Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-26
KING COTTON.

Inc total culture of American cotton from
the planting of 1S65 is estimated by Mr.
Nourse. in his lately published report on the
cotton culture OF the United States, at $500 coo
bales while the inducements to large planting
the present year are greater than heretofore,
and will only be limited by the still insuffici.
ent and unsatisfactory condition of labor upon
which the planters are forced to depend. I'm.
thrifty and ill.regulated as 1t is, according TO
all our notions of what intelligent Industry
Should be, IL has produced results which can
not Be lightly overlooked. With all these
Disadvantages, with more than one-half of the
cleared lands LEFT uncultivated, the crops of
1858 9 have returned profit Of probably two
hundred and fifty million dollars, surprising
even that from the great crop of 1859. There is
no doubt that the most Of this will go toward
the construction Of steamboats, and railroads,
canals and MANUFACTURES, to the building
OF towns and cities, to investments in
State and other securities, for the levees
and roads, bridges and other public
works, to improvements ON farms and
plantations, to the establishment OF new
houses OF business in the important centres; all
of winch, by contributing to the solid comforts
OF the community, and by perfecting the chan
nels Of trade and industry in the South, will
encourage wholesome growth of population
increase the value of lands and the returns of
labor, and in word place once more within
reach OF that portion Of the country q substan-
tiai and enduring prosperity. Besides, we
have hopeful signs that the system of free
NOR which has been steadily i'm pro wing since
'ne NJ. experiments, will bscoms vastly more
enChen' IN 90 near future. L. any are disposed
10 doubt IL let them reflect on NE facts that IN
spite OF the mcalculabls waste of .ne war ana
inc depressing adversely which folIo-rsd IL tha
oleaxng W OF plantation labor for while,
social and political disturbances, inslsment
seasons and oppressive taxes, the cotton -u,o
ducirg region on this continent began at one.
10 rseover-and that so early as the third SEA-.
son or the free labor experiment, under all the
Disadvantages II was exposed 70, il became
generally successful IN its operation and Its
results.
The accounts from the growing crops re
ceiyed Al the Agricultural Department are of a
very favorable character While all the cotton
States except Georgia and Florida reported the
condition of the cotton crop in July as consid.
eraoly below the average Of the crop of 1865 at
corresponding date, nearly all now report an
improvement upon those estimates, and sew.
erai OF the more important cotton regions
report the condition as better than IN Augus,
OF last year, the weather having been generally
propitious, and the injury by the worm COM
ParanyeIy inconsiderable. Mississippi, the
largest producer Of this staple with an increase
OF Ten per cent in acreage, reports the con.
dltlon fully mp to that OF last season at that
date Georgia. condition equal TO last year.
Win nfteen per cent. increase in acreage:
Louisiana, ten per cent. better in condition
and fifteen per cent. increase In acreage: Arkau.
sas and Texas report condition above average
with twenty per cent. increase OF acreage i'm
the former, and thirty per cent. in the latter
State; and Florida, condition above average,
with twenty-five per cent. increase in acreage
On the other hand, North Carolina reports the
condition five TO ten per cent. below last year,
though the increase of acreage ten per cent.
balances the loss. Tennessee alone reports
decreased acreage, and also reports condition
ten per cent below last year. Alabama with
eight per cent. increase In acreage, places the
condition of the crop ten per cent. below that
OF last year. South Carolina makes the worst
showing, reporting the condition twenty-five
Per cent. below the crop of last year, bu, with
an increase Of seven to ten per cent in acre
age. In view Of the uncertainties OF the
weather, and the danger of damage by insects
10 which the crop is SUBJECT. IL is yet too early
70 estimate the production CT the year with
any degree OF certainty; but il Is reasonable to
anticipate, with an average increase of acreage
equal 70 fifteen per cent, yield fully up TO
the figures OF 1o6s, which reached 2,5OO,OO1
bales. and there is nothing in the present pros
Pect TO discourage the present expectation OF
a considerable increase, which can alone be
prevented BY some signal disaster from weather
or destructive insects.