The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1905-07-22
THE COTTON CROP

The Agricultural Department has
made publis its July report showing
the average condition OF the cotton
crop on June IS. The Department lg-
ured out the percentage of condition
as II, which is practically the same as
that OF month ago, which was TIA
This indicates that the cotton crop,
already backward and i'll poor shape
at the end OF May, made practically
no progress duringt he moneh OF
June, when commonly the crop I'M
proves rapidly The poor condition OF
the crop according to the Govern
ment's idea, is Indicated by the tact
that the percentage reported IS 20
below the ten-year average, which Is
$40
OF course the July condition IS no
true indication of the ultimate sixe OF
the crop, as many things may happen
after July I to improve conditions and
add to the ultimate yield. The prin-
cipal feature about the present july
average is that it is a surprise to the
trade, as small Improvement had
been counted on While the weather
hsa been far from good during the
past month, and the backwardness
and poor quality OF the crop made 1t
peculiarly susceptible to unfavorable
influences, it was, nevertheless, be
lieved that some betterment had TAX
Ell place from the exceedingly poor
condition at the end of May.
Whatever the crop may ultimately
f-ove to be, or whatever may be
thought of the Government report it
i If, there can be no overlooking one
| TACT, namely that the low average re
| ported by the Government has added
/ .reatly to the value of the balance
o. the 1904 crop still held in the South
aad promises to aid in maintaining
| prices for the new crop. 1t is ONE
! thing to be warned by so high an
I authority as the Agricultural Depart
ment of the General Government, that
a very moderate cotton crop IS to be
ooked forward to. As the mills are
contracted ahead for cloths for more
than a year it is obvious that they
cannot safely trust to the new crop
TO provide their supplies OF raw ma
terial We may. therefore, expect t.
see quite lively competition TO Sc
cure the remnant Of the old crop.
It now looks as if the e normou.
crop OF 1904, which at one time threat
ened the trade with an immense SIR
Iplt,S, vii be practically all ABSORBED
before the new crop begins to move
1t IS probable enough that a gool
Ideal OF this cotton will be found j,
surplus msll stocks. but there will no
be enough carried over in that SHAPE
TO permit the next crop to meet &C
tuai consamptiye demands except a
a materially higher range OF values.
While the advance Of nearly a GER
a pound in price which took place wa
truly sensational and might seem IN
reasonable under ordinary circun
stances. nevertheless in the light .
the possibilities held out by 50 pe
July report by the Agricultural n
APARTMENT. the aivanee appears to hav
been fully warranted In this age .
speculation there are bound f. BE I'D
lent fluctuations owing to the dis
position To discount all conditions we
IN alvance. but aside fro mthis peer
lialy speculative phenomena. tler
seems good grounl Tor telling conf
dent that long period OF compare
lively high prices Tor cotton is ahea
Of rs. fact over which the Sout
reason to feel very comfortable
New Orleans Picayune