The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-26
THE COTTON CROP OF 1871 md 1879
An Interesting Statement.

We are under obligations TO Messrs. Jonn
B. Laftte & Co., OF New Orleans, for copy Of
their Cotton Circular, dated October II. The
senior of the firm has just passed through q
large portion oil the cotton belt, which, with
his long experience in the trade and his usual
sound Judgment, should give the views ex-
pressed in the following extract special force
and value The Circular says:
The important question at the present mo-
ment Is the probable extent OF the cotton crop
now being gathered, and at no previous Pc
riod have We found 1t more dlmcult 10 lorm
satisfactory opinion.
We would remark that the appearance of
the crops along the route traversed by the
writer through the States OF North and South
Carolina, Georgia and Alabama fully confirms
the written and verbal statements we receive
from all quarters as to the unfavorab!e pros
pect for anything approaching an average
yield, and inclines US towards low estimate
of the probable out turn.
The stand is generally bad, and the plant
small and not we'll truited. In many cases
the cotton Is all open, and cannot be oenented
by a late and favorable autumn. In other
places there will be no top crop from tue
fact that the bolls are withering and dropping
of. From all we can learn, We are OF oplnlon
that the worms have not done serious injury
general result.
crops are on the northern border OF the cotton
belt. In North Carolina the crops look better
than further South, though infinitely less SO
than last season; OF this State we speak from
what we saw last year and this, and we think
TWENTY-FIVE per cent. q moderate estimate OIL
the falling off per acre. In South Carolina,
Georgia and Alabama, the crops with rare ex-
ceptions are forward but decidedly poor. The
general estimates of the yield per acre oy
planters, and merchants In the interior: vary
from fifty to seventy-fve per cent. OF last
years. From Tennessee the accounts are
more favorable than from any other State, still
we hear of much loss from shedding, ana tne
complaint is made that the bolls are opening
too rapidly. From the low lands IN Arkansas
the reports are favorable and point to good
average yield, whilst from the uplands the ao-
vices are very unfavorable.
From Mississippi and Texas the advices are
more untavorable than from any other States.
From the northern part of Mississippi the ad-
vices are less unlavorable, but, few estimate
the yield In those two States at more tnan TWO.
thirds OF a crop, and most persons esumate IL IL
at ope.half From Louisiana the advices are
nnfavorable. AID about the same as from Geor-
gia and Alabama.
With regard to the area planted In cotton
we have always been of the opinion that II
was fully ten per cent. less than last year, ana
we are satisfied that this falling of In area has
been greatly increased by large tracts pelng
abandoned to the grass In order to concentrate
the labor upon the fields promising the best
yield. We saw portions of many fields thus
abandoned that would not yield ten POUNDS
per acre.
favorable for maturing and gathering the
crop, but If we can rely upon the advices now
coming to hand, the crop has not oeen ma, ma
plant In 40 sickly o condition as to be past
recovery, and great disappointment is express
ed at the small Improvement resulting from
the late favorable weather.
Were we to give an estimate of the proba-
BILE out turn, based upon all the Information
we have been able to gather, ana oacSeu Uy :,
our personal observation, we do not place It
above three millions of bales. But whilst we
do not believe that that quantity Is now Ger
tainly assured, we cannot advise our frlenGs
to base their operations upon lower esumate
than $3.50, 900 bales. nor do we hesitate 10 e4-
press the opinion that 1t will not exceed lne
latter figure.
The receipts up to the present date, have
fallen considerably short of what we expected
they would have been. and have been curtall,
ed by the low stage of water In tie Mississippi
as well as In the tributaries. In August and
the early part of September. when our views
as to the probable extent of the crop were
quite as moderate as at present, we expressed
lhe opinion that the receipts in September
would not fall much short of last years, and
that for October they would be quite as large,
# not larger. Our opinion was that the re-
ceipts up to the lst November would show
little or no falling of from last year.
Efforts are now being made TO get tne
cotton to market by. using boats OF smaller
capacity and lighter draft, and we look for In
creased receipts at this port. A general rise IN
all the rivers would swell our receipts for two
or three weeks to unusually high figures.
What effect heavy increase in receipts would
have upon prices, we must leave to our trlends
to form their own opinion, simply remarking
that such Increase would not change our views
as to the probable extent of the crop.
With regard to the future course OF prices
we would say that In the absence of any un-
foreseen disturbing causes, we do not think
they will rule for any length Of time below the
pr-sent currency, whilst upon the other hand
we look for periods OF excitement, and have
little doubt ofseeing them ator above twelve
pence per pound for middiings In Liverpool
before the next crop can be made available.