Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-01-19
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
The Cotton Crop Of lsss-sa


The cotton crop OF 1889 may fall |
short Of 100000 bales. II it comes
within 10000 bales of this amount it
will do so in the face Of the general
impression at the South, as shown by
the replies to Bradstreet's inquiries.
As uzaal at this time of the year we
have endeavored to obtain facts re-
garding the probable yield Of this sta
pie crop. The report contains the sub
stance of the replies of 1896. CORE
spondents in o54 out of 657 cotton-pro-
ducing counties of the United States.
As regards area covered and replies
received, it is the most comprehensive
cotton report ever made by Brad
streets.
The total yield by States is based
ipon the estimates of production made
by our correspondents, no provisions
or allowances being made for error or
underestimate on the part OF the cor
respondents. Readers of Bradstreet's
will understand, therefore, that the
figures given arc those OF the 2, 266 cor
respondents of this journal.
Unlike the 1887 crop, that OF 1898
is late, and unlike the preceding crop
She present crop has suffered from too
much moisture. The plant did not get
such a good start this year as it did in
1887, and the picking season has not
been nearly so long or favorable as
that of 1887. These and other condi-
tions must be recognized in considering
the cotton crop us must also the in
crease in acreage this year, which
amounted to 409,0 acres, or per
cent.
The returns by States show the wide
spread prevalence of unfavorable
weather conditions throughout the
picking season. Damp, stormy wealth
er arrested the growth and interfered
with the picking. This is in sharp
contrast with last fall, when practical
ly the whole crop was saved in excel
ent condition. Nearly half the replies
to the question as to weather report
it bad, whereas in 1887 81 per
cent of the replies received re-
ported good weather. The absence of
good reports is especially noticeable in
the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf States
and the Mississippi valley. In ArlSan-
sas and Tennessee weather conditions
have not reached fair, and Texas and
possibly Western Louisiana alone note
the prevalence of fair to good weather.
| The effects of this and some damage
from frost have influenced the replies
to The top-crop question. Fully one
halt of the top-crop replies note either
very small out-turn or none at all.
| Nearly two-thirds of the replies to the
I question as to the influence Of Noyem-
Der weather were TO the effect that the
crop had been reduced by it. In 1887
/ 25 per cent of the replies rs to the top
crop reported a good crop gathered,
whereas this year only Is per cent
of the total number of replies (more
than double last years totaD report
good top crop. A year ago
the unfavorable replies constituted
one-third of the whole. This year
they are. as above stated, about one
half. Killing frosts the first week in
November are reported to have been
general in many sections. They be-
came general in Texas by November
10. The progress of harvesting, in
terefered with by bad weather, was
slower than in 1887, with the result
that the proportion unpicied on
November 80 (Gverago date of replies)
vas IS or IA per cent. throughout the
belt.
The quality OF the crop has suffered.
Forty-Gve per cent. OF tie replies to
questions rs to quality report 1t lower
than last year, and % per cent. OF the
replies report the quality equal to last
year. The favorable replies come chiefly
from the States where good weather
was reported. About IS per cent. oil
the replies received report the cror
movement this year to be as rapid,
If not more so. than in 1887
The financial condition of the planter
seems hardly so favorable rs last year.
Thirty per cent. of the replies report
it less favorable than last year, while
in 1887 the like percentage was but 90
AS to the yield of the crop as d
whole. l, 4S5 out of 2,2l2 replies lover
81 per cent.) report probable de
cline in yield. In 1887 only AZ per cent
of the total number of replies report
ed decline. Our correspondents
placethe yield of cotton by States a'
follows;
IS g ssa