The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-18
THE PLANTING OUTLOOK.
TRUSTWORTHY ACCOUNTS OF THE
GROWING COTTON AND CORN CROPS.

TRUSTWORTHT ACCOUNTS OF THE
GROWING COTTON AND CORN CROPS.
What Careful and Intelligent Planters
Think on the Subject.
The following letters have been addressed
to US by we'll known planters and merchants
in the interior in reply to a request that they
would give The NEWS all the information In
their possession upon the following points:
l. The area planted in cotton this year, as
compared with the area of 1870. =.
2. The. condition of the cotton crop at this
time.
3. The probable crop, as compared with last
year, If the season prove favorable. and also
the probable crop If the season prove unfa.
vorable.
compared, with that of preceding years.
S. The area and prospect OF the crop OF
breadstuffs.
Our correspondent, zozlmus, writes from
Blackville, under date of August 10, as follows:
In this section some fifteen to twenty per
cent. less land Is planted In cotton than there
was last year.
About one-third the quantity of fertilizers is
used.
Nearly all cotton ''got in the grass" during
the months of May and June, and, as natural
consequence, 1t run straight stalk" and
failed to fruit. The late drought, preceded by
10 yellow and shed its forms. The present
condition of the crop does not compare iavora-
bly, with that of last year at this time.
Even with such q "picking season" as we
had last year, the cotton crop In this section
could not exec ed two-thirds of last years
yield, and with unfavorable season the half
of last years crop will not be gathered.
The cost of making the crop, thus tar, is
something less than last, but until 1t has been
gathered no we'll grounded opinion can be
given.
twenty-five to thirty per cent. Increase in
area planted In grain-wheat, oats, rye, &c,
failed almost entirely; twenty to twenty-five
per cent. increase 10 yield of corn ovenlast
year.
Liverpool and Manchester regulate the cot
ton markets of the world. Your factor does
not feel disposed to sell In the morning until
he receives his Liverpool telegram. And Llv-
erpoOl will tell you that your reports of the
crop are not to be credited-because Interest,"
ed motives have influenced them. And here
remember that she never heard the 6aleage
overrated on this side. However, think the
present crop will worry the ''bulls" and
"bears.n The planter owes less money this
year than last, and will be disposed, after sell.
Ing portion to pay bis dues, to hold the re-
malnder with peculiar tenaclty.
Our correspondent ]. W. Rice, Esq, writes
from Bamberg, under date of August 16 as fol-
lows:
The area Of cotton planted this year as COM
pared with the last will be about one-quar-
ter as much.
The condition OF the cotton crop at this
time Is unfavorable, owing to the drought OF
dry weather.
The cotton crop for this year will not proba-
bly, be over three and quarter millions OF
bales.
The cost of the present crop will be from q
fourth to third less. owing to the small
amount Of phosphates used.
The corn crop will be at least one.third
more than was made last year, the prospects
being generally good.
Anderson.
Our correspondent, W. 8. Sharpe, ESQ.,,
writes from Anderson Courthouse under date
of August 10 as follows:
The area planted In cotton, compared with
1870, Is fifteen per cent. less.
The condition OF the cotton crop at present
ls unfavorable, as we have been suffering from
want of rain from six to eight weeks. The
small bolls are dying on the stalk, and the
squares are dropping of rapidly. We have
had some rain In the last four days In some
sections Of our county.
will be twenty-five per cent. less than last sea-
son; If untavorable, fifty per cent. less.
The probable cost OF the crop compared with
the last five years, fifteen per cent. less.
The area Of the corn crop, compared with
last year, Is fifteen per cent more. The pros
pect Is, that the production will be twenty per
cent. less than last year.
The area In oats, compared with last year,
about the same. The production about fifty
per cent. less.
The area In wheat, compared with last year.
about twenty per cent. less. The production
hfty per cent iess
Our correspondent, s., writes from Pendle-
ton under date OF August 13, as follows:
From the 4th of June, after four or FIVE
days rain, with an excess before that, we had
not slower till the 18th OF July, and then not
thorough season. From that date to the 5lh
of August distressngly dry and hot. On that
day we had another light rain. The thermom.
eter the day before stood at o. degrees In an
east and west passage. al P. H., and Sc at 4,
but there was some reflection from the floor OF
west piazza at that time; 81 Is the highest
degree we have noticed at P. III. this season.
Our upland corn that was not In the shook be-
fore the dry weather set In, Is about as efectu-
ally cut eff as is, We hope, the carpet.bag, seal
awag, ragtag and bobtail party Of Charleston.
Cotton does not appear TO have suffered 80
much as corn; we cannot yet estimate the
damage, but we fear much shedding Of forms
and bolls after the ground becomes thorough
~ wet. Gardens that were not deeply prepar-
ed before planting are ''burnt up" as the say
ing Is. all early Irish potatoes have been
gathered. Sweet potatoes are progressing but
slowly. Very few turnip seed sown yet; time
enough for them, however. Sorghum stands
sk,, 1<k,t L4tf1
and oats crop turned out not better, or as good.
as we expected when we last wrote you; both
suffered greatly from rust. Many crops OF
wheat yielded not more than two to The bushel
of light grain to one of much better quality
sown. Some crops of oats not worth cutting.
Our county Is comparatively healthy.
Orangeburg.
Our correspondent at orangeburg Court
house writes as follows. under date of August
Is:
give the opinion of our agricultural So
ciety," with regard to the condition and pros
poets OF the crops.
The area OF land planted In cotton this year
Is about one-quarter less than that of 1870.
The present condition OF the crop is good
acreage, and the yield promises to be from
three-quarters to five-eghths that of last year.
The cost of making the present crop Is di-
minished one-eighth, when compared with last
year.
The area planted IL breadstuffs is one-tsird
greater than that 1870. It is a noticeable
feature that the freedmen are more In earnest