Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-22
IN THE COTTON FIELDS.
ESTIMATES MAKE THE YIELD
% PER CENT. SHORT.

Correspondent Pictures the Situation
in the Georgia and Alabama Belt
The Outlook as shown by the '.News"
Specials from Georgia and Florida Ex-
ceedingly Gloomy.
SAVANNAH, Sept. 21.-A recent trip
through a portion of the cotton belt has
enabled me to acquire some information
about the crops. From this point to Ma
con, along the line of the Central Rail
road, daily information to business firms
in Savannah has doubtless familiarized
them with the crop prospects in that sec
tiOn.
At Macon the estimate of damage
to the cotton crop is from p to
80 per cent. Along the line of the
railroad to Columbus the same figures
are held. OF course, as you know, in all
seasons of drought, exceptional cases are
to be found, and where local showers and
well-worked crOps make an average, and
even full yield possible, but the severe
and protractedf drought in other
portions of given district
would more than counterbalance
such exceptionally favorable results, so
that the percentage given may be cOnsid-
cred reasonable, md the estimates of
damage at Columbus, based on reports
from counties contiguous to that point
would show not less than % per cent, and
many above, and as high as 80 per cent.
Along the line of the Mobile and Gil
rard Railroad, through Russell and Bull
lock counties, Alabama, to Union Springs,
the reports of damage to the cotton crop
would seem to show an average of at
least 33% per cent. At Union Springs
the estimate of loss is heavy, especially
on the black lands, where the damage
from worms has been severe, and but for
the use of pOisOns would have been dis
aStrOuS. The same conditions. viz:
drought, rust and worms prevailing in
Bulloch, will apply to Pike and Barbour
counties, and reliable reports would lead
to the belief that 30 per cent. of loss in
the latter counties would hardly cover
the damage.
Around Eufaula the damage would not
show so much falling off as in that section
compared with last season. There is only
an apparent loss of frOm5 to 10 per cent.
from the fact that local storms cut off the
crop of last season considerably.
The damage from worms on the black
lands of Alabama is reported to be very
heavy, and an instance of their raVages
was given me from a source so reliable
that ! could not doubt it. The planter
stated to me that on one of his planta-
tiOns he had field of forty acres in cot
ton, and up to the 10th of August he eX-
pected to have a bale to the acre, but the
worms struck it, and now he doubts if he
will get over tour bales from the patch.
The use of pOisons (paris green and
arsenic) has been acknowledgements in
this than any former seasOn-On the black
lands of Alabama. and have been eflectual
in saving Il good portion of the crop i'll
some sections, while in others, though
used extensively, they have done but
little to check the ravages of the worms.
From the ChattahOOchee plantations the
reports of damage from drought, rust and
worms are current, and east of the river
to Cuthbert, through Randolph and Cal
hOun counties, the current estimates of
damages are not less than One-third
while others well informed put it at a
higher percentage.
Along the line of the Southwestern Rail
road to Smithville the drought has been
severe, but the section below that point,
including DOugherty and the counties
contiguous to it and trading at Albany,
have sustained serious damage. and in
telligent merchants and the oldest farm
Grs unite in saying that the cotton pros
pect is the poorest in the history of the
country. None less than 80 and some as
high as go per cent. were figures given me
by men cOnYefSanJ WIN JDe county ana
the planting interests of five adjacent
counties for years past, and whose Opin-
ions have always had weight.
AT points above SmithvIlle, on the
Southwestern RailrOad-DawsOn Ander-
son, Americus. MOntezuma, Marshall
Vile and Fort Valley-the reports of
damage to the cotton crop vary but little,
and would show a falling off of at least %
per cent, and but for the good corn crops
admitted at every point, the prospect
would not only he gloomy, but |
dismal. Cotton is opening rapidly,
and as the weather has
been favorable for picking, the farmers
are hard at work, and though disappOint-
ed at the yield, seem to accept the situa-
tion cheerfully, and the merchants seem
in better spirits and disposed to take a
hopeful view of the future, and Of the
prospects of the farming inter-
est. AT no period in the
course of ten years travel have | seen a
stronger disposition evinced by the farm
ers in the section of Georgia through
which | have passed to give attention to
grain crops, and this feeling, if sustained,
will induce an earlier planting and "A
larger area in oats than ever before.
l started on my trip respondent at the
prospect, and returned, am glad to say,
with a more hopeful view both of the
mercantile and farming interests.