Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-04
NEw CofTON.
Arrival of the First Bale OF the
Season.

years growth arrived in this city late
last Saturday night, by the steamer
James Lee, and came from Horbert's
Landing, seventy miles to the south
ward. 1t comes to US tw~enty-seven
days behind the first bale Of last year,
sent from the same plantation, upon
which was also grown the one now
here.
A feature of the new bale is the
fact that it was produced upon one Of
the flooded plantations and the seed
was not put into the ground until
after the great overflow. There are a
number of sand blows on the place,
caused by sand deposits, left by the
food, and also a sandy ridge or two,
and it is said that the cotton which
formed the bale was chiefly picked
from these dry, sandy ridges. 1t is
we'll known to all experienced cotton
men, that the first picking from ridges
and dry places such as alluded to, is
not equal in staple, or as desirable
otherwise, as the later picking.
Much interest was manifested all Of
this forenoon by our cotton dealers
regarding this first new bale, and
cotton buyers were especially observ-
ant, scanning the bale with a critical
eye and carefully examining the staple,
or fiber, its strength, its %fneness, and
all of those peculiarities so essential to
the spinner, who desires that the per
centage Of waste shall not consume all
Of his seasons profit.
This bale of cotton classes middling,
and is a good type Of that grade. Its
staple is superior, very fine, very
strong and very long. Indeed,
it is a better first bale than
has been here for years, if
ever. Newly picked cotton of the
earliest opening is generally so sappy
that in ginning it is often rendered
happy and its value is thus impaired.
This bale is free from the defect
alluded to, and a prominent buyer said
this forenoon: ut is the best first
bale | ever saw, and if it is any indi-
cation of that which will follow, the
crop will be a very superior one"
This cotton was grown by Houck &
Clark, close to the river in Tunica
county, Mississippi, and was shipped
by them on the steamer James Lee to
L. S, Lake & Bro, Of this city. 1t
arrived late Saturday night, and as
soon as the boat was made fast Captain
Stack Lee had five rousters to shout
der it, and sent it up to the Cotton
Exchange on Front street, de-
termined not to be beaten
as he was last year by
letting it remain on the boat all night.
1t was rumored that several other first
bales we're under way for the city, and
Captain Lee wanted first honors which
of course he has won and will wear.
Yesterday passers along Front street
foraged so freely upan the new bale
that humiliation was threatened, and
it was sent back to the boat for safety.
Bright and early this morning it was
again in front Of the Exchange, and
it proved to be the most attractive
object in the city, as a cluster Of
cotton men crowded about it all the
forenoon. Several notices we're also
posted on the blackboards within an
nouncing that railway agents would
give the new bale a free ride to the
Eastern seaboard, or anywhere else,
either on this continent or any other.
Abiding again to the particular
new bale, over which SO much inter-
est is manifested, planters from the
lower river valley say that picking
will be general from Greenville south
during this week, and while cotton is
opening on all plantations in Tunica,
Coahoma and other counties on both
sides of the river, from this south.
Yet it will be ten days before picking
will be active between here and the
mouth Of White river, or north of the
thirth-ffth parallel. The danger to
the crop from this out is the weather.
With a few weeks of warm
sunshine, and no frost before the mid
die Of next month, a large yield is as
sured, w nil. the quality will be an av-
erage one at least, with the prospect
good for it TO be very superior,
First bales have arrived since 1866
according to the following table: