state of the money market. l.
The present plethora of money is fa-
vourable to the speculative operations
in Cotton. 2. The state of the har-
vest in England and on the continent,
which affect the Cotton market unfa-
vourably. There is prospect OF an
increased demand for breadstuffs which
necessitates the export Of gold, at
tended by the arrangement OF imam
cial affairs. 8. The circumstance
that is most probable, to exert the
most unfavourable influence on the
demand for and consumption OF Cot-
ton, is the excessive productions OF
manufactures. The large investments
in mills in England, is producing at
present, what is called glut in tex
tile fabrics, so as to render such in
Yestments unremuneratlvc.
These remarks are almost exclu-
sively applicable to Upland Cotton ;
of which there is some chance ofmain-
tanning an equilibrium between the
sr,,,,1u ond consumntion. AS relates