The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1903-09-06
SUMMARY OF
COTTON CROP
Annual Report Of Secre-
tary Hester.
PRODUCTION IS i0.727,557
Alabama's Yield Was 1885,
600 Bales for Year.
The Returns to the Farmer Not a.
Large a. Should Have Bsen,
Despite High Prices at the ~
Close Of ths Season.

New Orleans, Sept b.-Secretary Aes-
| ter's annual New Orleans Cotton Ex-
change report was issued In full today.
He puts the cotton crop Of 1sce-B at TO-
z27, $50 bales, an increase of 46,s7s over that
Of -02, an increase OF 34l,137 over that
of 1900-19W, and an increase OF ], 1ks
over that of 1S99-1900 He says that
compared with last year. in round figures
Texas, including Indian Territory has de-
creased 10000 bales: the group known
as other Gulf States, consisting of
Louisian. Arkansas. Mississippi, Ten
nessee Oklahoma, Utah and Kansas has
increased $4,000 and the group Of At
lantic States alabama, Georgia, Flori-
da, North Carolina, South Caroline, Ken
lucky and virginia) has fallen OF l54.0oO.
Mr.. Hester's report on the cotton crop
of the different States IL given as follows
in thousands Of bales:
Out Put by States.
Alabama l.050, against 1890 last year.
Arkansas Il ,00o against $40 last year.
Florida, 60. against 81.
Georgia ], 40 against LES
Louisiana ss4. against $50.
Mississippi 1.404, against 1.J1
North Carolina SIS, against $50
South Carolina, $50. against s25. :
Tennessee, etc. 500. against $50. s.
Texas and Indian Territory asst. against
2,ses. ~ "a II = -.
Total crop 1o.72s. against 1854.
He makes the actual production Of Tn
dian Territory 49, E3 agains: 3c9,s so last
year; OF Oklahoma $780, against $780,
s12 last year and of Missouri S. 0s again !:
31,412 last year; the two last being IN.
cluded under the head of Tennessee"
etc. 49, ~ ft6$t
Hesputs the average commercial value
0f tit4n AZ 70 aazfNs&t
last year ~ @ the year before ani s3s.ss
IN 1saiksA as1d tide total vaine OK ,he cr6s
/ at s3eA77a.Mt against $4Ss 0f4es7 last year
and St94.5t7, 10 the wear before.
II ref ence to this total valde Mr..
Hester says that while the crop as q
whole brought a good return. notwith-
standing the high prices during the latter
part of the season, the outturn has not
been as great as was expected. The total
value. carefully figured out is in round
figures $42.756,0Oo above last year, but II
is less than year before last when the
crop was 344, 600 bales under this year by
nearly $4,000, 900.
Cause Of Small value.
''The cause" he says. will be made
apparent when 1t is stated that in the
crop Of 190O-1901, September averaged 10.
cents per pound and that from October to
February the monthly averages ranged
from $50 in October to 9.21 cents in Feb
ruary, or stated in bales from $52.47 In
September to $E.42 IN February. This
year the range from September to Janu-
airy average monthly values) was 1888
cents to S.61. the price of 8 cents not be-
ing touched until February when nearly
900 bales of the crop had been mar
keted, the monthly average sales OF which
were from $40 to little over $44 per bale.
Another important feature that affected
values more or less was the result of the
unusual and long continued rains which
reduced the grade of the Texas crop and
of the section tributary to New Orleans.
Other sections were more or less affected
from this cause hut not to 50 great an
extent. Mr.. Hester puts the average re-
duction Of the grade of the crop at from
lie to is.
Further referring to crop values. he
statesi when 1t Is considered that the
combined values OF the past three crops
resulted in payment to farmers, common
carriers. merchants and other handlers
of over 81 As. O0O. 900 their Importance as the
great factor in the prosperity Of the South
may be fully appreciated"
He makes the actual growth for this
season as 0,709, 900 and remarks that the
commercial crop more nearly approximate
ed the growth of the season than ever
before.
Sp1n01oS In south.
He puts the total spindles in the South
at S24S,275. an increase over last year of
7S5. 2sS. These include 1.1s4245 in new mills
not yet completed. The net gain in the
number of Southern mills over last year
has been "a, making the total now TAO.
OF these $50 are in operation, 80 are idle
and 81 are in course of erection.
The consumption has been divided as
follows: Alabama. 21.SO4, an increase of
10. 1913; Arkansas. 2,S15 an increase of
452; Georgia. 425,699, an increase of 1880;
Kentucky. 1856. decrease of 4,S4O; Lou
isiana. 1909, decrease of IA; Mississippi,
81 1881. an increase Of 1901; Missouri. 4723,
an increase OF S94; North Carolina. 55l. sO2,
an increase of 23,314; South Carolina,
6l3275. a decrease of 1870; Tennessee. A.
sos, a decrease of 1.H7; Texas, G,607 an
increase OF 6.275; Virginia. 42.OB. a de-
crease of 1,935. Total consumption of the
Soouth, 2000.72S bales, an increase over
last year of g. 5S and over year before
last of 379 1913 In reference to the general
manufacturing industry of the country,
Mr.. Hester says that notwithstanding
the endless discussion of stoppage of
mills, short time and interference with
consumption by high prices, American
mills have practically used every bale
they could obtain and the limit to their
consumption has been due to the scarcity
of cotton. This applies to the mills as a
whole. In the large number of estab-
llshments. North and South, there have
been many exceptions where short tim.
and partial or temporary suspension has
been due to high prices for raw material
without corresponding Improvement in
manufactured goods
Not Enough Cotton.
The fact is, he goes on to say, that so
far as domestic mills are concerned. there
has not been enough cotton to go around.
The season has and has not been salts
factory Most of the mills bought or con-
tracted for their supplies early and as the
rise in price for raw cotton to cents
and above did not take place until nearly
% per cent of the crop had been market
ed. they were actually in excellent shape.
In the South, from 10000 to 10000 bales
more would have been consumed had con-
ditions during the latter half OF the sea-
son been normal as to supply and price.
Of fhA NaIl .f aFatR lof frr.