New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-16
WASHINGTON.

Secretary Boutwell, to Leave-Cabinet
Meeting TO-day-Recess of Southern
Claims COmmissiOn-Cott0n Crop of
1S11-R educed Acreage-Crop Esti.
mated at 3,5OO,OOO Bales-ArrivaI
from Tehuantepec-Sixty of Hundred
Men Sent to the Hospital with Chills
and Fever-Appeai Of Central Railroad
Tax Case Denied.
WASHINGTON, June 15.-Secretary Bout
we'll leaves for a week. The Cabinet meetslat
noon tomorrow, and will be full except
Akerman and DelanO.
The Southern claims commissioners will.
shortly after the close of the present month,
take recess till fall. Their time till ad-
journment will be fully occupied by cases
already assigned, and they are now upon
applications from claimants and ATTORNEYS
allOting their time from adjournment till
their report to Congress in December next.
The Department of Agriculture has re-
ceived returns from nearly 300 counties
representing the most productive districts
of each of the cotton States and showing
the comparative average and the condition
of the crop in the first week of june.
A dimiHutiOn in the area planted in cot
ton appears in every State except Florida.
The most careful analysis of the returns
with due regard in making averages to the
extent of the cotton production in the re-
spective counties, gives the following per
centage of reduction in comparison with
last year:
Virginia 30 per cent, North Carolina IA,
South Carolina I3, Georgia IL, Alabama l3,
Mississippi Is, Louisiana 8, Texas IA, Ar
kansas I6, Tennessee IL.
These State averages reduced to a gen.
eral average the assumed acreage of the re-
spective States being an element in the
calculation, will place the reduction of the
cotton of 1871, as compared with that of
1870, between fourteen and fifteen per cent,
equivalent to nearly million and third
of acres. This would leave between seven
and half and eight million of acres as the
present area in cotton.
The average yield has not in former
years exceeded $50 pounds per acre; that
for 1870 was more than 200 pounds. The
condition of the growing plant is below an
average in nearly every State. The spring
has been unusually wet and cold, retarding
the growth and causing many of the plants
to turn yellow and die, and Obstructlng the
cultivation to large extent. Replanting
has retilled the vacant spaces of imperfect
stands. The weather has recently been
more favorable, and it is not impossible that
an average condition may be attained by
the commencement of the packing season.
The condition of cotton in July, 1869, a
year favored with an abundant yield, was
only little better than the showing for
June of the present year, while the prospect
is slightly improving, but there is nothing
in it of decisive character. The per cent
age below an average condition is respect
lively as follows in the several States: North
Carolina ten per cent South Carolina eight,
Georgia eighteen, Alabama seventeen, Mis-
sissippi sixteen, Louisiana ten, Texas seven,
Arkansas seventeen, Tennessee ten. In
Florida the condition is three per cent
above an average. An official estimate of
the ultimate result SO early in the season
would be an absurdity. .tf
The influence of future rains, floods,
frosts and insect enemies can not be calcu-
lated upon in advance; but in view of the
extremely favorable circumstances affect
ing the crop of last year, there can not be
expected in the present year, upon re-
duced area, a crop exceeding 3,500,000 bales.
An early frost, or the prevalence of insects,
or very unpropitiOus season might, reduce
the yield to 100000 bales, and still fur
ther reduction is possible in the union or
severity of several of these causes of
failure.
The Kansas, from Tehuantepec, has ar
rived Sixty of her crew go to the hospital
with chills and fever. Her crew numbers
one hundred.
1t is understood in the Central railroad
tax case an appeal from the Revenue Com
missioner to the Secretary of the Treasury
was denied, because the road can appeal to
the courts. The amount involved is over a
million dollars.