Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-01
PROSPECTS OF THE MATURING
CROP.

AilcNA NhN AoNNoh IlOu nOM hDOul W tnltI
the market to be planted late. The whole
of March and the first two weeks of April
were too wet for much progress TO be
made in getting cotton lands ready for
planting. In the valleys high water in
terfered much. The river continued ut a
high point up to May Sd, and was 80 feet
10 inches above low water mark. The third
week in April proved fair and favorable,
and heavy work was done but all classes
offarm labor was from ten days TO two
weeks behind an average. The Agricul-
tural Bureau reported Al per cent of the
South planted by the end of April, against
So per cent the year before, and 81 in
1881. Here in Tennessee 81 per cent was
in, against n and 80 for the previous two
years. The cotton was nearly all in the
ground throughout this section and in
Arkansaw by the end Of the first week in
May, and by the 18th the whole ITALIA
hatchie valley, previously under water,
in cotton, The prospects at this time
were fair, despite cold nights, for the
young plant 10 get a healthy start. The
earliest paintings appeared most vigorous.
The crop was generally all in throughout
Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi by
the 10th of May, and earliest paintings
had come up well. Good stands we're gen
eral, and in some localities early cotton
had been chopped out. The first week in
May raports from Texas were very graft
flying. Corn and cotton were both in ex-
cellent and healthy order, and the season
appeared exceptionally good, though cot
ton was ten TO fifteen days late. The in
creased acreage o Texas was estimated at
II to 10 per cent. In South Carolina the
State agricultural bureau reported cotton
acreage /, AL ,983, and increase n, 734. In
Georgia a slight increase of acreage was
reported, and fertilizers were used with
moderate liberality. Towards the middle
of May bad weather and cold nights set
in, and on the I'D and 23d frosts appeared
here, extending south TO Columbus, Miss,
and Selma, Ala, within one hundred
miles of the gulf coast. 1t gave cotton a
stunted appearance, and the average CON
dition hereabouts was reported at 78 per
cent, the lowest in ten years, and 10 per
cent hollow ieei' OatorPillers appeared III
Butler County, Ala, May l4th and twen-
ty days earlier than ever known. They
were also reported in Victoria and Rob
efison counties, Texas, about the same
time. Dry weather set in throughout
Southern Texas early in June, and by the
end Of the month cotton had suffered So
verely, while gardens had dried up and
the prairies were almost a desert from the
effects Of the sitting heat. Picking for the
first bale began in Dewitt county about
the end Of June. The drouth continued
in Texas, and a week ago the
country about Galveston, Indianola,
and the lower half of the State,
was reported with the vegetation parched
up by q hot sun and want Of moisture.
Nearly two-thirds Of the State was seri-
ously damaged by the drouth. STREAMS
are dry, grass is dead, and both man and
beast are suffering" said an authority,
and cotton picking was progressing ac-
lively, with prospects that il will end I'M
usually early, From one-fourth 10 half a
bale to the acre is the estimated yield in
the dry districts, and the indications point
TO a falling off in the yield of at least one
third as compared with last year. The
area in cotton in that State Is given by
the Agricultural Bureau at 3,07O. 600.
The condition in Louisiana, Alabama,
Mississippi and Georgia promises better
than Texas, and the season has proved
more favorable, though several weeks of
very dry weather occurred in Louisiana
and Alabama during July and August
AS q whole much less than an average
yield is anticipated. In this vicinity the
indications are for nearly an average
yield. The prospect has improved con-
siderably during the past month. The
rainfall has been uneyenly distributed, and
right here we have had no soaking show
ers since the I'D of June. The rainfall
kawa NraA. Mar,k IL =. A.N - -.
22.SS inches, barely three inches less than
last year. The surrounding country has
generally enjoyed a fair average amount
Of rain. There are neighborhools which
have not been thus favored, and in many
localities the corn crop will be quite
short. The cotton and corn prospect is
good to the north of this all the way to
the border Of the cotton belt, 100 miles
further up, both along the Mississippi
river and on the railways. OF course the
intermediate country Is in equally good
promise, except as before remarked, in
narrow strips not favored by showers. To
the south and the east, as we'll as the
west, the indications are fair and the
early entry into market OF numerous
lrst bales is evidence that the crop is ma
turing and opening early under the
influence Of the recent dry and fine
ripening weather. By the end Of the
third week Of August ten new bales were
received here, and to-day 30 bales. Pick.
ing began along the lower Arkansaw river
valley last Monday, and will be genera
throughout the Memphis district by tn,
end Of next week. The yield ofthis sec.
ton while il may fall slightly below al
average will be a good enc, and the con.
dition Of the cotton so far sent in is gooC
and clean, with the staple fair and strong
Comparative Exhibit of the Cotton Crol
From 1870 70 1882.