The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-24
THE PROSPECT FOR COTTON
Blue News from the West.

From the Memphis Avalanche, May Ill
Crop advices, per mails OF yesterday and to-
day, are the most discouraglng yet received,
and point 10 reduced estimates. OF cotton pro-
duction This season. and perhaps higher
prices. In sections of Tennessee, Mississippi
and Arkansas, the crop Is In wretched plight,
on account Of the late cold rains, and 10
great many cases is being ploughed up, While,
to make matters worse, planters are out os
late to effect anything through replantiDg.
The following letter to one OF our prominent
cotton houses is from one oil the most success
ful and practical planters on the Arkansas
River, and may be relied upon as giving cor
rect statement of the situation IN tnat lmpor-
tant section 49, 80 ,o,,
ss.Nessrs Nelson G Titus:
"GENrLEMEN- have just received my ac-
count to date, but have not taken time to eX-
anime Il yet, for am SO badly bothered about
the prospect of q crop. The cotton that Is up
is ali dying In the field, and the worst vi 1t is
that the farmers have not the seed 10 plant
again, so that the most of them Will be compel
led to plant their entire crop IN corn. l nave
seed enough TO plant my crop again, put 40
not know Of any one else as well fixed IN that
respect. I have been over the river to-day
looking az the cotton. The stand is gone: |
went over Mr.. Stewards crop and Scull &
Landlords crop. They will be compelled to
plant again, and neither have seed. don't
think they will be able to get seed at any price.
am very sorry for Scull i Lankford, for they
had good prospect few days ago lor Dig
crop. r,.
II hardly know what to say about selling my
cotton. Tor think with the present prospect
IL Will be compelled to advance in short time
If Won can conveniently hold on for while
longer before selling my cotton, would esteem
it a great iaVor ,c.u..
sSAM REEDER."
The writer of the foregoing made 900 bales
last season, and has made money, or come ont
at least even on every crop since the war. we
state this rs bearing upon his practical knoWi-
edpe of planting, and also to show that he has
no fears as regards advances in giving true
statement of affairs. He is also anything but
sensational, and we may call attention 10 the
apparent earnestness and truthfulness OF his
communication. Previous to the war he was
an oyerseer OF like character and expert
ence are the neighbors to whom he refers,
who had respectively 400 and 900 acres III cot
ion last season. Intelligence similar TO the
above reaches us to-day from farms on Tie oid
Raleigh road and other localities near this
CITY, as well as from places in several adjoin-
ing counties.
Concerning tine situation in Mississippi, we
print the following from the Pamela Star OF the
18th instant:
.'The heavy rains OF Monday night again
caused the creeks to overflow their banks and
to keep the rivers up ut their already high
water state The injury done to the cotton
crop by the rains aud the severe cold weather
of the last Two weeks is considerable. and We
hear general complaint among he farmers Of
the injury to their cotton crops. The cotton
is dying out very rapidly, and but poor stands
will be leit as IL is now too late 10 rep!ant cot
ion to secure good yield, and we have never
seen such poor prospect fOr cotton crop IN
ten wears, and with The almost certain pest OF
lice that usually follow cold spells, we can but
have O gloomy prospect Tor the production OF
ihe Stable this year. 1t Is IN admitted TACT
that there never has been two consecutive
years that there was large yields of cotton ln
the history OF cotton culture In the Soulh, ana
arguing upon This rule and the present pros
pect. we must conclude that very small yield
will be made this year. We heard one OLD
farmer say, O lew days since, that ne DeileVed
that The late rains and cold weather was sent
as a curse upon the people for so perslstently
attempting to raise large crops oi COTTON 10
The exclusion OF grain. Time will prove
whether the old gentleman was correct or not,
but we believe That some kind OF q curse
should be visited upon our people Tor their
rlinous system OF planting since the war, and
teach them o lesson that Lie bankruptcy OF
1S6I-'70 failed 10 do.'