The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-27
I The Cotton Crotss .sxshS Ma lrsa Il.

4 - NcsA IVY ~ 1tes t-At4 tkHe ~
The cotton crop, groMH oFet so widely
iextended an area of co1nEsy and passing
in rs process from seed 10 shipment
lthreugh SO many hands, has yet been
reduced to figures so exact that few arti-
cles of commerce can be statistically
considered with equal precision. The
immense advantage OF the tabular state
luent in respect of cotton lies, Of course,
in its enabling us to make copjectural
estimates of the future growth of the
plant likely to fall not far short of the
truth. In this connection, the following
facts from the New York Post will be
found pertinent:
The American cotton crop of last year
has been ascertained as 2,43O, S93 bales.
The average of weight is 400 pounds to
the bale, which gives an aggregate of
972, 1857, 200 pounds, worth in currency
about $3.50, 900, 900. For practical pur-
poses the bale may be set down at the
value of 800.
Three acres, as rule. produce one
bale of cotton. The crop of 1868, upon
this average, required the cultivation of
1892, ,679 acres. The land devoted to
cotton before the war was taken to re-
present q money value of 1921, ,7O7, $50;
but, by reason Of the disorganization in
cident to the war, this value has fallen
to $72. .926, 100. The area of the States
growing cotton, exclusive of Kentucky,
Missouri and Virginia-in portions of
which the plant may be successfully cul-
tiyated-is 426, $50, ,44O acres. This area
may be fairly taken as the possible cot
ton field of the future, setting off the
portions of the tton-growing States
proper which cannot be employed for
cotton production against the Kentucky,
Missouri and Virginia lands which may
be so employed. The United States
then have capacity Of cotton produc-
ton of 142, 121.S13 bales, which at exist
ing prices in currency would be worth
S14, 212, GOO, O0O-a sum which staggers
the Imagination.
The crop of last year occupied only
about one fifty ninth part of this vast
area, and brought only about the same
proportion of the sum just mentioned.
Practically, then, it may be said that
there is no limit to the quantity of cot
ton that may be raised by combination
of effort on the part of those i'm ediate-
ly interested.
The fall in price OF our staples since
the war has greatly crippled the cotton
planting interests of India and Egypt.
The largest yield in India was that of
1866, when it reached 1,S40, ,64S bales.
This was brought down in 1868 to 1, 42O,-
576 bales. Egypt produced, in 1865,
4O4, All bales; i'll 1868, 1913, 035, or not
enough to disturb calculation of pro-
bable results hereafter. Both these
countries paid the penalty of q too ex-
elusive devotion of their lands to cotton,
under the stimulus of our war, in famine,
which carried off nearly million OF hu-
man beings. In Smyrna, and other por-
tions of the LcTant, where, in 1864, the
fig crop was sacrificed to the growth Of
cotton, the culture has been almost en-
tirely abandoned.
We see, then, that the United States
is likely to remain the chief cotton-grow-
er Of the world; and We see, also, that its
capacity for increased production de-
pends almost wholly upon the increased
supply of labor. The importance of en-
couraging emigration becomes magnified
in this view to the greatest extent.
-->S
Bob TYLER's ATTEMPT TO HEAD Orr
THE CARPET-BAGGERs.- Tyler, of
Alabama, formerly of Virginia, and son
of the late venerable ex-President, at
tempts to head off the carpet -baggers by
getting up a sort of rotten borough ar
rangement by which prominent persons
in the North friendly to the South can
be sent to Congress AS representatives
from Southern districts. Although we
have had in this city instances of the
successful operation of this rotten
borough system in the election of non
residents to Congress, we hardly think
it advisable for the South to attempt it
at this time. Even if the plan should
succeed, and Northern men with South
ern sentiments be sent to Washington as
representatives of the South, what as
surance is there that the radical majority
would permit their admission to either
House? On the whole, we believe it to
be unwise for the South to try tho expo
riment-at any rate at this juncture. In
o year or two, she may be in condition