The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-06
CONDITION OF COTTON
u.IN NEEDED GENERALLY OVER
THE ENTIRE COTTON BELT.
WEATHER NOW THE FACTOR.
pRICEs PROMISE TO STIFFEN IN
TIL MOISTURE APPEARS.

persons Returning From the In
.erior Say Plant Is WiIting-Con-
ditions in the Sea Island Cotton
BeIt Bad-Crop Suffering From
1uirht-Market Closed Yesterday
and the Trade Studies Crop Con-
ditioms-Outsfde Markets.
While the markets were closed yes
,orday and no news of Importance was
re,eived regarding the cotton crop it
&c nevertheless known that in some
etions the plant is in a damaged
ambition. with the possibility of it's
being killed. The drought is RESPONSE
BILE.
The interesting feature of the situa-
tion at the moment is the apparent
seriousness with which the trade
abroad are taking things. On our bull
,sh government report Liverpool nose,
and on the drought reports a slight
Improvement in demand and further
rise is reported. Many believe they
realize the Importance of getting into
the American markets and picking Fp
the unsold cotton, for if the drought
cuts the present crop short, prices are
pretty sure to rise.
Rains are reported as badly needed
in several sections of Georgia, Ala
hama, Mississippi, Florida, and in fact,
the entire of the cotton belt. Travel
ers returning from the interior say the
nlant looks wilted, and that rain is
needed generally. And unless 1t comes
in the right volume they say it will
he as damaging as no rain at all, as
the plant is just now at stage or It's
growth which calls for intermittent
showers rather than heavy downpours.
Mr.. ]. w. Conner is just back from
birmingham. where he went on bust
ness. He is interested in cotton, and
naturally noticed the condition of the
crop on his way going and returning.
He reports that in Alabama rain is
badly needed, and that a few days
more of the present drought will bring
on irreparable injury to cotton. The
plant looks wilted, he reports, and is
at A stage which requires the right
amount of rain. Too much viii be
worse than none at all, Mr.. Conner
states. At some points Mr.. Conner in
CURED particularly as to the exact
stage of development. and from his
kNOANlEuSG Oh lHe Dldlll hllOAo Juol
about the amount of moisture needed.
Mr. H. H. Peoples. the hardware
dealer on Congress street, west, is just
back from South Carolina points. While
he did not find cotton actually suffer
ing the plant needed moisture, and by
this time he is quite sure conditions
are more serious than when he was in
the country. In fact, he has later
information to the effect that moisture
is urgently needed
John G. Mason of Scotia, S. c.,
Hampton county, reports cotton in
need of rain. Ephraim Smith of Fer
men reports the same from his section
of Hampton county.
Reports to the Savannah Cotton
Trade Journal from the sea island sec
tons of Georgia, South Carolina and
Florida are to the effect that the crop
is getting into bad condition. Three
weeks ago it's condition was unprece-
deRtedly good, with no complaint from
any quarter. Neither farmers nor fac
tors recalled such perfect conditions.
Never was the crop more promising.
During the past ten days, however,
great change has come, and reports ara
decidedly more bullish. In Carolina
blight is reported, and the plant wilt
ing. Unless rain relieves the crop, con-
servative reports say there is a possi-
bihty of its failure. In several sections
of Georgia blight is also reported, and
rains are needed in several sections.
Leaves are reported to be dropping
from the plant. Florida reports are less
favorable than they We're two weeks
ago. 1t is an old belief among the sea
island trade that apparently perfect
conditions during the early season fore
1un small crop. The trade appear to
be awaiting confirmation of reports. It
Is predicted that if the present advices
are correct the effect will be decidedly
bullish upon the sea island cotton mar
let.