The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-28
|.eotton-They Prospect for the Coming

xVhIs
s Thesagricultural year, about closing, has
been remarkable for it's immense cotton pro-
duct, which will probably sum up about
4, l5e, 900 bales, and is the largest crop ever
grown, excepting that Of ls5s-6o, which was
4, 66s, ,770 bales. 1t also shows the largest
increase from year to year of any previous
growth, being an excess OF about l,ooo' 600
bales over the previous season, the total OF
which was 8, 154, s46 bales. This sudden in
crease has its parallel in two previous peri
DDS in the South; and in both cases after the
maximum was reached, large falling off
took place in the succeeding yield. These
instances were as follows: In lS46-47 the
growth was i, 77s, ,651; in 1s47-4s, 2,345 5634;
inlS4S- 40, 2,72s, 500, and declinedin l84s-5o
to 2,O96, 7O6 bales; in 1888 the growth
was 3,11s, s62; in 1s5s-59, 1851, 4sl; in
1s5s-60, 1868, TO bales, and declined in
ls6O-61 to 3,656,Os bales; iu. ls6S-69. the
growth was 2, 43s, OSs; in lS6s-7o, 3, l54, ,s46;
in 1901 about 4, 100000 bales, and pro-
badly the product Of ls7l-72 will not exceed
$3.50, 900. The heavy increase in the yield
of the past year caused great decline in the
prices, and while middling upiands (crop OF
1s6s-7O) were disposed:of in this market'at
i7l@33c. q H., the crop just marketed
was sold at l3s@20c. y TO-, making diff
ference so large as to prevent any chance OF
profit, and causing one of the most unsatis-
factory business periods ever experienced in
this section.
The Improbable result of the previous
planting season rendered it necessary that
the crop now growing should be produced at
the lowest possible figures, and to achieve
that result the greatest economy was prac-
ticed, and the consumption Of food and fer
tilizers reduced to the narrowest limits.
Corn and bacon were also obtained at more
reasonable rates, and with the very striking
improvement in the labor which is generally
reported, the present growth will be raised
at the lowest cost since the war. The
weather at an early period was marked by
heavy and continued rains, causing serious
damage, and, in some localities, partial
abandonment of the crop. This was par
ticularly the case over a large surface in the
most fertile portions ofth Southwest. The
more northern part Of the cotton region had
more propllious seasons and the plant pro-
gressed favorably. The prospect OF low
prices caused q more limited area to be
placed in cotton, the reduction amounting
over large part Of the South to about ten
to fifteen per cent, while there was much
increased area given to grain. There can he
but little doubt that, allowing for the smaller
surface and the long spell Of unfavorable and
damaging weather in the spring, les
sening in the yield as compared with the
season now closing, Of 100000 to 100000
bales, is highly probable, and that from
causes which have already produced their
effect Should the coming Fall prove bad
and an early frost take place, a further re-
duction would occur. Present appearances,
allowing for good weather in the Fall, indi-
cate yield of 3,35o,o 900 to $500, 600 bales,
an amount which should make prices rule
steadily at 1s@25c. y fb.
In South Carolina reports from nearly all
portions of the State give very gratifying in
formation OF the condition OF both cotton
and corn, and observers who have been over
thefeld say that the growing crops here
have o more rich and luxurlant appearance
than in any other section Of the cotton re-
gion, giving promise Of abundant returns for
the labors OF the husoandman. Should the
season continue propilious TO the end, there
can be no doubt that, exceps in few locali-
ties, our State will be blessed with oae ofthe
most prolific seasons ever before expert
encsd, promising an ample supply OF food
and fair cotton crop for export. With an
exchangeable agricultural growth OF some
(25, ooo, OOoj twenty-five millions in value of
cotton, rice, naval stores, &C., and an abun-
dance Of provisions, our city may expect
large and prosperous trade during the COM
ing winter.