The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-18
PRICE, FIVE CENTS.

| cour teouBly received by that gentleman. After
stating the object OF the CALL the reporter asked
Mr.. MeGehee what he thought about cotton pros
poets for this year.
Mr.. MeG., iaughipg-That's little too hard
| for me- for / can't Say with any exaetness, and,
indeed, no can. Ii ID simply n matter OF i'm
possibility for any person to form anything like
| IN accurate Judgment at present, for tiiero are
too many contingencies. / woudns pretend TO
do anything more than guess at II.
| Rep AS guess. thon, what do You think tho
crop will bep
most con servative view rs things are at present.
should say that IL will reach 450O0 900 Bales but
then don't wish you to think this IL IN opinion
based on any hing but the most unstable OF dsta.
Rep.-Is not the news from the country par
| isbeB good.
Mr.. MEG. -@Yes, sir. In Louisiana the crop 10
looking we'll. aud Is very good at present, and
the worms are not hurting anything down here,
excapt In the State OF Texas, where they are
| doing some damage.
Rep--And how about Mississippi2
| Mr.. McG.@@our cns loners live principally along
the river, and they VII report good crops and just
about the same as last year. don't think there
will be much dlis, enee between "this and '76, 30
| far rs ean hear."
Rep.--In the making of this crop has there
been any noticeable chan o IN labor, Or In oshsr
words Mr.: McGehee, has labor improved an
| Mr.. Med.- II Ia my opinion that labor IL now
| JiHU IL was, AUu EHeTB mas D66U 1888
trouble with it for very obvious reasons that aro
pat 'nt to all who are acquainted with 1t.
Rep.With this more eff ,isnt labor, 10 not the
crop somewhat late this yeai2 The returns seem
| TO indicate it.
Mr.. Mcd.--Yes; the crops will b, late this sea.
son. and the reason Is that the cotton 10 weeding
considerably, aud the bolls, consequently, will
be late in opening. When the plant goes to
weed 1t always retards crop considerably, as you
| doubtless know.
| Iep.-Haye you any recent letters from your
correspondents, Mr.. MoGehee, from the parishes,
that you couli give for publication. Some that
would throw some light on the subject OF my
| inquiry
Mr.. Mca.--I have q number OF letters here,
| but they are all written hnrriedly and run about
| the Same. Let me see-here's one from Fell
| ciana. II says the crop there looks remarkably
well and growing finely. but II the worms come,
would .bs seriously damaged. The stalks are
large and blooms late.
Rep.--so summing up, It's your opinion that q
true opinion could not be given now about this
croop2
betwix. and between, and no one csn tell posi-
! lively anything about it.
GRAHAM, BLACK = co.
Mr.. Chas. Il. Black, of the firm OF Graham.
Black b Ce., was next called upon and like all the
other gentlemen hesitated about expressing an
opinion at this period.
Rep.-Mr. Black. the object of my visit is to
get your opinion concerning the prospects OF the
growing crops as you have CLEANED IL from your
observation or corresponds nee.
Mr.. Black-Thats a matter / would hardly
care to say much about, as there ID 30 much un-
certainty about III is but guess work to attempt
to say what will be the outcome
Kep.-From your letters is the crop ag 1t now
| stands good onei
Mr.. b. = Yes, sir Yes, sir Our correspondents
| say that II compares favorably with any We have
had for the last seven years. speak OF the por-
tions of the country wherein our trade principally
Iies that is from Concordis, La., to Chicot
| county, Ark. along the river.
| Rep.-About these reports OF the caterpillar
have You heard OF their presence2
Mr.. B.-f have In the letters we have re-
| ceived the appearance Of the worm is noted IN
the parishes Of Concordia, Tensas and Carroll,
but they have done no damage 40 yet. The
second crop Of caterpars IS expected by tho LIST
OF September, but they will do no harm; but 1t IL
tho third crop that follows that iB most dreaded
This third and most dangerous crop will follow
the second in about three weeks, say about the
Goth Of september.
Rep.-Is it your opinion that in the parishes
where your clientele reside the cotton is running
up to stalk more than In ordinary years2 What
I mean is, whether 1t is running to weed now?
Mr.. Black-In the parishes where our trade
lies, being bottom lands almost, the plant always
| has very large stalk. The stalk there is large
but 30 ID the yield. The average plantation there
will produce bale and quarter to half to the
| acre. and in some chosen spots two bales. The
soil is rich and the plant large. How it is else
where cannot say.
Rep.-This wedding OF cotton delays It's bloom
| somewhat, believe, does 1t not?
Mr.. B.-Yes, sir. The crop IL few days be-
hind this year, but only few days.
Rsp.-Ihis delay will not affect it?
MIR. B.-I do not think 1t will. The worms are
what is feared. IL it passes safely through that
the only oiher exigency will be severe storms.
Rep.-Then 1t 10 safe to say the prospects are
very good for q large crop?
Mr.. Black-R ali the cotton is made that is
grown we will have all We can do to take care Of
it. 1t will be very heavy production. OF course,
refer only to the country tributary to New Or
leans.
W. G. BLACK.
Just as the reporter was about leaving the Cot
ton Exchange after a fruitless search for one Of
it's members, who should step in, looking hale
and hearty as woodsman, after his sojourn in
the country, but W. O. Black, Esq, President of
the Exchange, who had but that moment arrived
from his extended tour up the Arkansas. Mr..
Black, when questioned by the reporter, was
enthusiastic over the prospects for the coming
river nearly to Fort Smith, and had viewed the
country he had passed through with the eye Of a
connoisseur.
Rep.-Mr. Black. as you have just returned,
what do you think weil have in the way Of COT
ton, a full or only fair yield this year?
Mr. B.-Why, sir, This face Frightening ,up]
why, sir, Providence has smiled upon cur whole
Southern country. Our fields are green with
grain and cotton, and everywhere the earth
seems to come to our aid in retrieving what we
have lost. The crops look really beautiful, and
the yield must be large. In Arkansas the farm
ers have already gathered their wheat. which is a
sort Of intermediate crop, and have realized their
little pocket money. and are abe now to have
something in their purse. When the cotton
is picked that will be their gain
They have sold their wheat we'll and are now
independent and the picking and ginning Of their
cotton will absorb their tlms. The health of the
country is excellent. As to Mississippi, some
portions have suffered from drouth, bus the
| crops are good, very good, with this exception.
On my way down the railroad noticed all along
ths line, (and you know they always run roads
through the poorest lands), splendid crops.
Up In Arkansas l noticed one singular thing,
and that was that the stalks were large and full
of blooms, and yet did not see bloom on the
ground.