The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-11-21
THE COTTON CROP.
WHAT Mr.. ALF. 3. SHEPPERSON HAS
TO SAYABOUT1T.

WHAT Mr.. ALF. 3. sHEPPERsoN HAS
TO sAYABoUTlT.
The Largest Crop Ever Made Was Nine
Million Two Hundred Thousand Bales In
1SoO-91--Half Million Acres Less Plant
ed this Year.
CHARLESTON. S. c.. Nov. 14.-With
a view to finding out just how much
credit was to be given to the recently
published statement of the present cot
ton crop Of 100000 bales, and to
put before its readers trustworthy
and intelligent statement of the cotton
situation at the present time, the
Charleston News and Courier applied
to Mr. Alfred B. Shepperson, of New
York, the well-known cotton statisti-
clan, and author of that invaluable
trade medium Of the cotton trade, Cot
ton Facts, and received the following
reply:
New YORK, Nov. s.-Cotton has de-
clined again today, chiefly I under
stand upon crop estimate Just is
sued by Mr.. Neill of New Orleans, that
the crop will be over ten millions of
bales. The crop is undoubtedly a
large one, but confess that am un-
able to see any basis for such large
estimate. The largest crop ever grown
in this country was that which was
planted in 1890 The yield of that
crop was probably 9,200,000. The
commercial crop OF that season was
S,674, 900 bales and the difference be-
tween this and the quantity which
have given as the probable yield was
marketed in the following season.
There is no evidence whatever to
prove that the acreage of the crop now
being marketed was any larger than
that Of the crop of 1S90-91, nor is there
any evidence to my mind at least, th.
the weather conditions have been
more favorable this year than in 1890.
! am at a loss, therefore, to understand
to what cause or causes can be reason
ably attributed a yield so much in ex-
cess of the monster crop of 1890.
The acreage in 1890 was about 90
100000 acres, and do not think any
one has claimed or will claim that it
was any more this year. The depart
ment of agriculture has been making
since Feb. 1, careful investigation
of the cotton acreage and has en-
ployed special agent for the purpose,
who has travelled throughout the
South, and has investigated the mat
ter, as am infoSasd, in the most
thorough mannef possible. The Act
ing Secretary of Agriculture wrote
me on October 25, that the result of
the investigation was that the acreage
in 1898 was 19,525.0OO acres. There
has been but small increase in acre
age this year over 1898, the depart
ment of agriculture calling the in
crease less than 1 per cent, so that the
acreage of the crop now comin;; in is,
according to the department of agri-
cultures estimate, about 19, $50, 900
acres.
Let us assume that the department
has underestimate it somewhat and
that the acreage is as much as:20, ,6O0,
900 acres. This, as you will see, is
500, 900 acres less than 1890, and yet
we are asked to believe that upon an
acreage Of 500, 900 acres less than in
1890 a crop of million bales more
has been grown. am not prepared
to accept such a conclusion, because
| it is utterl ' repugnant to reason and
common sense.
At these low prices, or anything like
them, the tendency will be to largely
increased consumption of cotton ev-
erywhere, and there will evidently be
upon the part of spinners a general
disposition 20 buy cotton greatly in
excess Of their wants for the season.
because at these prices they can well
afford to carry in the mill warehouse
a large supply of cotton in the next
season.
There can be no question that unless
the price advances very greatly by the
time for planting the next crop that
the acreage devoted to cotton will be
reduced to an extent that it never has
been curtailed before, from one year
to another. So great reduction in
elSISdSC "Ou4O S.itlSC Dcy yOuu oO4OS GIL
advance as great and as rapid as the
decline has been. When preparations
were made for planting this crop mid
ding cotton was worth S cents in New
York, and should there be great re-
duction of acreage this spring it will
be very likely to go to s cents again
soon after the next crop is planted,
and the world recognizes the fact be-
yond dispute that the acreage has
been, and consequently that the sup
ply of cotton will be greatly reduced.
I sympathize deeply with the South
ern people because of the great depres-
sion which has overtaken their staple
crop, and from the manner in which
cotton is being rushed to market it
looks to me as if when the advance in
cotton comes it will not benefit the
planters because they will have sold
all of their crop, and that the spinners
and Spectators alone will reap the
benefit of the tardy ivance.
Yours very truly,
ALFRED B. SHEPPERSoN.