The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-03

A. s. Johnston, a cotton expert of Me- ridian. Miss. who gives much of his time to a study of the conditions exis- tant throughout the states of Mississip- pi Alabama and Louisiana. as well as the south in general, has issued a letter In which the growing cotton crop is com pared with that of 1897.
 Appended to this letter are his letters in the latter year, in which he made es- inmates of the crop in June and August. The letter regarding the present crop Is as follows:
 Meridian, Miss, July 9, 1902
 The month of July can pc properly called a most favorable one for the grow ing crop, although, with it's advent, con- tinual and alarming cries were heard on every side of the far reaching and wide spread disastrous results supposed to have been brought about by the drought, then at it's height
 The writer can add but little to what has been written, said and wired, so far, concerning this crop but instead will apply two of his letters, dated respective ly June 2, 1897. and August 2, 1897. which should about cover all he could say upon the present situation and conditions. The acreage this year being about 10 per cent greater than in 1897. it will thus be seen that in the opinion of the writer a crop of 12,100,000 bales is not beyond the range of possibilities. It might be well to say, should the crop prove so much as twelve millions, 1t should be considered an ex- treme case. The country being bare or cotton, very little can be expected from this source to swell the size of this crop, but the writer has long since learned that nothing is impossible with so won derful plant as the cotton plant.
 There is nothing stranger than fiction, except history repeating itself. hence in placing before the public the letters here in reproduced, as being applicable to the growing crop, your attention Is called to the brilliant conditions surrounding the crop of 1S96-97, and the disaster occurring in early August that not only shattered the bright prospects of that crop, but swept to the winds several fortunes, which by over confidence, had been plac- ed upon the winter months at a heavy discount
 Present prices are being controlled en- tirely by what are generally considered most brilliant prospects, and with a con- tinuation of favorable conditions may be forced to a lower level. At present prices. or anything lower, spinners should not hesitate to purchase for actual deiiv- cry UT ConlTdclS lO cover lfelT needs, either in New York, New Orleans, or in Liverpool Should anything unfavorable occur, and there Is plenty of time in which 1t can take place. the producer will reap the advantage of high prices that will be the inevitable result when specu- lators realize they have sold too freely of something that did not exist at the time sale was made.
 The government report appearing Au- gust 1, giving the July conditions, will likely show an increase over that issued July as to the June conditions.
 In June, 1897.
 Since our circular, issued on the 9th ult., we consider the weather for the growing crop as beirg extremely favor able, although much has been written and teiegraphed regal ding the cool nights and dry weather which we have exper- fenced during the month of May. Re- earding these particulars we have learn ed in the first place, that a very neces- sary thing for the foundation of a cot ton crop is, first, to secure a good stand, and the next necessary element is ex-