The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-06
The Growing Crops.

The Growing Crops.
In accordance with an annual custom,
which has invariably been attended with the
] most satisfactory results, We have this
| spring sent circulars to large number OF
the most intelligent and carefully observant
planters throughout the State requesting
from them certain points OF information re-
specting the growing crops, especially, OF
course, as to the condition and prospects OF
our great staple-cotton. In response to
these requests we have received great
number Of letters containing important and
valuable information which has been
promptly spread before our readers, and
from the mass OF information thus obtained,
it is now possible to give in a compact form
general review Of the planting operations
throughout the State, with comparison oil
similar operations in former years, and as
complete and accurate statement OF the
prospects and probabilities OF the crops OF
South Carolina for 1872 as can possibly be
obtained at this Stage OF rne seaoou'
First, as to the area OF ground occupied
in the cultivation OF cotton this year in COM
parison with 1871, it ia certain that there Is
an increased acreage devoted to cotton
amounting In the whole State to certainly
10 per cent. In many counties the Increase
is much. more than this, as in Richland
which reports an increase OF 80 per cent,
Anderson and Orangeburg rs per cent. each,
while in Fairfield, Clarendon, Darlington,
Lancaster, Lexington, Marlboro and Sum-
ter an increase OF from 10 to 20 per cent. is
noticed; but in no county, with the single
exception perhaps OF Union, is there less
area than in 1871.
The stand OF cotton does not, however,
compare iavorably with that OF last year,
nor are the prospects OF q yield at all equal
to those at the same period OF last year.
The lateness Of the stand is an almost uni
versal complaint in many counties, and
noticeably in Anderson, Clarendon, Darl-
ington, Msrlboro', oconee, Richland and
Union, the long drought in April and the
first half OF May having baked and hardened
the soil, retardiug the termination OF the
seed. In many localities the process OF
planting was neces sarily suspended, and
only renewed since the rains in the middle
ard latter part OF May. The reports are
somewhat more cheerful from Barnwell,
Lexington aud Sumter, but, on the whole,
the prospects at this date OF an in
creased yield, proportionate to the increased
quantity Of cotton planted, are not by any
means encouraging, AS the crop, however,
must depend upon the character OF the
seasons from this time out, we do not pre-.
tend to estimate the number OF bales that
may be expected to be made.
The quantity Of commercial fertilizers
used this year has been very largely in ex-
cess OF the consumption OF 1871, and almost
equal to the quantity used in 1870. This
increase is reported in some counties as
enormous. In Lancaster County it is said
that three times the quantity OF fertilizers
used in 1871 has been used this year. In
Anderson, Barnwell, Clarendon, Darlington
and 0rangeburg, twice as much, and in Alb
beville, Chester, Fairfield, Marion, Marlboro,
Sumter and York the increase is reported at
from 10 to IS per cent. In Laurens and
Oconee, it is said that about the same
quantity has been used that was used last
year, but in no county is a decreased con-
sumption noticed. The probability is that
throughout the State the consumption has
been about double that Of 1871, and very
neary equal to that Of 1870. This probabili-
ty is strengthened by the report OF the mum.
Der Of tons oi fertilizers shipped to the interior
ofsouth Carolina and the adjoining States, by
the various lines OF transportation from this
city, recently published in The NEWS. Those
shipments were, in 1870, A, 1856 tons, in
1871, 20,4S7 tons, and in 1872, 37,1s3 tons,
and it must be borne in mind, also, that
many thousand tons were carried over in
stock in the interior towns from 1871 to the
present year.
The cost per bale of making the cotton
crop this year will, it is unanimously agreed,
be about the same as in 1871. The cost and
efficiency Of labor has been about the same
as last year, and the increased expenditure
has been counterbalanced by the
cheapness OF staple provisions, such as bacon