The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-23
COTTON IN GOOD CONDITION.
DROUGHT HAS DONE No SERIOUS
DAMAGE As YET.

DAMAGE As YET.
MIR. Julian ClarIS's Months Obscrva-
ton OF the Cotton Fields of Geor-
Ein. Alabama and MiSsfSsippi-Thc
Crop in the Southern sections of
These states in Very Fine Condi-
tion-In Northern SECTIONS It Il Not
Quite SO Good-Some Very Poor
Crops To he Found in Small Areas.
Round BALE Men WorkinEeHnrd to
Secure the Introduction of Their
PresseS-The Ginners. However,
Arc Disposed to the square Bale
and Are Converting Their Presses
to Standard.
Mr.. Julian Clark returned to Savannah
yesterday, -after a four weeks tour of the
cotton fields of Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi. Mr. Clark is with Mr.. i. A.
Cuts. and the "Trip was made in the lat
ter's interest. lie covered practically the
whole of The territory from which Savan-
nah draws her cotton, and is, therefore,
qualified to speak with authority upon the
subject OF the condition Of the crop
Mr. Clark is of the opinion that the I'M
1dNOIdlc reports ~ 4itNtl nave b''44 it
ceived recently as to the condition of the
cotton crop are unwarranted, aud that the
condition of the cotton crop generally is
all that could he desired
"T-he general condition of the crop is
fully up 10 the average as COMPARED with
previous years" said Mr.. Clark. NO Sc
rious results from the long drought are
apparent as yet. The cotton is spotted in
some sections. and in many scattered
small areas Is very poor Generally. its
condition is fully as good as it was at the
same time last year The crop is the
cIeanest have ever seen. There is hard
ly a furrow to be found with grass in it.
The season was the most favorable for
working that the farmers have had in a
long. time. and it was evidently taken adj
vantage of. 1t is true there is considerable
apprehension on account of the drought,
but I do not think this apprehension is
warranted Cotton is a sun crop and can
stand drought much better than # can an
excess Of rain"
in Southeast Alabama, Southwest MS
eissippi and all of Georgia south Of Macon
The crop is unusually fine" said Mr..
Clark. I'm the northern sections of these
states the crop was pitched late ana is
small and not well advanced. OF course
the reduced acreage and the reduction in
the use of fertilizers will affect some re
duction in the yield. The reduction I'm the
acreage does not appear to me 10 be very
large, about per cent l should say. The
reduction in fertilizers IS about IS per
cent. Many successful farmers are now
using entirely domestic fertilizers of their
own manufacture and l observed that
some of the best crops are those on which
only domestic fertilizers were used"
The round bale men are working
hard" said Mr.. Clark, II ran across them
everywhere. They are bringing all the ar
gument they can 10 bear upon the country
ginrers to get them to put in their press
es. The chief inducement offered is that
they guarantee TO buy all the cotton pack
ed by the giuners using their presses. They
do not sell The presses, but lease them on
royalty of 81 a bale. The ginners are
very slow to be convinced, however, and
are more inclined to stick TO the square
bale. The best evidence of this Is that the
ginucrs are generally remOdelng their
presses to conform to the standard size. |
believe that 70 Ter cent. Of the next crop
VIII lie packed in standard bafes"
Another evidence that the round bale
people are not making much Roadway is
the amount Of compress machinery that is
being sold this year. More new and pow
Crful compress machinery has been sold in
the South this year than ever before. This
would hardly be the case if the compress
people thought their business was about
10 be decreased by the introduction of the
round bale"
Contrary reports continue to be received
from Southwest Georgia. A report from
Albany yes erday announced that the crop
in that section was In very bad way, the
plant blooming at the top and the small
hollis bursting open from the heat. a re-
the same section, announced that the crop
there was in good condition. there having
been fine rains there and an along the
route to Savannah.