The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-30
THE. SEA ISLAND CROPS.
THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE BIZ THE
DEOUGHT IND RECENT STORMS.
Trustworthy Statements from Eminent
and Experienced Planters.
One of the most skilful and successful of
the sea island planters, Mr.. j. Jenkins Mikell,
writes to The NEWS as follows:
EDISTO island, August l8,

4
writes to The NEWS as follows:
EDIsT0 ISLAND, August 18.
A social gathering around the hospltable
| board Of one of our most experienced and sue
cessful citizens, brought together from this
and neighborlng islands several Intelligent
planters, from whom I collected, at your re-
quest, the following information concerning
the crops of these islands:
Edisto Island-Area planted In cotton in
Total 1892 acres. In 1870, 3O98 acres long
2599 acres.slfort. Total $685. acres. The crop
| of this island Is regarded as 33t per cent. bet
| ter than that OF last year.
Johns Island-Area of long cotton equal to
that of last year, and prospect OF crop NO
better.
Wadmalaw IslanG-Area of long cotton 25
per cent less than that of last year, and pros
pect of crop 25 per cent better.
The crops ot corn on these islands are better
than they have been since the war. The price
of labor has been cheaper, and the labor Itself
better, by reason of smaller crops having been
cultivated; and the demand for it consequently
less. With few exceptions the crops are as
good as ever they were in ante.bellum days,
Is attributable mainly TO better cultivation and
the revived use of plantation manures.
AUGUST o.
Since the above information was communi.
Gated, We have been visited with continuous
storm of rain and wind, which has materially
changed the condition OF our cotton prospects.
1t will require days yet TO tel the extent of the
injury; but enough can be seen TO sadden the
poor planter. and impress him with the uncer-
tainttes of his labors.
The following letter, dated August 26, has
been received by Messrs. VIM. Ii. Lawton &
Co. from an Edisto planter:
have not replied to your letter as early as
you may have thought should have done, but
could not then have given you that reliable
information which you sought on &C
which our crops were placed by
reason of the severe drought which
then prevailed The whole appearance of
things are now entirely changed. Our fields
are flooded with water, our crops lie PROSTATE
and torn under the incessanG storms which
have ragged around them for two weeks. About
the lst Of July had one of the most promis-
since the late war. It fully justified the ex-
pectation Of one hundred and iifty pounds, su-
perfne cotton, to the acre. The utmost 1t
can give now is fifty pounds. The drought of
July and part of august almoet destroyed the
high lands, whilst 1t itincreased the productive
ness of the lower lands, so that what was lost
In one was regalned In the other. The con-
oI1ut SalCo. NC olC unFS eo Goih ouu
shattered the plants on the low lands, and
they have been so saturated with water, that
very much doubt If they will yield more than
the high lands. The gales have beeT most
severe on the seashore. In the Interior of the
Island the crops have not suffered so much
from the wind as from the great fall Of water.
The Information I have given In regard to
what believe my crop will make, do not In
tend to apply to all crops on this island.
Backward crops, whether so from late plant
Ing, or from being put back by want Of timely
attention. or from any other cause, have not
suffered so much from the drought,a and appear
to have stood the fury of the storms better.
There is less power OF endurance and recupe-
ration In older than younger vegetable life, as
1t Is generally the case In the animal kingdom.
1t Is with the cotton as 1t is with the corn and
other crops, ITS productlveness Is very much
effected by .4avlug seasons to suit certain
periods CT :ts age. Whilst early planting Of
fers faIrer average of chances In Its favor,
there are exceptions to this rule, and this year
Is one of them. From what can gather from
planters whom have met, the injury done to
the crops of cotton by the late gales is from
one-third to one-half from what was expected
two weeks ago, according to different locali-
ties, and leaving crop about equal to what it
was last year. The coarser grades of cotton
have passed through the fiery and watery
ordeals OF the season much better than the
finer