The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-01-21

York Cotton Exchange, 41i5. 600 bales o.:
our crop had come into sight 70 10th
inst From the corresponding tim. 10 the
end of last season there cane into sight
according TO the New York Chronicle
3.5G9, 600 bales, and according to the New
Orleans Exchange $500 900 bales The
New York Cotton Exchange did not com
pile the in n-sight figures" for last sea
son. Should the cotton movement here
2fter equal that of last season. the com
mercial crop would therefore. be some
what over 10, co bales. averaging
about 4S3 pounds net. against the De-
partmcnt Of Agriculture's estimate on
December of 9,G7i 600 bales averaging
46S pounds net The fact is not general
" known that the departments crop es-
innate was based upon the reports 10 il
of the yield of seed cotton (Which CON
tains the SEED. which are removed from
the lint by the process OF 5inning). in
stead Of the lint cotton cor cotton Of com
mercel. as in previous years. No one
knows the reason for this radical depart
ure from former methods, except per
hapg. the Secretary Of Agriculture. Who
has declined to discuss tha matter in any
way with one of the Oldest. best known
and most highly respected firms in the
is no reason whatever for weighing their
seed cotton, and therefore a great many
of the reports sent TO the department
must have been mere guesses The
quantity Of lint cotton obtained froW 100
pounds of seed cotton differs with the
soil the weather conditions and the
methods of cultivation, but the statisti-
clan of the department undertakes to as
certain correctly the average yield OF
lint from seed cotton by some process
peculiarly his own. Instead of asking as
heretofore. directly for the yield of cot
ton. the department. obtains guesSes at
the yield of seed cotton and then the de
partlnent itself guesses in Washington
at the yield Of flint cotton from the coun :
try guesses Of the yield OF seed cotton.
There have been many predictions re
Gently that the receipts would soon fall
off sharply but the cotton continues to
come forward in liberal volume and it
seems probable that the movement, GER
tainly for several weeks Will be greatly
in excess of the receipts for the same
period last year. To the 10th instant
200 COO bales more Of our crop had come
into sight than to the corresponding time
last season. With even a considerably
less gain over last years movement than
recently, it seems evident that by the
end Of January the gain over last season
viii! be quite 400 600 bales, thus indicating
q crop Of about 10 800 600, should the
movement thercafter equal that of last
season. The receipts after February I
last season were comparatively large.
and q smaller movement for this season
may rea sonabiy be expected. unless the
now crop should b" unusually early and
add materially to the August receipts
People are making all kinds of eXpla-
nations OF the large receipts except the
most natural one-that the yield was
greater than many supposed it would be.
While present indications would seem
to justify the expectation Of crop OF
about 10 800 900 bales about four pounds
lighter than last seasons weights, 1t does
not follow that prices should not improve
when receipts finally fall off and stocks
diminish.
ALFRED B. STEPHENSON.
Ncrl~ Iap {