The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1899-10-21
A SHORT COTTON CROP.
Predicted bysan English Buyer,
Who Has
just Made an Extensive Tour Of the
Southern Country.
PREDICTS A BOOB.

really 0elleVe, from uy OoeerSdsAOus'
1t will be very much less than that, and
It is my candid opinion II will not
exceed 9,0O0,00o."
This was the reply of Mr.. A. ]. Bus
ton, senior member Of s. Bust0n & Co.
one of the largest cotton brokerage
firms OF Liverpool, to an interrogatory
as to the condition of the cotton crop
throughout the south. MI. Buston ar
rived here today, and is regarded as
authority by the English cotton buyers
Of fGalveston. He is thoroughly posted,
ard Is one Of the keenest observers In
the cotton business. He makes regu-
lar-Jearly trips through the cotton
belt of the south to study conditions.
He has Just completed his annual tour,
which has carried him through every
cotton-producipg section, and there.
fore is competent to speak authorita-
lively. When seen tonight he said:
"My advices from Liverpool are that
the general opinion there is in crop
Of 10, sou, 600 bales. With such views
held on The other side am almost
afraid to state what my trip through
the cotton growing regions has shown
10 me. have Travelled on slow trains,
have left the railways and visited the
plantions, and have examined the plant
in the fields.
1.-THE same territory has been traver-
sed by me before, and I tell you the cot
ton planters themselves do not realize
how short is this crop. In North and
South Carolina and Georgia the cOndi-
tions are the worst I have ever seen
there. In Alabama and Mississippi the
plant shows the best of any places
1 have visited; yet there the yield will
be below last year. In Texas condi-
tiOns have not been exaggerated. In
north Texas there are fissures In the
earth six inches wide. owing 10 the
drou,h. One thing l particularly
noticed was the few bolls on the plart
aud their smallness; the seed, too, was
light and miniature. Generally speak,
ing, the cotton picking will be over
throughout the south by the close Of
this month and 1t will be picked clean.
There will he no top corp for the
reason that the plant is dead.
II have never seen the whole cotton
belt so parched as this year. The
creeks are dry, water has to bo hauled
for stock purposes, and, the most sig
nificant of al, the COTTON gins were shut
down four and five days out of every
week, and the cotton seed mills have
been able thus far to secure only one
half the supply they had up to this
time last year, although higher prices
have been offered, and in face of the
fact that this has been a remarkable
year for picking cotton. Summing the
whole situation up, the unprecedented
drouth, light receipts, small bolls,
great falling of in receipts Of cotton
seed, dry creeks, gins working only
one or two days week, returning
home Of cotton pickers, all lead TO but
one conclusion, and that is, that the
cotton crop has been cut short, which
l know to be afact from ocular ooserva'
tions." -,
'sIs cotton being held. Mr.. Buston?''
ITO some degree" he replied, "but
by no means to the extent reported"
"Do you consider the government re-
port as to tie condition Of the crop cor
rectp"
"Yes."
"What, then, 10 your estimate Of the
cropp" His reply is given at the BE-
ginning.
''How about prices!
"Ah! there's the ruo; there 10 no
telling when Liverpoo ! will awaken Ia
realization Of the true situation,
Liverpool, New York and New Orleans
have been discreuiting short crop re-
ports and predicting their opinions on
= 10,6O0, 600 bale yield, and on this
basis have been trying 70 shake the
southern holders out. He realizes the
strength Of bis position and is able to
hold until the truth dawns upon these
ma rkets, when there is going to be q
lively time In the cotton market. How
soon the music will begin, cannot
prophecy, but I want To be In Liver
pool when 1t commences. I will leave
here tomorrow for New Orleans, and
am booked 10 sail from New York: on
the 25th on the Majestic"
Mr.. Buston complimented the Amer
icau spinners on their sagacity In pur'
chasing their supplies Of the staple
when the market Was low, while the
English spinner, discrediting short
crop reports, will b compelled to buy
an inferior staple at decided advance
Mr.. Buston not only does . large bust
ness IN lint, but 10 Interested In sever
large cotton seed oil mills in the south