Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-02-17
THE COTTON CROP.
A Synopsis of the Returns From the
Cotton Country and a Satisfactory
Showing.

A synopsis OF the Returns From the
Cotton Country and a Satisfactory
Showing.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The follow
ing is synopsis of the returns of the
cotton crop to the Agricultural Bureau
to date:
Returns of product in bales make an
aggregate OF over 6,S00,O00. distributed
In thousands of bales as follows: Vir-
glnla, "a; North Carolina, ASP; South
carolina, GIG; Georgia, 900; Florida, 81 ;
Alabama, 7S4; Mississippi, 1912; Louis
lana, 5S9; Texas, 1926; Arkansas, 6S7 ;
Tennessee, SS7; Missouri, 25, and other
territories 222.
The unusual length of the season for
maturing is given very generally as an
important factor of increased prOduc-
ton. The late growth was so vigorous
/ In portions OF the area cultivated that
much unmatured cotton was destroyed
by frost, notwithstanding the lateness
of the sasOr. This destruction of
green bolls was comparatively heavy
In kdgecombe county, N. c., Franklin,
Hale and Lawrence, Ala. Naxubee and
Benton, Miss, Blenville and Point COu-
pee, Louisiana. central Texas, Dallas,
Arkansas and in ~Fayette county, Ten
nessee. Wherever the growth was
most luxuriant and yield the heaviest
this apparently was the greatest. In
Marion and Warren, Ga, the growth
was shortened by September storms.
On Red River and in Northern Texas
there was loss of cotton and injury to
staple by rains in picking the top crop.
AS the whole season was unusually
favorable returns are nearly unani-
nous in declaring the staple longer
than usual, whittier and comparatively
free from trash. Few report shorten
ed staple. In parts of Georgia there
was some loss of quality from storms
and the late picking of the Southwest
was injured by frost and rain. The
amount of lint produced in proportion
to seed is reported greater than usual
by ne.half by twO-thirds of all returns,
excepting in Virginia and Missouri,
where the majority report the usual
average yield. In very few counties is
the rate of yield less than the average
The marketing of the crop is most adj
vanced in Florida, Georgia and South
Carolina, but one sixth remain
lug on hand at the end of
OF 1882; in Alabama. Mississippi and
texas, one IOurJn; IN louisiana, Ten
nessee, Arkansas and Missouri, the pro.
portion was somewhat greater. From
these returns it is probable that about
II per cent. of the crops remaining in
the farmers hands. The date of finish
ing the harvest reported for each coun-
ty, varies from November to February.
The average for each State is: Florida,
Dec s.; Georgia, Dec 5; South Carolina.
Dec II; Alabama, Dec II; Tennessee.
Dec II; Mississippi, Dec Is; North
Carolina, Dec %; Louisiana, Jan 4;
Texas, Jan g.; Arkansas, Jan 9.
The caterpillar was present in three
fOurths of the counties of Texas and
Louisiana; and in two-thirds of those
of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
The destruction was less general in Ar
kansas and Georgia. The injury was
everywhere slight, and with few ex-
ceptiOns was not appreciable in Virgin
ia, North Carolina, Tennessee or Mis-
souri,. The loss is calculated at about 8
per cent. in Louisiana; in Texas; IL
in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida,
and 1 in Georgia. 1t probably amounts
to eighty thousand or ninety thousand
bales in all.