The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-29
The COTTON ACREAGE OF 1899
SAID TO BE A TOTAL DECREASE OF
-FOUR PER CENT.
Texas Is Put Down hs bei"s
Per Cent Less Than Last
Year.

The New York journal of Commerce oil
May "A says
The area remaining to be planted to cotton
ls SO small that it is possible now to deter
mine approximately this years acrehse'
Whatever OF Importance might arise IN the
in n. ediate future could not possibly change
the present estimate materially.
The indicated decrease is placed at per
cont or a total breadth under cultivation oil
q, s69, 100 acres, as contrasted with 2o.s96'oVo
acres last year. Alabama and Mississippi
show no change from the previous season !
Louisiana shows a slight increase and the
largest decrease occurs IN Georgia, whieh
equals Q per cent. fne decrease Ia the bdl-
Ance OF the States ranges from 10 per
cent, as follows. Norm Carolina B, south
Carolina ., Florida o. Texas 3, Arhansas =
Tennessee and the territories per cent
The intended acreage yet to be planleu aver
ages per cent, which would be equal TO TWO
million acres in round numbers.
Naturally, the largest areas unseeded are
IN North Carolina and Virginia, ~ 10 II per
cent, respectively Arkansas and Tennessee
u per cent each, Texas and Oklahoma, 10
per cent; Alabama and Louisiana, per cent
South Carolina and Mississippi, 3 per cent
Georgia, per cent and in Florida 1t is COM
pleted.
The weather for the past three weeks has
favored rapid progress In farm work. Plant
ms has not been Interrupted to any extent
during this period, and the tardy start mas
largely been made up. This Is clearly shown
by the fact that on the corresponding date last
year 30 per cent of the crop mad been put in,
whereas this season % per cent has been
planted difference of but per cent IN
favor OF last year when the record for pro-
duction was established In 1897 but 81 per
cent had been seeded by this date.
Over extensive areas cotton has not at
tanned visible growth, but where it has the
! condition returned ~ cent
| on the nearest following date, June l, last
year
Reports as to the early planted are gen
orally of a very encouraging nature, and such
paintings over the more southern and centra
sections OF the belt are being chopped to
good stand AT the same time this encour-
&C ing phase of the situation is at least par
| tally offset by the backward growth of late
cotton. While rains during the week resulted
H. some benefit they were not sufficiently
| general to reach all sections where needed
| The plants in Mississippi have especially sui
fered from the lack of moisture and more
| rain in South Carolina Georgia and Alabama
would be highly beneficial.
In comparatively few counties in the cen
| trail States east of the Mississippi river anC
| in Southern Arkansas insects are reported L
have made their appearance and their raw
| ages have begun But, on the whole, the crol
| may be said to he unusually free from pests
| not be reasonably considered at this time be
| yond tho limits of an ordinary season. Ever!
/ year insect life constitutes more or less o
| a hindrance to plant development, aud unles
| they become unusually numerous or thei
| rayages cover exceptionally extensive areas
| their appearance can only be looked upon a
an ordinary incident OF plant growth, witt
probable results not more adversely prciu
| diced now than at the corresponding pero
| of growth In previous seasons.
The crop as a rule Is clean, with the eS
ception of those districts in the Trausmissis
sppi States where excessive rains prevente
cultivation In such Instances weeds hav
an almost equal growth with cotton and dr.
wea Their is needed TO clean the crop and cho
! II 70 a stand More recently night tempera
| lures have become more seasonahle, and owe
| North Carolina. northern sections of Soutl
Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, where TEL
days ago u was stated that growth was re
tarded by The 4lel -,sno complaint I
now made.
The following statement shows the esti
mated acreage under cultivation last year
Ithe increase or decrease this year. as base
unon 100 representing last years acreage. an
the approximate number OF acres planted thl
season