The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-26
THE COTTON CROP.
Its Culture aud Probable Amount.

The following letter from Mobile, which was
addressed to, and which is taken from, the
New York Journal Of Commerce, contains
statements in reference to the present diff
culties in the way OF cotton raising in the
South, which are strictly true, and which
promise to limit it's growth for many years to
come: ,oeo
We observe your article OF the 8.h on the
cotton crop now growing. Believing your de,
sire is to impart only correct Information ano
conclusions. we propose to state come facts on
the subject. ,
In our opinion, founded on personal observa-
tiops and knowledge Of the facts, the cultlva-
tor Of cotton ia better prepared to make crop
than last year in one particular oniy-a e. ID
the better force OF his team and lmpiem ents'
and in proportion to his means to purchase
those articles. You will observe that all the
eastern portion Of this cotton region falls Oh
largely in receipts as compared to last year.
Only the hesher lands Of the West have made
tie increase. 10 all the country which mas
been long 10 cultivation, the lands are washed,
worn aad deteriorated in value, AND require
more work and more teams than heretofore.
In these sections the farmers nave no great
increase of means to buy teams, tools or ba-
con. As bacon cannot now be raised IN any
county densely populated by negroes, large
amount of short crop goes for meat, now
very high. Such is the condition Of much Of
the larger tract ofcountry now planted in cot
ton cultivated by negroes. They object to
work In the sheavy, wet and muddy lands,
which are the most productive. Many OF the
freedmen who have become able to do 90 de-
cline to be employed BY white men. or fail 10
make cotton at ali until they spend what they
have made; and will only 20 to work SO driven
by necessity. With them sufficient for the
dsy is the evil thereof. The women, who we're
the best cotton plckers, will not engage as
hands, except to limited extent and at short
intervals.
The Young negroes will not do to rely on ex-
eept when they have fathers who compel them
to work. The humber Of old and trained labor
ers from various causes, natural and otherwise,
is clearly becoming less and less efficient slso,
90 the pumber Of acree and the product TO the
acre is also less. The breadth OF land oultiyst-
ed in cotton is in our opinion not increased as
tlops. Much Of the best cotton land now lies
The past winter aud spring we're decidedly
the worst for the preparation and planting
ever experienced. The continued rains and
overfows required greatly more labor both Of
man aud h ast. Neither can do more tnan q
certain amount, and that is not likely to be
large in bad weather; the mule is driven by
the freedman, who is very careful not 10 ex-
bose his health IN the mud through bad wealth
or or by over exertion. The crop, even until
the last ten days, has been worked under most
unfavorable circumstances -is much OF it yet
IN the grass, very small, and, as general
thing, month behind tune. Time and hot
suD, With ram only enough TO causs the earth
% work easily. is absolutely essential Tor cot
A very favorable s,ate OF events, with dry
fall and o late frost, may enable rs to make an
average crop, but no more; the crop must open
hate in any case. Picking the cotton out OF the
s sa ad ene tine snsbe @as
planter 70 save moderate crop.
HsvInH been born and raised on cotton
farm, and engaged in its cultivation for thirty
years ca planters aud twenty "a factors. We
olsim to mow-what many without much ex-
perience write and theorszs ADJUDICATION sad
Its present or future prospects. We do not
besitate to make tho assertion, from, the facts
ve how;to be facts. and the lights before us,
that the crop Of 1869 will in no event exceed
two and half million bales, and very probe
bIy several hundred thousand less. =. .s.Ir.. r.
The crop OF 1863 is sold; xe are not now m.
terested In writlng the market uo. The peo-
Die OF the United States have permitted the
now have 10 pay for It. because they would
have it that the crop OF 1858 was larger one.
Men wholly ignorant Of the subject are again
announcing the crop Of this year obe a.iarre
one. 100.
We boldly make this prophecy: "The day for
crop of three million bales is gone by" The
present System. Of labor will never make and
pick from the field three million bales Of cot
ton. We shall bs wonderfully fortunate il we
average two and half million; but all the IN
dicatiops here are that the extent OF the crop
of the United States will gradually decrease.
Certainly, unless we obtain different class
and style of labor. -
JOIN A. WNsTEM 4 Co.,
a'J5T. Cotton Factors, Mobile, Ala.