The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-10-01
THE COTTON CROP.
Factors and PIanters' Estimates OF
Southern stock.
From, the New York World

From the New York World.
Upon few ordinary. every daysubiects
is it so difficult to obtain fair state |
ment of simple facts, untinged by the
coloring of personal interest, as upon
the probable aggregate amount of a
forthcoming cotton crop. The difficulty
arises from various causes. A large
class of persons talk and estimate flu
entity enough upon the subject, who
have little or no personal knowledge
upon which to base either. All through
the south the village postmaster, the
railway station agent, and the local cot
ton factor have their correspondents in
the great markets OF the north and east
with whom their reports have influence,
and to whose order they are perhaps
not unfrequently made. There is, too,
a natural and inherent diversity of in
terest between the cotton planter and
the cotton merchant and consumer.
The former quite naturally finds it to
his advantage to under estimate the
probable crop and over estimate the
chances of misfortune, as this tends to
produce high prices and consequent
profit while the latter are as prone to
reverse this order of things, over esti-
mating the crop and under estimating
the probable price to suit their require
ments in a business point of view. The
divergence of opinion upon this subject
has either been greater this season than
usual, or else fuller prominence has
been given to the views of both sides
than ordinarily. In order to harmon
ize these SO far as possible, and with
the view of presenting so far as prac-
tricable a trustworthy estimate of the
crop of 1874, large number of gem
a.
have been recently questioned, and
from among their statements the follow
ing have been selected as best conveying
the argument pro and con:
In the course of a general converse
ton with Mr.. T. T: Bryce, of the we'll
known firm of Bryce & Co., extensive
cotton brokers in this city, and largely
interested in a number of cotton-grow-
ing plantations in various parts of the
south, the following statements we're
elected "The crop of this year"
said Mr.. Bryce, sup to the 10th of
August last, promised fairly to be the
largest ever produced in this country. 1t
is certainly true that the acreage has
been considerably reduced, owing to a
variety of causes, but this reduction
has been more than compensated by
the tact that this season no portion of
the crop has had to be absolutely aban-
doned, while last year 124 per cent. of
the entire production was thrown out
as valueless owing to grass, etc. The
result Is that by the 1st of August of
this year, the number of acres produc-
ing cotton was in fact greater than at
the corresponding time the previous
| year. The amount of fertilizing agents
used upon the cotton lands of the south
was undoubtedly less than in previous
| years, but was nevertheless greater than
| in 1870, when what is still know as the
big crop was produced. 1t is
also true that the extensive drouth,
lasting from the LIST. of August of the
present year till the LIST of September,
did no little damage TO the sandy lands
of the south known as the 'uplands,
but the damage thus done was curious
ly enough more than compensated by
| the protection thus afforded the low or
'bc tom lands from the ravages of the
cotton worm. Only once since the war
have these lands produced so large and
so fine a crop, and that was in 1870,
when the total cotton yield was 4, S47,
600 bales, and in the absence of unfor-
seen events this years yield to the acre
from these lands should exceed that of
1870. Labor, as rule throughout the
south, has been equally efficient, and
more whites have been employed sue
cessfully than ever before. The drouth
before alluded to was succeeded BY fine
showers, continuing in many instances
for more than ten days, and it is fair to
say that never on the 7th of September
was the weather more propitious for the
cotton crop than it is to day. The de-
velopment of the plant, too, has IN
doubtedly been much accelerated by
the previous dry weather, and the early
receipt of the new crop thus rendered
probable, which will, of course, heve
it's legitimate effect upon the market.
For the past eight years the opening
price in the month of September has
been above the closing price for the
same month, and it seems to be the
general impression that the current
season will prove no exception to the
general rule"
In reply to direct question as to his
estimate of the forthcoming crop, MIR.
Bryce said that it was too early in the
season, in his opinion, to predict the
amount of the crop with any certainty.
In estimating, he should consider it safe
to start with 1000, 900 bales, but should
want to have a leeway of SOC, 600 bales
| for increase, and $50, 900 bales decrease,
should the frost set in early, or some
other accident occur.
Mr.. ID. q. Huger, a large and influen-
tial cotton factor at Mobile, Ala, in re-
ply to series of questions upon the
subject, said that the cotton receipts of
Mobile for last season were 800, 600
bales, and that the lowest estimates for
the ensuing season among the cotton
factors there, who are sellers, and there
fore favor the views of planters, was
$4,000 bales, ranging from that to 400,
GOO bales. 1t was his personal opinion
that an intermediate figure would prob
ably be more accurate. He, too,
| thought it too early to Judge, but con-
sidered an early frost the only possible
contingency which could greatly reduce
the crop. He remarked that of the
bottom, middle, and top crops any two
would make fair aggregate, and that
this season only the middle crop had
been partially injured by the drouth.
! A great deal of cotton was, he said,
shipped from Mobile to New Orleans,
and thence sold as Orleans cotton at an
advance of one-eighth of a penny.
"Last season" said NJ. Huger, "3,
| $50, 600 bales was about the averag
estimate of the crop made by many
and some even thought It would not ex-
coed $500, 600 bales, but the crop In
point of fact reached 400, 600 bales. "
The staple of the cotton was, lie thought
unusually good this season in his sec
ton oEythe country, as was also the
ginning LIN consequence of the continued
I dry geatierI,
Several other gentlefhen largely in
! terested in the cotton trade confirmed
/ the statements already made, and one
/ of them remarked that as an Indication of
/ the prospect Of a large crop, marketed
easily might be mentioned the fact that
Montgomery, Ala, received Monday
! 400 bales, while last year the receipts
at that point for the entire correspond
ing week we're but al bales, and 1.-THE