Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-05
COTTON CROP LETTER.
The Crop Estimated at Seven Million Bales. An Increased Acreage Would Be
 Harmful.

Will publish tomorrow a letter from All fred B. Shepperson in reference to the cotton crop, in which he says:
 The year which has just ended will be a memorable one for the cotton trade, in- asmuch as it recorded the lowest price for middling uplands ever reached in Liverpool, except when the same low figure 3 to 1-32 pence per pound was touched in November 1894 The lowest price in New York for forty-eight years was also reached in November. 1894, and repeated at intervals to March, 1895. The largest crop ever produced in America was grown in 1894 and marketed in the commercial cotton states in 1S94-95 From the low ebb of March l. 1895, there was one of the most remarkable reac- tions ever known when prices advanced in New York from 9-16c on March 1 to 9ssc on October 15 for middling upland cotton. matter of 1916 cents per pound.
 This great advance was due in part to the improvement in the general business of the country, but chiefly to speculative buying of cotton futures. On account of the comparatively high prices which ruled in September and October much of the crop of 1895-96 was marketed at good prices. Much interest is nov felt in cot ton circles in regard to the extent of the crop now coming in and in the question
 
 this year.
 I am satisfied that large quantity of cotton has been held back in the interior by country merchants and farmers on account of the sudden and serious rou- tine which occurred in the middle of October.
 I anticipate comparatively large re- ceipts in January and think the crop will probably be about 100000 bales, with a possibility of even more.
 Excellent weather for maturing and picking and long delay of frosts partly compensated for unfavorable conditions earlier In the season.
 In view of the very large stock of cot ton at the beginning of this season in the American and European markets, and in the hands of spinners, and the fact that much larger shipments will cer- tainly be made from India, Egypt and Brazil than last season, do not think there will be any such scarcity of cotton as would advance the price to such an extent as to justify any increase what ever of the present cotton acreage in this country at the expense of a reduction in food and forage crops. l think that an increase of our cotton acreage would probably cause lower prices of cotton for the remainder of this season, and cer- tainly for the next season also, unless the weather conditions for the new crop should be extremely unfavorable.
 OUR CEREAL CROPS. Their Value and Quantity as Estimrted by
 the Agricultural Department.
 Washington, Jan. 1.-The estimates by states and territories of area, product and value of the principal cereal crops of the United States for 1885, made by the statistician of the department of ag- riculture, are given as follows: Corn-Area, S2075S30; product 2,151.- 1000; value, s567. .509. .000; yield per acre, 26.2 bushels; farm price per bushel 264 cents.
 Winter wheat-Area, 22,6os, ,s22; prod uct. 261. PAP. .000: yield per acre, 11.55 bush- els.
 Spring wheat-Area, 11,438, ,010; prod uct, EOS. .S6l, ,000; yield per acre, IS bushels. Total wheat-Area, 34,047 332: product, 467, ,103 900; value, $237 ,939, 900; yield per acre, 13.7 bushels: farm price per bushel. 50.9 cents.
 Oats-Area. 27,s7s, ,4o6; product. 24,444,- O00 value, $163, ,655, 900; yield per acre, 26.6 bushels; farm price per bushel, 19.9 cents.- Rye-Area. 1.S90,34 product, 27.210000; valLc, $11 ,965. 900; yield per acre. 14.4 bush els: farm price per bushel, A cents
 Barley-Area, 3,299, ,973 product. 87,573- GOO; value. $29, 312, 900; yield per acre, PA bushels: farm price per bushel, 33.7 cents. Buclwheat-Area. 763.277; product, 15- 341 ,000; value. $6936,000; yield per acre, 201 bushels; farm price per bushel 45.2 cents.
 Potatoes-Area, 2.s54, ,952; product, 297.- 237 900; value. S7S.9S5, 900; yield per acre, 1006 bushels; farm price per bushel, 26.6 cents.
 Hay-Area, 4,2o6 453; product. e7.o7s,- 54f tons; value, $393. 1S6, ,0O0; yield per acre. 1.06 tons; farm price per ton. sS.35