Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-08-28
WILMINGTON MARKETS,

HOIs 1IiHA
WEEK ENDING; THURSDAY.
August 81. 1874.
THECROPS-Our special informan
returned from trip in South Caroliu:
ou Saturday last, infor- ms US that al
the crops were looking well and prom
Using except in a few localities. where
the corn was small and the cotton no.
well boiled. In Darlington county
cotton Is opening very fast, and some
parties expected to go to picking this
week. lie saw one fie d out of which 6
bale or two could have been picked last
week. Some farmers were complain
ing of rust, but on more particular ex
animation much of that which was
thought to be rust was found to be but
tie changing of the leaves from the
maturity q: the plant. We should not
be surprised to find that the crop will
mature more rapidly than usual from
the failure of the plants, there not be-
lfg as much stimulating fertilizer I'M
der them, as is usual, the farmers gen
orally having used but a small quaint
ty and put but little under the plants.
We do not think this will materially
shorten the crop, but it may. Gener-
ally the weed is large and fairly boiled
and seems to have vitality enough to
mature ahose bolls already formed
We take Darlington county, which
produces one seventh Of the crop of
south Carolina, TO be a fair index of
the whole state, as it embraces nearly
all varieties Of soils. With the price
~ l cents average on the plantations.
South Carolina will pay out and have
something to spare.
COMMERCIAL EPITOME--Busi-
ness in most of the leading,branches of
/ trade has been more active this week
! than last and there are gratifying
Indications that the long continued
| period Of stagnation is about to be
/ succeeded by a season Of renewed &C
/ tlvity. and we trust Of renewed pros
! pen y. On the general condi tion of
trade the New York Shipping List has
the following article:
| The delay in the commencement Of
tue Fall trade causes a degree OF res
tlveness among the business men, and
| apprehensiOns are beginning To b..
entertained by some that, notUitIl-
standing the solid foundation, The en-
suing season may, like the Spring,
prove disappointing. It is argued that,
If we are going to have substantial
revival of commerce and industry, it
is quite time we began to see some
evidences of it, as the Autumn is close
at hand; that there is no longer any
doubt as to the fullness of the harvest;
that money is SO plenty as to be drug
IN the market, and is likely to contin-
lie abundant and cheap, since the
! Western ald Southern banks, instead
of clamOring for more currency, are
many of them reducing their circula-
ton; and finally, that though affairs
are undoubtedly i'll healthier shape
than they were year ago, there Is
still lacl. of confidence absolutely
essential to business activity. Eut 1T
IS evident that the more impatient of
our mercantile friends overlook the
important fact that the business sea
sons commence later now than in for
mer times. owing 20 the modern APP
plances for the sale and distribution
OF goojs-viz, the railroad, tie tele-
graph and the travelling salesma an
BY the aid of these appliances, remote
sections OF the country are now sup
piled with goods in days, where for
merly it required weeks to reach them.
Ard then, too, the trade of the coJln-
try IS much moro evenly distributed
than It was In former tlmeS-that IS
to say, no one Of the old centres cen
tru!tS so large proportion of the
whole as was the case before the
machinery of distribution became SO
perfect as it now is. Thus, in certain
branches Of business, such interior
cities as Chicago, Cincinnati and ST.
Louis compete very successfully with
New York, Boston, Philadelphia and
Baltimore. And instead of being source
of regret, these innovations are in their
nature hcalthful and beneficial. Com
petition, ~aith the adage, is the life of
trade, and it cannot be doubted that
healthy rivalry between the cities aud
large towns tends to prevent stagnation
ana condUce to the general good of all.
The trade OF the country is shown by
statistics tc be many fold larger than
it was ten or dozen years ago, and
yet, because it is not So concentrated
now as it was then, it appears to the
superficial observer that little or no
progress has been made. On the whole
We see no reas IN to doubt that we
shall have Il moderately active season.
IBIS belief is strengthened by the vast
wealth OF resources that has been
vouchsafed The yield of cereals, of
Cotton, of Wool of Coal, of minerals,
of forest products, &C., has rarely been
more satisfactory, and these, as is we'll
known, are the basis Of all prosperity.
They constitute SO much genuine
wealth, the distribution of which will
naturally undermine and finally over
throw that feeling Of extreme caution
born of the panic, and lead to more
generous purchases. It is conceded
that the stocks of the general run OF
goods in the hands of dealers through
ont the Union are below the average,
owing to the economical tendency Of
the last twelve or eighteen months;
that tie Indebtedness Of the country
has been vastly reduced, and is now
comparatively small; that there IS
greater stability to the currency than
there has been at any period since the
war; that our foreign relations are I'M
exceptionally favorable; and that the
spirit of wild speculation has pretty
nearly died out In word, the worst
effects of the panic have been overcome
and we are now unquestionably in
position where all influences tend to
recovery. The Fall trade may not full
ly meet the highest expectations, but
it will probably be mCder 'tr'y pros
porous. Let us make haste slowly aud
therefore effectually.
In the Wilmington market trade has
slightly shown an improved feeling
and we may add that the bulk of bust
ness has been larger this week than
| last.
A large number of our merchants
have gone North to buy their stocks,
and this in a measure may account for
the duIness which prevails in some cir
! Giles; and for the extreme tightness OF
the money market. Our export move
ment for the week shows slight IN
crease in the value of shipments. The
/ exports for the week were 3, 934 casks
Spirits Turpentine; 1851 bbls Rosln,
and 112 bales Cotton against 3,61C
casks Spirits Turpentine, 10, 9S7 bbls
Rosin, and 1873 bales Cotton Tor last