Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-10-23
ARKANSAS.
The Cotton In the Field and That Coming
Forward-The Kind Of Women
To Make Mea Happy

From an Occasional Correspondent
CRoss COUNTY, Arkansas, October 10,
| l87i.--The drouth Ia August sxtinguish-
/ ed our fiattering prospect of making full
crops of corn and cotton, but, like all
| great disasters, Its effect was exaggerated.
| At one time It was supposed the crop OF
cotton would be cut short fully two
| thirds. But the excellent weather we
have had since picking commenced has
raised the estimate, and now 1t Is COM
puted that we shall have at least half Of a
| full crop. Picking is much earlier than
usual. The cotton opened early and
very rapidly. Nearly half the crop Is
now picked, and is in excellent condition.
Last year, for some unexplained cause,
farmers were very dilatory about gather.
| ing their crop. A large portion was left
until the winter csme, and much was
| therefore gathered in a damaged condi-
tion-much, also, being entirely lost. This
year the crop will all be saved esrly, and
in such a condition that 1t will class
higher and bring relatively better price
Heretofore our only chance has been to
sell at Witt6burg. No cotton could 20
forward from this point until the st
Francis received the fall and winter rains.
SO as to raise 1t to the boating stage. The
they were slow to buy except at great
disadvantage to the sellers. This year
we have the Forrest City market with
daily communication with Memphis, and
much of our crop Is hauled from twenty
to forty miles to this point. More would
go there, but Wittsburg Is impelled by
the competition to be more prompt ana
liberal, so she Is taking more cotton than
usual at this season, and giving also better
prices. This competition keeps our mar
ket well mp within shade of Memphis
prices, and although the railroad is so far
away, We sre deriving a remarkable ben-
eft from 1t. 1t Is striking demonstra
ton to our people what advantages they
will receive when they shall have q road
passing right by their doors, as they hope
soon to haJo5, when the Iron Mountain
and Helena, as well as the Kansas CITY,
comes 6hrough--bOth of which are ex.
peotcd to pass through this county not far
FROM its centre. With these expectations
we are growing more hopeful and more
enterprising. We ara better comprehend
ing the advantages of our position and
the value of cur fertile lands. All
agree that we have ever had so
ent. Everybody has worked-men.
women snd children. I have admired
and respected two girls. the daughters of
widow who came here from Alabama
last winter, and have been making a crop
about three miles from my place. They
have one Of the best Gotten crops In the
country. Their land was uufaVorable.
and the invasion of grass was 80 formid-
able that less resolute workers would
have been appalled,. Thsir courage rose
to the emergency, and working their crop
late and we'll they protected it from the
drOuth so that their field will be one of
the very few from which full crop will
be gathered. l trust they viii have the
good sense not to burden themselves with
worthless husbands to support.
I am almost drsading the coming of
1872. We are so peacesble and 80 quiet
here that fear the excitement of a presi-
dental campaign. I have been here about
eight months, and 1 have not had five
minutes conversation on politics during
that time. l have heard no political
speeches, though I believe there have
been few in the county. Nobody has
asked me what were my sentiments, and
am sure l never put the question, for
long ago learned that peoples political
and religious opinions ara generally
formed by circumstances over which theY
had no control, and it is very poor busi-
ness to seek to change them. Peace, In
dustry and enterprise seem to be the vir-
tues we most need, and he will be the
best patriot who does most to promote
these.
Much as L expected, all my suggestions
about some cooperative movement for
the benefit of eotton-growers have at
attracted no attention. We shall go on in
the same old ruts, learning no wisdom ex-
c9pt from experience, which teaches us
too late to give us time to A h5rm. Chi
csgo has learned, at the expense of $780,
900 900, that large city ought not to be
built of pine or have vast piles of dry
pine lumber accumulated in her midst,
Cotton merchants and manufactures may
learn that they cannot afford to buV cot
ton at loss to ths grower. SAT.