The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-09-06
Damage to Cotton.

| very llCilc cicuclce. mere mas Dccn Il
decided advance in the price of cotton
since this prediction was made and the
present price seems steady. II there
were any general faith in il crop Of
twelve, or even eleven million bales Of
course no Use in the price would lave
been possible and cotton would have
been much lower than it is at present.
That the crop will bc much less than
eleven million bales seems now to be
certain The decreased acreage would
have brought the growing crop consid-
erably below that of last year with ap-
proximately equal conditions. but the
conditions arc decidedly worse now
than they were 4 year ago.
The new Orleans Iicayunc. as good
an authority as any other newspaper
and one which is noted for the fullness
and accuracy Of its cotton news and
statements has Il commentlablc editor
ial on the cotton situation in the course
of which it says:
'sThere can be no doubling that much
damage has resulted to the cotton crop
from the protracted dry spell and en-
tremely hot weather during the present
month. While the damage has been
no doubt exaggerated in some cases,
the fact nevertheless remains that ma
terial damage has actually been done.
and the promise OF the yield has been
materially lowered.
'.It should be remembered that at
this time Of the year the buying inter-
ests are persistent in endeavoring to
create the impression that there will be
a large crop, so as to force the bulk OF
the yield to be thrown OH the market
at low prices, thus enabling spinners to
accumulate stocks at a low level. Ac-
cordingly, as soon as general rains have
occurred, and such rains are among the
probabilities of the coming month,
there will be q strong effort made to
make it appear that all damage which
has been done by the dry weather will
be promptly repaired in the advent of
rain. While the rains will no doubt
prove beneficial. the damage which has
been done by the heat, particularly
where the shedding of fruit has occur
red, OF where the shriveling up Of the
bolls has taken place, is irreparablc.
This should be kept in mind, and hold
ers OF cotton should not permit them
selves to be frightened or cai0led into
sacrificing their property by the rain
reports. Should the rain delay much
longer, it is probable that the moisture
will come too late, and be rather q de-
tliment to the marketing OF such cot
ton rs has been slved than benefit to
that which has been damaged or ruin
ed. Protracted rains within the next
few months would prove quite as dis
astrous us the drought, as they would
beat down and damage much OF the
cotton in the fields. delay picking and
seriously interfere with marketing the
crop.
Southern producers have not shared
the general prosperity of the rest of
the country, because they have been
compelled to part with their cotton
crop at ruinouS low figures. There is
now an opportunity of securing some
improvement; hence they should not
allow themselves to be cajolcd or in
duced to part with their cotton at low
prices through Il fear Of q heavy crop.
1t is impossible that the vast number
of reports as to the damage done by
the drought can be cxaggerations, and
in the light of such information the
producers must be well aware OF the
crop prospects and arc i'll Il position to
make the most oil the situation.
This is probably a fair statement of
the condition and prospects OF the crop
and the advice of the Picayunc is Ger
tainly good. 1t will pay the producers
of cotton to heed it.