The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-12-09

| is malntalpeG), IL order 10 nave Inc
stocks of cotton in markets and mills
at TIE end Of the season no less than
at its commencement. 1t NAV be we'll
10 add that the stock Ia European
markets on October 1st was only 69i,-
1000 bales against /, COS, 900 the previous
year. Not only were the stocks at the
European ports less than at the begln
nipg of any season since 1890, butthe
stocks at the mills are estimated by
Mr.. Ellison, ofLiverpool, as only SOL
000 bales (of 500 pounds neO against
602, ,0G0 last season.
Opinions differ generally IN respect
to the size of American cotton crop
now being marketed. It was grown
upon the acreage estimated By the De-
partment OF Agriculture as16 per cent.
more than the previous year. a much
larger quantity OF fertilizers was nsed
than for any preceding season, the
fields were well cultivated, and up tc
about July goth all the conditions were
favorable to very large crop. About
this time there came a period Of un-
usually dry and hot weather, and the
long drcuth injured the crop seriously
by causing the shedding of forms and
young bolls and arres,ing the growth
Of the plants.
1t FASTENED the ripening of tue boltS,
however, to such an extent that on o.
tober 20.h the maturity of the crop
was undou bte6ly an average Of %
days in advance of the previous crop.
The reports Of the department OF agrI'
culture indicated decline in condi'
ton of t2 / during the month OF July,
15.9 during August and 35 during
September. The condition on July 1st
| was called 90 (oeing the highest
since 1879 and on October 1st II was
called COZ, the loss Of SIS per cent.
in condition since the former date, be-
ing distributed as I have stated. As
the weather was generally favorable
in September, with seasonable rains, |
think the promise of the crop was act
ually bettsr Cnstead of worse on o.,
tober 1st than on September 1st, and
that 81 S per cent. will prove to be
quite an exaggeration Of the injury
from the droutn and heat in parts OF
July and August. It is well known
that there were no other serious causes
of dansee as the effect Of hot, dry
weather is to destroy caterpillars. The
department failed to issue on Novem.
Der 10th it's usual estimate Of the yield
of cotton per acre. but simply an
Inounced that it would probably be
somewhat larger than its October re,
port promised"
The departments October estimate
of condition, applied to its June estl-
mate of acreage, would indicate crop
of only 7,s25,00O bales, but reliable
private advices point to very much
larger yield. Owing to the earliness
of the crop and the lateness of general
killing frosts (November Sth) very lit
tie cotton was cut off by frost. In
view of the increased acreage AID the
favorable conditions for the growth
and maturity OF the plant, with the ex.
ception Of The drouth in portions OF
July and August, I think the crop
will be about S, 500, 900 bales, and the
receipts to this time are quite in cen
formity with this view. The new crop
grades well but its spinning quality IS
inferior owing to irregulari.y OF staple.
Should the revival of our business
sc.ivitv not be checked by unwise leg,
islation or by difficulties with foreign
countries, the very strong statistical
position OF cotton should within a
short time attract such attention that a
higher range of prices could reasona-
bly, be expected for the remainder OF
the season. Unlike the purely specu
lative advance of ofSsptemoer and Oc:o
Der, 1895, the advance would be
healthy and legitimate, for it would
rest upon a full demand coincident
with a comparatively small supply.
The revival of business would enable
the market for cotton goods and yarns
to respond to the improvement in the
raw material, thus insuring that sta
bility to prices which is alike for the
best interests of the planter and the
spinner. Higher prices, however,
should not induce an Increase of our
acreage in cotton next spring, for had
the weather conditions been favorao ole
this year there is no doubt but that
the crop grown upon the present acre
age would have been more than ample
| for all requirements and that much
lower prices would now prevail.
The following is an approximate
estimate Of the prouction of cotton in
the world in 1895 96, expressed in
bales of 500 pounds net:
United States.............. 600, OOC