The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-20
THE BOMBAY COTTON CROP.

We have received a copy of the official report
made to the British Government, by Mr. G. F.
Forbes, Cotton Commissioner, containing re-
ports of the different government collectors, in
regard to the cotton crop OF Bombay Presi-
dency, for the year 1853 So. The report is
dated Bombay, February 16, 1869, and the cot.
ton commissioner makes the following sum.
mary of the reports made to him
The object of publishing this return is to
supply the trade with as near an estimate as
possible OF the probable yield OF the current
seasons crop.
The remarks of the collectors regarding
almost the whole OF the districts will show how
unfayorable the season has generally been.
In the preceding return published in Decem-
Der last, fnoticed the very encouraging reports
then reaching me with respect to the cotton
crop in the Dharwar districts. At that time,
it cave promise Of being an abundant one and
Of superior quality. But since then it has suf-
fered severely from cause, which is also
purely climatic, viz tae unreasonable preva-
Ience of dry and scorching easterly wind. L
have before now had occasion 70 notice and re-
port upon partial failures of the cotton crop
from this cause, but in this instance it appears
to have been general, and to have prevaile1
over the whole district. Its sudden and inju-
rious effect upon the strongest cotton plants is
more than can be accounted Tor by mere want
Of moisture, or the dryness OF the wind ; it
would appear as if it carried with it somo other
blighting influence. 1t is worthy of notice that
the acclmated American cotton is reported as
suffering less, and resisting the influence OF
the blight be tier, than the indigenous cotton
of the country, which shows how firmly and
favorably the American plant has taken to the
soil and climate OF those districts.
The prospects OF the eut-turn from Goozerat
atpl,n los
was published. More especially as regards the
cole ectorates of Surat aud Broach, each Of
which will, belle e, be found to yield nearly an
average crop. 1 observed that the cotton crop
along the line traversed by the railway was not
equal to the general average elsewhere, and
this may have caused unfavorable anticipa-
tions. In many parts Of the interior 1 saw as
fine fields OF cotton as could possibly be desir
ed and it was singular that this was he case
in some localities whero the wheat and jowaree
crops had failed almost to famine standard.
The general tenor of the '' remarks by the
collectors" would lead to the conclusion that
the crop this season will not be more than half
an average one, but from what have myself
seen, and from carefully considering all the
information obtained from other sources, am
inclined to take q more favorable view OF the
question, and to estimate the deficiency O. not
more than twenty-five per cent. as contrasted
with the crop OF last season, the out-turn OF
which amounted to about twelve hundred and
fifty thousand bales for export.
?. S.-Since forwarding tho above to the
press, further report on the Dharwar crop has
just reached me. 1t dates up to the 18th inst.
A favorable change in tho weather was reviv-
ing the plants. The estimate OF loss of guam
tity in the American variety is given ut twenty
per cent. less crop than the plants promised
month ago. But the quality OF the staple IS
also very materially Affected. as the "blight :"
caught The plauts just at the time that the fibre
was maturing in the bols; this Litter is looked
upon as the worst evil OF the two.
The native plant has suffered moro severely;
the estimated loss is here given at fifty per
cent, but notwithstanding the above, owing to
the increase in cultivation the whole crop of
these districts will be considerably in excess of
that obtained from them last year.
This report may be taken as thoroughly reli-
able, it being founded on official information
and published by order of The government.