The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-05-20
COTTON REPORTS
ARE VERY GLOOMY
Continued Drought Has Had a
Bad Effect
is SAME IN ALL STATES
Commissioner Poole Issues Detailed
Report on Conditions Up to the
Present Time, Compiled
From Correspondents.

montgomery, May D.-(SpeciaI )-In a
statement given out today Commissioner
OF Agriculture Poole tells of crop condi-
tions in number of southern states, es-
pecially dwelling on cotton conditions
The report in detail says.
From our correspondents we have re-
ceived 500 answ ers to enquiries sent out.
There has been an increase of 6 per cent
in the acreage of cotton. While this in
crease has been set aside for cotton the
acreage actually planted has not reached
an average CROP owing to the protracted
| drought during the entire spring. The
| stands are generally the poorest for many
years. Drought with the continued cool
weather has been unfavorable to germina-
ton and growth.
"Rains have fallen in middle and north
eastern Alabama, but not sufficient for
the needs of the crop. Southeast Alabama,
row acknowledged to be the best cotton
producing section of the state, has re-
ceived little, if any rain, and the crops
are sufferinf. Bugs, of some description, a
new and unnamed species, have attacked
the crop in southeast Alabama, and are
doing some damage.
Gloomy Reports.
spondents report the crop as very late
with prospects gloomy. l consider the cct-
ton crop in Alabama in a very serious
condition, and unless the weather becomes
more favorable at an early cate, l expect
to see much of the land set aside for
cotton put in corn and peas. River lands,
as a rule, have not been planted. The
acreage of corn has been decreased 10 per
cent in Alabama. The stands are fair, ana
while the drought is now beginning to
take effect our correspondents report the
corn crop in a fair condition.
"Oats and wheat have been seriously
tdamaged by the drought, and the pros
pect for these crops is very poor IN
deed. Labor is reported very scarce In
most sections of the state; to this we
attribute the small increase of cotton
acreage Our farmers generally would
have largely increased their acreage, If
labor for cultivation could have been Sc
cured.
Georgia Conditions.
"From the commissioner of agriculture
of the state of Georgia we have received
the following report:
i" There is little If any Improvement in
the cotton situation in the state OF Geor-
gia The weather has continued cool and
dry during a great portion OF the time
since spring set in. The weather during
the last week was dry except that light
scattering showers occurred on last Satur-
day Drought, however, continues in many
sections and the soil in practically all
counties is too dry for termination and
growth. Cotton is making little or no
growth. large percentage of late plant
ings is not up; stands of early plant
| ings continue poor. Many fields are sui
implanted owing to the protracted
drought. Cultivation is in progress in the
! ,Nft CT 10 A fnNy
lions report favorably as to cotton, but
take the cotton situation as whole in
the state, | regard the outlook as gloomy,
even worse than this time last year.
" Wheat and oats are failing rapidly
owing to the lack of moisture Even corn
is beginning to show the effects of the
extreme dry weather. A few peaches are
being shipped from South Georgia. This
I believe covers the situation in our
state. There will be no May grass to
fight during this year
From Other States.
| "Our reports from other states show
the following conditions, VIZ:
"From South Carolina the rain fall de-
tciency continues in all parts of the state
with drought prevailing except in linn
tied localities Since the beginning of the
crop season the deficiency in raiE ranges
from four to seven inches. The drought
with cool weather has become serious
| throughout the state. Wells are failing
and water courses are dry. The stands
of cotton range from good to very poor.
Late paintings are not yet up, especially
| in the driest sections The nights have
been too cool for rapid growth of cot
ton and plants are dying in the southern
counties.
an North Carolina similar conditions
to that of South Carolina and Georgia
prevail.
In Mississippi early cotton and corn
is generally small with only fair stands
but the cultivation has been good in Mis-
sissippi as well as in North and South
| Carolina and Georgia. The drought has
been broken In Mississippi however, and
showers have been reported in the last
eight or ten days, which has materially
improved conditions in Mississippi.
Good in Arkansas.
an Arkansas cotton planting Is pro-
crossing rapidly and is now well ad-
vanced Most of the early planting of
] cotton Is up, the stand is fair to good, but
/ little replanting of cotton will be neces-
sary. The early planting has been work.
ed out for the first time. Conditions
generally are better in Arkansas than
some of the other states.
1.-THE planting has been completed in
all sections of Louisiana. The late plant
ing is coming up with good stands No
complaint of drought in Louisiana, how
ever. cool nights over the central and
northern portion of the state have caused
a slow growth but the conditions of the
crop is better than former reports. Gull
tivation has kept pace with the growth
of the plant and fields are generally
clean and the cotton crop looks promis-
ing
@Texas cotton is backward but made
some improvement during the last week
as a result of more faorable temperature
conditions. Rains have been plentiful.
the fields becoming grassy, particularly
so in the central and northeastern coun-
ties, however in the western half of the
state cotton planting has been delayed
on account of the drought. Acreage In
this section of the state will be larger,
in excess to that of last year. Our re-
ports from other states are meagre and
unsatisfactory"