The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-22
A PROMISING AGRICULTURAL OUT
LOOK.

AOpCl III NAC SOoNh - IAN o1A-
theme Of newspapers as we'll as the
weekly cha of trade journals. The
great money crop in the south for
farmers is cotton. 1t has been so for
many decades. 1t is said that cotton
mills have orders now for goods for
1901. But there is a probability that
the cotton supply will not hold out
until the next crop is ready for mar
ket. If that should turn out to be true
then cotton must advance. There is
almost certain in any event to be a
heavy demand for cotton by h fall
of the year. Already we read of plant
ers disposing of crops in advance.
Writers put the crop price for text
at ~ cents. 1t is farther asserted
that the crop of 1900 will not equal
that of 1898, when it was 1,275, 900
bales, and North Carolina grew $50, 600.
Florida and Tennessee are the two
states that produce less than our own
state. 1t is estimated that the crop of
1898 averaged 5 cents per pound. The
total yield at hat estimate is given
at s2S5, S75, 900. Then it is estimated
if the present crop turns as
hoped for and fetches ~ cents aver
age that it will aggregate SAP, SOC, 900
an increase over that of 1898 of $780,
625, 900. The smaller crop brings more
money than the large crop, which is
an object lesson teaching that very
much hangs on the price.
Mr.. Richard Spillane writes in the
ST. Louis Globe-Democrat of this esti-
mate that s13O, 625, 900 relates only to
the lint. In 1898 cotton seed was sold
at a very low price. Now it commands
a much higher figure. The higher price
of cotton seed will mean that the ex-
cess of the price of 1900 for cotton and
cotton seed as against 1898 will be
fully so per cent"
Some $500, 900 will be added to the
lint sale making a total of $137, 000, 600
as the gain over h a l of 1898. But
mark this-the cotton is only a part
of the south's farm products. Its total
from the farms would make the man
ufactories look small as yet. In Texas
cotton forms out 40 per cent. of the
Agricultural products. Mr.. Spillane
Writes:
eff Texas raises this year $500, 600
bales of cotton and sells it for TX
cents per pound, hat would mean
$131, $50, 900 to Texas alone for cotton.
In 1890 Texas had 1900, 900 inhabitants
Now the population is probably 5000,
900 or more. Figuring on a population
of 5000, 900, the cotton crop of 1896
would mean $43.75 per capita or S21S.75
per family"
The dawn of prosperity has begun
for the south. With r~emunerative
prices for a few years n III south
land would be indeed most prosperous
"a veritable Land of Goshen" The
following from the same writer carries
a lesson for study. He writes:
Now she is promised the tremendous
leverage of a handsome financial re-
turn for her great staple. Through
this money every industry Of the
south will broader and quicken in ac-
tivity. Through it the power of the
south in industrial development will
be increased and fastened. Nothing
more forcibly illustrates the change
in the economy of the south than the
fact that ten years g 7k cents was
considered a low price for cotton. II
was then said to be less than the cos
Iof production. Now ~ cents pei
pound for cotton will be great wealth
and wonderfully stimulating pros
Iperity to the SOUTH"
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