The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-18
THE COTTON CROP.
INTERVIEWS WITH SOME OF OUR
LEADING COTvr0N MERCHANTS.
Bright Prospects for the Coming season
In louisiana Arkansas, Miss1s-
sippi and Texas.


in Louisiana, Arkansas, Missis-
sippi and Texas.
Facts About the Appearance 0f the Worm.
Though the moment has not yet arrived when
a close estimate eau be put upon the cotton crop,
yet the subject IL OF such vast Importance to our
commercial interests that we deemed that
an approximate idea Of the present status
Of the crop and well founded surmises as to
its prospects would not be uninteresting to
tho general public. The DEMOCRAT reporters, In
consequence, ever on the alert when things OF
moment are 10 be investig ated, were mobIlized
yesterday for tho purpose. and deployiDg with q
bold front on uarondelet, Gravier, Union and
other cotton thoroughfsres, interviewed some OIL
our principal cotton merchants, with the results
shown below In their reports. The deductions to
DO drawn from the various interviews appended
are, upon the whole. quite satisfactory; showing
that the crop in general, though little back
ward in comparison with last years stand at the
same time, IL in fine condition and full OF liberal
promises. II is true that the devastating
worm has made his appearance in certain io-
calities, but he Ia as yet In his frat and
mo Il imperfect ate, and the planters say that
he will scarcely be able to begin his career OF
devastation before three weeks In the mean
while the bolls will open, and by the time the
greedy insect will have devoured the leaves, the
the Aeecy staple will be beyond danger and ready
for the industrious hand Of tho picker. There
may be sprinklng OF optimism In this kind OF
talk, but we give 1t as we heard 1t, hoping that
tko,, Ia i,, a. Tim, dnuhttuU n0-
rose people may think.
Referring 10 the "picking season" we must call
the attention Of our idle population, especially
the colored element, who are suffering uBeessly
In the city when remuneratiye employment in the
country will be within their reach in few days
to the fact that there will be plenty OF work for
them soon in the country. The cotton planter
knows very vol that tho more rapidly his crop is
tlken off the more abundant will be his yield, and
the more remunerative bis product. He is,
therefore, ready to pay good journeymen wages
TO oil the workers who will help him through
at the critical time. Hos many hundreds OF
valuable bales Of cotton have been lost in the
country through lack OF ready labor, when the
very element that represented that labor was
starving and corrupting in idieness within the
suburbs Of our cities. Go to the country all OF
you who find it impossible er difficult to got work
In the city. Louisiana is by natuxe an agrinul-
tural state, and her prolific soil can certainly feed
all her children IL they will only help themselves
In the proper way.
The following is the result Of our reporters
labors on this most important subject:
LEHMAN, ABRAHAM 8 co.
This prominent and well known cotton firm
was among the first sought for information.
Their business connections extend throughout
every Southern State, with the exception Of the
Carolinas, and Us proprietors OF the only cotton
mill here they are Justly considered as Of our
most energetic and highly esteemed business
firms. AS both members OF the firm were absent
their representative, the courteous Mr. Ferdi-
nand Marks, was present to represent them.
When the object OF our visit was made known
Mr.. Marks said:
Our reports are extremely favorable from every
portion OF the cotton growing States concerning
ihe coming crops, and we do business in every
State with the exception only OF the Caroiinas.
1t is true the worm has appeared in some sec-
tions, but, with the exception OF Western Texas,
1t has not done any damage amounting to any
thing. all OF our reports represent the stalk
very large this year and well filled with blooms
hnu Dolls. ana Rs d DeCui1ATpy Oh tUIb y6AT
stalks retain the 'bolls without shedding them.
In other years tho stalk would drop large per-
centage OF The bolls but this year they do not.
From all sources we hear the stalks are well COW
cred with bolls and thriving well.
III one can Judge from the present outlook ii
may be safe to say that The crop will be between
4.500,OOO bales and $50, 600. or course this
timate is subject to falling off from worms,
heavy rains or an ea,ly frost, which would be
particularly Injurious this year owing to the late
oF tho Frar ali the inform gtidn
ceived the crop, as general thing, is about ten
days late.
Rep.-Do you think the labor sufficient to pick
a crop Of, say 4.750,000?
the labor is far sure this year than ever be-
fore. The negroes realize tho fact that they
have to work now for livelihood and are not as
they we're before as much Influenced BY the Rad.
ical politicians as in times past. We nave not
heard of any complaints on account of the labor,
but on the contrary our advices are that the ne
groes are very generally praised for their efforts
this season in doing their work faithfully.
JOHN PHELPS co.
Ascending the broad stairway Of John Phelps
& Co., on Gravier street, opposite the Cotton Ex-
change, the reporter entered the office of that
firm and was greeted by Mr.. A. A. Yates, one of
it's members.
Reporter-Mr. Yates, already the condition of
the present cOttOu CEOp 10 oASibilsS u1uSA @eU0A
ton at..the North, and as the DEMOCRAT desires
the fullest information on the subject the
opinions of our leading merchants is sought for,
and hence my call. From your correspondents
accounts, what do you think OF the prospects
Mr.. Yates-Ah, Mr.. -. It's little hard to say,
and your question is not easily answered off hand.
You know this is the most critical time in the
whole season for cotton, and it's very difficult to
give more than q rough guess at what it will turn
out. In fact, fits like teething time in children,
and what will come OF it no one can ssy. I can
say this, however, judging from the adviees we
have received from our correspondents, that the
crop can be put down as fully fair, with the con-
tingency of the worms, of course, entering into
the estimate. That's the big point-the worms
or not.
Rep.-In your letters do you hear much Of the
appearance Of the worms?
Mr., Yates.-Certainly. In sections OF Louisi-