The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-11
COTTON CROP OUT OFF.
A Decline in Averages Of 8 per Cent.
for October.

AO3 OSbOD0Is
WASHINGTON, Oct 1o.-The statistical
returns of the department of agriculture
report a material decline in the cotton
prospects, the fan in general percentage
being from IS to so. State averages as
follows: Virginia 90. North Carolina OIL,
South Carolina 83, Georgia So. Florida 81,
Alabama 80, Mississippi rs, Louisiana S3.
Texas II, Arkansas so, Tennessee 83. The
largest deterioration has been in Tennessee,
Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. on the
fertile and productive bottom lands of the
Mississippi river. The cause is too much
rain. The excess of moisture, coupled with
lack of sunshine and reduced temperature,
delays opening, causes immature bolls to
droop and full grown ones to rot, induces
the sprouting of seed aud discolors open
cotton near the ground and discharges the
coloring matter of the bolls. staining the
fiber. The value Of the crop will be some
what reduced by the discoloration.
The high expec ,ations OF the early season
was first reduced by early droughts and
later by more or less continuous rains from
North Carolina to Eastern Texas
In the more southern districts there is
some complaint of the boil worm, with little
mention of the caterpillar. The effective
ness of insecticide, when persistently ap-
piled, is frequently attested.
YIELD OF THE CEREAL CROPS.
The October estimates of the yield per
acre for the entire breadth of cereal crops,
as cons lidated by the department of agri-
culture, are: Winter wheat 1913 bushels
per acre, spring wheat lis, total wheat
crop Iii, oats 1913, barley 81. rye Ills
bushels.
The condition of corn is 70.6, instead of
70. l, as last month; of buckwheat 90.7,
instead Of 90.5; potatoes 61.7, instead of
65.7; tobacco S5.4, instead of S2.4. There
is practically no change IN the general
average condition, except reduction of
four points in potatoes and an increase of
three points in tobacco.
The effect of winter frosts upon wheat is
shown by the low rate OF yield to have
been severe. The figure would have been
lower but for the reduction Of area by
plowing and planting of the worst fields in
other crops.
HIGHER RATES OF YIELD.
Some of the higher rates in principal
states are: New York 152, Pennsylvania
12, Ohio 1875, Michigan 15.2, Illinois 11,5,
Missouri 11.2 Kansas 3.5. California IL,
Oregon Is. The crop made q very low
yield throughout the south, where the
acreage is small In the Ohio Valley the
variation In yield. In different counties. as
on farms in the same county, has an extra
ordinary range. from five to twenty-five
bushels, and In extreme cases from one to
thirty bushels. One county in llli-
nois claims ''the best crop in
years." and another "a poorer crop than
was expected Soil in good condition that
had thorough tillage, made the best yields.
Rocky Mountain areas made high averages
in spring wheat on limited areas. The Da-
kota yields varied from bushel or two to
twenty-five bushels, making an average of
nine bushels per acre. Minnesota returns
10 and Wisconsin 12. 3 bushels.
The estimated yield of oats is 1913 bushels,
which is the lowest ever reported, probably
reducing the aggregate product more than
2O0, 900, 900 bushels.