Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-07-09
COTTON PROSPECTS.
A Few Words of Congratulation to the
Cotton Grower.

Few Words OF Cong ra tulation to the
Cotton Grower.
Cotton planters are to be congratu-
lated on the prospects of good crop
this year, and much better prices than
they received for considerable por-
ton of last years crop. The bearish
feeling In the market at present is due
to marked improvement in the con-
dition of the cotton fields of the south.
In most sections the crop is late, but
comparatively little damage is report
ed frosts, worms, washouts, rains, dry
weather or other cause The effect of
favorable crop reports on the market
may put prices down some, but they
are not likely to stay down even with
continued favorable reports.
There are two reasons for believing
that the market will not return to the
prices of four or five months ago. One
is based on the increased activity of
the cotton mills on both sides of the
Atlantic. The demand in Europe for
cotton is strong and it is likely to con-
tinue so throughout the year. On this
side every mill is running and has or
ders ahead to keep it going for months.
This is very different from the situa-
ton last summer. For several weeks
the mills of two of the principal cot
ton manufacturing cities of New En-
gland were closed on account of a
strike. All summer long the country
suffered from business depression and
good prices were out of the question.
With the restoration of confidence
came orders to replenish depleted
stocks and the cotton market has adj
vanced nearly fifty per cent. in conse-
quence.
With a continuance of general BUSH
ness prosperity both here and in Eu-
rope, the only thing likely to put the
market down very much would be an
enormous crop of new cotton. There is
good ground for believing that this
years cotton crop will be the lightest
in several years. Even should the
yield per acre be as large as it was last
year, the country's total production
would be fully 10 per cent. less than
the crop of 1S94-95. This fact alone
should tend to keep the market up,
particularly at this season, when the
result Of the new crop is unknown.
According to the Financial Chroni-
cle's estimates-based on reports from
several hundred correspondents from as
many different points-this years cot
ton crop acreage is liz per cent below
last years. The total acreage Is
placed at 17,767,66 acres. or nearly
2,25o, 900 less than We had last year.
This is the smallest cotton acreage
the country has had since 1884.
The Chronicle reports that North
Carolina has reduced her acreage ~
much as 30 per cent. Texas had Z, 49,
600 acres in cotton last year. She pro.
duces nearly third of all the cotton
grown in the United States. and al
most fourth of the worlds entire
CROP Her acreage this yeer il placed
at 8, 1852, 136 acres, reduction Of II per
cent Our next largest producer,
Georgia, reports q reduction Of Is; and
Mississippi. neat in rank - cotton
producer. ono OF 10 Per cenk Florida's
reduction is only per cent, bns her
cotton acreage is never large. Every
other state shows decrease Of not less
than 8 per cent; and also eYery terri
cry except oklshoma-
| Mizsosris reduction y estimatfd =
Il u