The Grenada sentinel., 1899-11-11

when. after the severe, hot Easter
ly winds that prevailed during
August, when the plant looked
wilted and as if it were not posi-
Bile to make another bale. The
month of September opened un-
der the most favorable auspices,
developing a large top crop, add,
ing million bales to the yield OF
that year. 1t is passing strange
that in the past twelve crops we
have no season that we can COM
pare with this year, except posi-
bly, portion Of 1896. The hrst
part of September was very unfa-
v,orable towards developing a top
crop, until the latter part OF the
month, when the plant put on a
second growth in late planted COT
ton and very low land. The
month of October has developed
some top crop, under these condi-
tions, but there is no top crop IN
the upland districts. In answer
to this query, our correspondents
report very little top crop made
during the month of October.
The reports we have received
about the top crop are therefore
very disappointing. 1t is an old
axiom among farmers, that any
fruit put on the plant after Sep
tember fifteenth never natures,
and this has been fully verified
this year in regard to the top
crop.
In verifcation of our estimate,
our replies indicate that picking
was finished in three.fourths of the
cotton belt by November lst. and
that the balance would finish, on
an average, in Is days. Therefore,
it is logical to assume that it was
impossible to raise full crop and
pick it in this short space of time
when at least one-fourth of oul
correspondents state that pic king
: has been finished in theirl district
fifteen or twenty days ago.
| In dry year it is almost imPos
: sible to pack heavy bales
i, Therefore, we call your attention
: to the difference in the weight .
;, bales, compared with last year
S Our reports show that the weigh
, of bales throughout the entire
A cotton belt will be from ten t.
S twelve pounds lighter than las
r year. =,
Y In dry year the tendency i
e always to underestimate a crop
: and it is generally under-estimat
f de by all crop statisticians, ant
: therefore, we have concluded tt
: give maximum estimate, ant
e give the advantage of the doub
h to the larger side of the crop. Il
5 former years it has been our prac
e tice to issue minimum estimate
S and state that we are satisfied tn
t crop is at least SO much. One Q
IS the questions asked by us wa
j. how much seed cotton does
V take to make a 500 pound bale c
n cotton. Last year the genera
y estimate placed it at about $50
l. pounds; this year it takes fror
s. 1000 to I.G5o. ltseems that Te>
i as has the worse crop of any fror
our reports. Southern Texa
st seems to be 5 per cent. bette
IS than last year; Central Texas
1t per cent worse, and Northern Te,
e as, which comprises one-third
l. the State, 80 to 40 per cent wors
S: Arkansas comes next in deterio
W alton, followed by North Carolin
IN South Carolina and Georgia. Mi
1t sissippi, Alabama and Louisiar
J. are nearly as good as last year.
IS In asking the questions of OF
d correspondents, we laid particul;
;e stress upon one question, "Ho
much old cotton is left in yo,
p country?' So that we might est
g mate this crop, then add to it tt
j. old crop remaining on hand, sea
s, tered throughout the cotton bel
= Our estimate is as follows:
, Alabama, l,o54,oo