The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-09-03
THE SEA ISLAND CROPS.
A REHIEW OF THE FIELDS lind THE
CHANCES.
The Worm In St. Paul's

The Worm In st. Pauis.
Trustworthy Information received in this
city from st. Paurs Parish report the caterpil-
lar as beginning In earnest Its work OF de-
struction. The cotton on the White Point
plantation OF Colonel James Legare was eaten
out during last week, and considerable de-
vastation had been caused upon the adjoining
plantation OF Mr.. James King. Its appearance
had also become general throughout the
parish.
Demonstrating Prospect OF the Yield
Effects OF Rust and the Worm.
A Experienced Observer sends the fol-
towing communication to TIE NEWS:
This once Important staple crop of South
Carolina, Georgia and Florldais ina peculiar
position at this jurcture. Up to the middle of
July, It's promise to reward the planters IN
Ing and hopeful. The fields had been well
titled, and msnures freely used; but alas. the
brightest hopes are often doomed to disap-
pointment. An unusually hot summer anu In
tense burning hot sun, drought In many sec.
lions, diseased the plant, brought on rust
generally, casting of pods and forms; anH
contrary to the views Of many planters, the
devouring caterpillar, in a dry season, made
their appearance in some localities IN July,
and now the boil worm Is committing SAD
havoc on the previously Injured crops. Very
MANY entire fields In Florida and this State
are DESTROYED, for when the leaves are eaten
up the vitality of the plant ends. and the
pods dry up. 1t is said That caterplllars nave
seldom been known to appear Ia the. santee
Sea Island region before september LIST. They
made their appearance there In the cotton on
the 26th ult., and are now along the whole
seaboard, and all over Florida.
Examining the crop statement OF the past
four wears It shows the sea Island crop for
l86s-'69 was II, 1856 bags, 1869-'70 2 1856 bags,
l870-'71 l9, 594 bags and l97l-'72 1850 bags.
From various sources. letters and statements,
that have come under our notice, the injury
at this time sustained by the crop is put at
one-uuarter, one.third, one.half n two
thirds. Doubtless o few favored localities
will Weld average crops. The yield was falr
In this State, and very short In Florida and
Georgia. Most of the sea Island cultivation 10
Georgia has been abandoned, and oil through
the lower inland counties OF Southern
Georaia, and In portions of Florida, where
long staple cotton has hitherto been grown,
the planters ore this season producing short
cotton instead. t,a ~ q
In former times eminently experienced sea
island planters used to say that heavy crops
of cotton could not be expected unless the for
ward condition OF the plant rendered the com
mencement Of picking necessary during tne
rlpeniug this season from a forced state OF the
| crop aud bursting Of the pods. picking was
| not earlier than August 10. Most planters
know that blooms Of cotton appearing from
10th to 18th Of September ripen before frost.
| Expectations from blooms must fall IN this
crop, for they will be cut of by the caterpillar,
Les they have never ceased depredatlons when
49, rplooo ohookod hU q HQavpra 9t0rm or
good Eflting frost.
Large estimates In July, and as early rs
June. were sent TO spinners and dealers 10
sea island In England and France that this
| crop was likely " aggregate 25,0O0 bags, ana
1t is evident that the trade have been active
on this nnwise prediction OF supply from the
| extremely limited sales IN Liverpool Ior
| months past, together with the use OF other
| Inferior substitutes Tor our sea ielands.
Can any one have sufficient light at this
i time from any data to say how short this de-
plorably injured crop Is to foot up, and is II
l:possIble that moneyed means can % furnisheo
to plant another year q crop Of even moderate
extent?
Ravages OF the Worn In Florida.
The following is an abstract of a letter from
"a Charleston factor In Florida:
tIregret to saythat the fieurlshing reports of
the Florida sea island crop heretofore cur
rent prove to be totally unfounded. The last
four weeks have made q very serious change
in The aspect of affairs. a protracted drought
caused the cottonrto shed heavily; the rust
has also, appeared 10 many places. TO finish
the matter, the worm Is in full force Oh every
| patch of cotton in the Stale. The bottom
| crop Is good and will be of fine quality; the
middle very light, as all the young bolls, with
the entire top crop, are already eaten up.
The fields look more like December than Au-
gust, as brown and bare OF green as II fire had
swept through them. l have travelled IRON
ralatka to Gainesville via Oeala, Mlcanopy,
1.-THE garden OF East Florida,) and on every
| place that / have seen or heard from the work
is already accomplished. The farmers are
very respondent, the most hopeful limit the
| crop to q half. It certainly cannot exceed that
OF last year, but it will be OF much better
quality.
Other and later advices are as follows:
MICANoPY, August %.
Our crops would have been fine had 1t not
been for the rust and worms. II ls the gen.
| eral opinion that q half crop vii! be the ex-
tent. We have lost o great deal by the sned-
ding. ~
GAINESVILLE, August 80.
The c%aterpIllars have eaten out all the COT
ton crops In this section, consequently we
| cannbt count on more than half q crop. Ny
crop ct one time promised twenty-five bales
| sea island cotton and twenty bales short cot
ton, and | will be glad to make half the
amount, ..a-.