Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1900-10-03
PICKING OUT THE FLEECY
STAPLE.
Rapid Progress In Gathering the
Cotton CrOp-Its Smallness
Demonstrated.

being made In gathering the crop,
which has been rapid under ex
tfemely favorable weather con
.ditions, except in northern Texas,
Arkansas and Oklahoma where
heavy rains somewhat retarded
the work, and damaged open cot
ton. 1t does not appear that any
considerable amount Of lands were
inundated and the current reports
are largely exaggerations.
1t appears that in many Sec
tions the bulk of the crop has
been picked, and that, by reason
of there being so poor a prospect
for top crop, picking will be
finished much sooner than usual.
Naturally there is no improve.
ment noted in the condition of
cotton, nor is there deterioration
but the progress of picking dem
onstrates the smal.ness of the
current crop, especially in the
Atlantic States.
In North Carolina picking cot.
ton made fairly good headway
during the week under the favor.
able weather conditions. In many
counties the crop is now all open,
and over three fourths gathered.
Some correspondents express the
opinion that all the cotton will
be picked by the middle of Octo.
Der. All previous reports of
very short crop have been con.
firmed.
In South Carolina cotton is
nearly all open and picking made
rapid progress to the extent that
from some fields all has been
gathered. The bulk of the crop
has been picked, Yields have
not improved, although the pros
poets for a small top crop are
good in a few localities, if an
carly frost does not kill it. Sea
island cotton improved slightly
and in Beaufort county will yield
an average crop. Blight contin-
ues in the Charleston districts.
In Georgia the lact of rain dur
ing the week has been most con-
ducive to the picking of cotton,
which is monopolizing the time
of all who have not finished this
branch of work. In many fields
the cotton has all been picked out
while in others about half the
staple is gathered and much has
been placed on the market. Ow-
ing to the advanced stage of this
crop no change in the condition
of it resulted from the recent
rains except in a few counties
where it was more or less dam.
aged by rot or sprouting. 1t is
not thought this damage amount
ed to very much, as no further
mention is made of it this week.
In Florida the high temper
atures stimulated cotton in open
ing, and the absence of general
rains was favorable for picking
which has been carried on actively
over all sections of the state. The
greater portion of the cotton crop
is open, and, in many sections,
the bulk of the crop has been
picked. The top crop will amount
to very little, except on lowlands,
where the conditions are more
favorable than on uplands.
In Alabama cotton continues
to open rapidly and prematurely,
and picking, ginning and market
ing are progressing about as
rapidly as this staple opens,
though scarcity of labor is retard
ing this work in a few sections; /;
it continues to yield slightly, with
no top crop worthy of considera
ton it is now estimated that
the bulk of the crop will be pick.
ed in week or ten days.
In Mississippi the fore part of
the week was cool, being favor
able for cotton picking, the rains
of the latter part retarded picking
for few days. The rain came
too late to improve the condition
of cotton and in many sections
was very damaging to that which
was open. Cotton is opening fast