The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-26
THE VALUE OF COTTON
FIGURES SHOWING THE
COMPARATIVE VALUE
OF SMALL AND
LARGE CROPS


country towns Of the south come 10
close contact with their local sgrioul
tural, industrial and business interests
and ere 10 position. therefore, TO
judge accurately of those copditicns
sod to reflect the sentiment of their
respective communities Recog uizipe
that fact and believing that Just az
present conditions are most Interesting
in the south. the Man nufac,urers' Reeord
recently sent letter to bank in every
county seat 10 the south asking for
information 80 to present facts and az to
the outlook for the fall and winter. In
reply many letters have been received.
The msjority of them, coming from the
cotton growing sections, point out that
while the crop is short. the very high
prices now prevailing will more than
Offset the small crop and give to the
farmers greater profits on cotton than
for many years. Some of the letters
from other portions Of the sonth are
lees hopeful by reason of th. uall corn
crop due to the severe .sou,h In COO.
oection with tho cotton situation. il
SCENE probable tha. the crop will be a.
least 100000 bales. and possibly
more. though come able experts sntici.
pate that the yield will be considerably
less. Eveu should the crcp reach
$500. 600 bales. the grea. shortage iu
the worlds supply will probably main
tain prices at not much below the
present. level Of about loo a pound, or,
roughly speaking. say. $50 bale, and
IT it should fall below this figure prices
ought to corrsspondiuRly advance
On the basis Of $780, 900 bales this
would give valuation Of $475 900, 900,
which would be by far the most valua.
Bile cotton crop raised 10 this country.
That OF lS65-66 raised just after the
close Of the war, when cotton was com.
msodiug au average Of Dearly 5000 a
bale aod when the crop was 2,20O, 600
bales. yielded $432. .00N. 600. and the next
WAS the crop Of 1890 81. of 8, SOC. 900
bales. which was worth $3.50, 900, 900
The average value OF the cotton CROP of
the six years from 1893 "a to 1898 80
was $500 600, 900. the loves, 10 tbs,
period being 1882 900. 900 for the
crop of 1898 80. which was 1924.
900 bales. Las. years crop Of 9,4OO,.
600 bales yielded 1868 600. 900 or
$S1 900. 900 more than ;he preceding
crop. On the basis of q possible vaIua.
ton of $475. .0O0.0OO for this yesr's
crop. tbs difference to the south ss
compared with the crop of 1898 80
would be over $780, 900 900 Taking
last years crop aud this crop together
aod tho total valuation on the basis Of
40 estimate of $465 600 900 for this
years will be $83s. 900 900 for tho
two ye'rs. sgaiOst $500. 900, 900 for
the 'w" proceeding years. showing a
difference 10 favor of the cotton plant
ers Of sbe south Of 1926. 900 600 for
the ~" email crops seaios, the two
preceding crops each of which exceeded
IL 600. 900 bales.
1t w, Of course, possible that the
yield will not only fall below $500.
600 bales, but below 9 900, 900, but.
If tbis should be true, the price would
probably advance to point sufi oisut
to mske up the difference But with
even 100000 bales a. the presen,
selling price of $50 bale. the value
would be $3.50. 0o0, 900. which would
still be the most valuable cotton crop
which the south ever produced
With a probable valuation Of $780,.
100000 this year. and possibly q still
higher value, the south will doubtless
be 10 better 6uanoial shape than for
many years.
IL l8909l a crop of $3.50. 90 bales,
the average price per pound Ct mid.
ding uplsnds 10 New York for the
year being 9 O3 cents. brought $780,.
600. 1000. aud from this figure there was
rapid decline to 1924 900. 900 10