The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-16


has increased from about three hundred
pounds each in 1922 to about four hundred
and eighty pounds each in 1876. The yielda
| of the five years from 1862 to 1866 are
omitted, as the South was too much dis.
turbed to render statistics reliable:
Crops from Bsles. Pounds.
I Isss 70 IssI s,s 600 goo ss 60;
,sS1 70 70 sos 5ss 90 52l 0ot
1921 70 iofo... 900 le, 800 600 DOC
1t appears from the above that the yield
OF the ten years since the war has exceeded
that Of the decade Immediately prior to it
by about 2.ls6 4S9. 600 pounds, equivalent
to about a. 7OO, 600 bales of AGO pounds each.
In the statistics above given we have es
timated the crop of 1875 at about 4 ,60O, 900
bales, which ls quite the general estimate
now, and that of 1876 we have assumed to
be about q, 500, 900 bales for of course in
period OF two years q difference of even
SUI, GOO bales would not materially affect
the results of our calculations.
AS regards the crop of this year several
considerations tend to show that there is
no reason as yet, to expect that it must
necessarily be less than that of 1875. The
season, thus far, has been unprecedentedly
favorable to the planters work, and all the
!ands will be in remarkably good condition
for the reception of the seed next month.
We do not think, from all the information
obtainable thus early that the average in
cotton throughout the Atlantic States will
be less than it was last spring, for while it
is quite true that most plan e. re- have lost
money from their cotton planting opera
lions of last year, yet they have to earn
their living, and, as cotton is the principal
staple here, they will have to plant it, in
the hope of being able to raise it more
cheaply and obtaining better net results
next season. 1t is fact, moreover, that the
shipments of fertilizers to tho interior this
spring have exceeded those of last year up
to the present time.
AS regards the average of the Southwest,
there IS much reason to expect that it will
be increased this spring; for the planters
there nave been compensated for the low
prices Of this season by the very large
yield of 1875 and the losses there have
not been heavy, as in the Atlantic section,
where the planters had both low prices and
very short crops. Yearly more and more
OF the fertile lands west of the Mississippi
are brought under cultivation; thus far
fully five sixths of the valuable lands suit
able for cotton culture there are innocent of
the ploW and year By year the population
of Texas and Arkansas are increasing in
greater ratio than in any other sections of
the South. When this great section is
more fully developed the yield of cotton |
Will be simply enormous-as large as the |
present aggregate crop of the South. 1t
will not be far in the future before a crop
of :, 200, 900 bales will not be considered
very excessive in that region.
1t ID to be expected that this steady in |
crease in the yield of cotton will as steadily |
lower prices, and next season we shall pro- |
badly see quotations rule perhaps q cent
per pound below the average of this. and
yearly, for some time to come, prices of
the staple will probably continue to de-
cline. The South can give to the world |
very cheap cotton. The Atlantic States
may not be able to do so, but the South
" est can, and it is from this section that |
a "A n rDnf frfTNn
staple ranges in value the more etfBc |
lively will it compete with East India cot |
,on for this latter class cannot be export
II at much lower rates than it has brought !
n Europe this season; aud moreover the
production of India is limited. In 1866,
he yleid OF That country was the largest
'Ver produced, and such rs will not again
% equaled, tor the population there is
very dense, and 80 much land was with
irawn from the cultivation of grain aud
applied to that of cotton that "a fearful
anime resulted. The time is coming when
East India cotton will be entirely super
'eded in Europe by our American staple.
The low prices of the raw material will
the manufacture of cotton goods
q this country, and these fabrics will be
RELY exported and sold in Europe. For
,he lower the staple declines In value the
arger will be the percentage of expenses,
n proportion to the cost delivered in Eu
'ope. AS an instance, the freight at one
lalf pence per pound on a bale costing
lere only $40 is twice as heavy as on a
pale worth $50; therefore, the mAnufac-
ured goods being of much greater value,
n proportion to bulk, than the raw mater
al, Will largely take it's place in the ex-
port trade of this country. After q time
he fabrics of the American spinners will
RELY compete with those of Lancashire in
he markets of Great Britain. In view,
therefore,, of the prospect of still lower
prices for cotton in the future, it now be-
'ooVes the planters to practice every econ
my, aud use every means to raise their
rOps cheaply.