Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-19
EARLY COTTON.



; perience Of forty seven years among
valley plantations" said a prominent
planter and merchant this morning.
How is the staple this season."
Equal to the average, and the con-
diiion Of that now being picked out is
clean and pretty. On several large
plantations within ten miles Of this
city along the river, from four to FIVE
bales per day are now being picked
out. The fine dry weather is causing
the bolls to open faster than ever be-
fore, and there is no doubt the crop
will be picked and housed, if not
marketed, far in advance ofany previ-
GUS season. The valley crop promises
fairly we'll, except in spots, and the
staple will be good, the lint clean and
therefore above the average CLASH
ication. Should the fall be dry
one, the crop will be saved in far bet
ter condition than was that of last
year.
bad weather set in last fall on the
18th of October and continued with
out cessation through the winter.
The season was not an early
one for cotton. Indeed, the
first bale came into this market
on the 10Th of August, just
year ago to-day. and we have already
handled AZ bales of the new crop this
year, whileit is generally conceded
the present crop is maturing from ten
days to two weeks, and even more,
ahead of last year. In view Of all the
surroundings, do you believe the crop
now just beginning to come forward
will equal last years in volume2"
II do not. | believe the crop now
coming in will fall short at least half
million of bales, and my reason for it
is that everywhere in the hills or up
lands the crop is poor, the staple
short and inferior, and will all be gath.
cred and marketed before November
Why, l know a man within a few
miles of the city who has 32.acre
field Of cotton upon which he expected
TO raise % bales at least, and he will
not save over bales. His land is
first class, having been carefully fer
tilted aud protected in the best posi-
BILE manner. In the early spring this
planter was jubilant over his prospects,
but the drought caught him, and like
every other hill place his cotton
suffered. This is the general condi-
ton of hill or upland cotton through
out the northern portion Of the cotton
belt, and as far as l have been able to
learn it is general all over the South.
what do you think Of the recently
issued crop reports2"
IF the others are no more accurate
than that for Tennessee, they are not
worth baubee. Why, sir, the idea of
putting the condition of the crop in
Tennessee on the first instant at SO
per cent, with 100 as the
average is preposterous. | cannot
imagine upon what data they haze
such an estimate. Every observant
person knowing anything about cotton
understands we'll enough that the hill
crop is very uupromising and will not
yield half of an average. The bottoms
or valleys are nowhere above the
average, and in many localities. are
below. With the most favorable sea-
son from this to the end Of picking
time, even if every lock Of the growth
is saved, the crop is bound to fall short
Of early anticipations. The stunted,
half-sized low stalks in the hill lands
have but little fruit and it is
out of the question to believe that the
crop will aggregate in volume any
where near that of last year. The
consumer and leading operators
known this full we'll by this time,
hence the recent sudden advance in
prices. The published crop reports
do not give a proper reflex to the stu
alton, but they cannot deceive the
shrewd operator, hence the upward
movement, which | believe will be
fully maintained during the season.
The crop reports we're Intended to
index the condition Of the crop up to
the close of last month, but in reality
were made up from letters aud other
sources some days before the end Of
the month. The continued drought
since, and other unfavorable condi-
tiOns, may heincluded in next months
reports, and these will perhaps give
better idea of the crop and its prOba-
bic outturn."
what do you think Of the ad-
vancing state of the breadstuff and
provision market2"
1T looks bad for the planter who
has a poor crop among the hills, and
whose corn fields have dried up. He
will have but little cotton to sell, and
will have hard time to get
through the winter. 1t is not so bad
/, for the valley planter. Higher prices
for his cotton will enable him 10 feed