Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-04
THE COTTON CROP. Condition of This Years Output Comps>d With Last
 v SHOWS lS GAIN IN BALES,
 E While 2 ne Consumption Is Gres A / Decreased-A Care- $ ful Compilation.
SHOWS $ GAIN IN BALES,

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 3.-secretary Hes- ter's New Orleans cotton exchange report on the cotton crop was issued in full to- day. After stating the crop for 1S93-94 at 7,649, 879, an excess of s49, ,452 bales over last year, he says the largest part of the gain was in the group of Atlantic states, consisting of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, which ran ahead 548, ,0O0 bales.
 The gulf states, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, increased 351,- GOO, while Texas dropped off 59,000.
 MT. Hester puts the average commercial value of the crop at S37 50 per bale, against $42 50 last year and $37.50 in 1S91-92, and the total value $283, 118, GOO, against S2S4 750, ,0O0 last year and SS39, ,S12,- GOO the year before, showing the remarka- ble fact that while the output of the past year has been 849, 452 bales in excess of the year before it's commercial value is S1 ,632,- 900 less.
 He says that with an average Of 7l5 cents per pound, which the crop brought, planters as a class would have been bank rupt had they adhered to their old policy of all cotton and little or no food crops, and instances the significant fact that the cotton states produce over $148 ,000, ,000 of corn, nearly all of which was consumed where grown.
 In relation to acreage he says published estimates are still unsatisfactory, aud comments on the change of base on that subject by the United States agricultural department being first made known through an English source.
 From this t @ seems the statistiCian of the ppinon that fRss giving in sss as his 20, GOO ,000, or more than 8 3,uu1poOO c cnukhe deductions heretofore drawn from (e- partment's official reports.
 suit of his Investigations into the movements under new system that several hundred thousand bales have hith- erto been credited by the trade to gulf states which properly belonged to Atlantic states, and that facts show the seat of cot ton production has not been moving vest ward as rapidly as supposed.
 The commercial crop in bales is given as follows in thousands of bales for 1S93-94:
 Alabama, 925; Arkansas, 825; Florida, sippi, 9l6; North Carolina, 426; South Car olina, 750; Ten nessee, etc., 275; Texas and Indian territory, 2o59. Total crop,7 ,65o.- 900 bales.
 In relation to American mills MT. Hester says the season has been anything but la vorable north or south. On the beels Of their largely decreased takings for 1S92-93 northern mills show further reelection for the past season of S6, 113 bales. The effects of financial stringency and delay
  also exercised decidedly depressing in- flueuce on the industry south, and for the first time since the war setback is to be recorded. Instead of an.increase of 37 ,000 bales, which with anything like last years trade, would have resulted from bringing into full play the new spindes added in the south at the close of last year and the early part of the present season, southern co assumption has fallen off 25, 393 bales.
 The total takings north as shown below were ,601, ,173, against ,687, ,2s6 last year and 2, 190, 766 the year before, while the mills south report as their consump ption, including takings from ports, 718, ,515, against 743, ,s4s in 1892 93 and 6s6,CS0 iu 1891 92.
 Commenting on the outlook for cotton consumption in the south, MT. Hester says; With return to normal conditions there is room not only for an increase of 62, ,000 bales per annum in the product of mills now ia operation, but its tables show twenty-one new mills not completed, with nearly 100, ,Ooo spindles,. besides thirty-s idle mills, with 130, GOO spindles, good part of which could be brought into play. In other words the south has 2,600,0o0 spindles, with consumptive capacity of S25 900 bales per annuin.