Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-16
THE COTTON CROP.
Synopsis of Returns to the Agricultural
Bureau.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The following
is synopsis of the returns of the cotton
crop to the Agricultural Bureau to date.
The returns of product in bales make an
aggregate of over 6,S0O, 1000, distributed in
thousands of bales as follows:
Virginia 24,0OO; North Carolina 452, 600,
South Carolina $4,000, Georgia 100000,
Florida $1,000, Alabama 7s4,0OO, Missis-
sippi 1,042,0OO Louisiana 539, 900, Texas
1,326, 900, Arkansas 6S7, 900, Tennessee
337, 600, Missouri $4,000. Other territory
%. 900.
The unusual length of the season for
maturing is given very generally as an
important factor of increased production.
The late growth was so vigorous in pOr-
tions Of the area cultivated that much inn
mature cotton was destroyed by the frost.
Notwithstanding the lateness of the sea-
son this destruction of green bOlls was
comparatively heavy in Edgecombe cOun-
ty, North Carolina; Franklin, Hale and
Lawrence counties, Alabama; NoXubee
and Benton counties, Mississippi: Bren-
vile and POinte COupee parishes, Louis
lana; Central county, Texas; Dal-
las county, Arkansas, and in
Fayette county, Tennessee, and
wherever the growth was most luXuriant
and the yield heaviest. This apparent
loss was greatest in Marion and Warren
counties, Georgia. The crop was shorten
ed by the September storms on Red river
and in North Texas. There was loss of
cotton and injury to the staple by rains
and in picking the top crop.
On the whole, the season was unusually
favorable. The returns are nearly unani-
nous in declaring the staple longer than
usual, whittier, and comparatively free
from trash. A few report a shorter staple.
In parts of Georgia there was some loss
of nTIp lfKT GfO fla Inko 0s.l-
ing in the Southwest was injured by frost
and rain.
The amount of lint produced in
proportion to seed is reported great
er than usual in half to two
thirds of all the returns made, except
ing in Virginia and Missouri, where the
majority report the usual average yield.
In very few counties is the rate of the
yield less than average. The marketing
of the crop is most advanced in Florida,
Georgia and South Carolina, but one-siXth
remaining on hand at the end of 1882, and
in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas one
fourth. In Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennes-
see and Missouri the proportion was
somewhat greater from these returns. 1t
is probable that about II per cent. of the
crop still remains in farmers hands.
The date Of finishing the harvest report
ed for each county varies from November
to February. The average for each State
is: Florida, December I; Georgia, De-
cember 8; South Carolina, December IL;
Alabama, December u; Tennessee, De
cember II; Mississippi, December IS;
North Carolina, December %; Louisiana,
January 4; Texas, January 6; Arkansas.
January 8. The caterpillar was present
in three-fOurths of the counties in Texas
and Louisiana and in two-thirds of those
of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The
destruction was less general in Georgia
and Arkansas. The injury was every
where slight, with few exceptions, and
was not appreciable in Virginia, North
Carolina, Tennessee or Missouri. The
loss is calculated at about 3 per cent. in
sippi, Alabama and Florida and in
Georgia. 1t probably amounts to $4,000
or 10000 bales in all