The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-09-13
THE COlT)N CROP.

The C!si s':}N CRoP.
ecms INTEREST," g nata Given. "ut by
Secretary Eester
The Yield Vas 13,565,3S5 Bales
and the Prices Ranged Frem
113 1ero61 2 Cents.
Secretary Hester's annual report
was issued in iuli Friday. he puts
the cotton crop Tor 1904 5at 1885,
8s5 b.le,, an increase Ct 1854, ,51l
ovsr that CT 1903 o..
BE says that compared with last
year, in round figures, Tex:s. inclrd.
ing Indian Territory, has increased
7oS, 600 b:Ies TIE group known as
o&her Gulf States, consisting OF Lou
isiana. Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennes.
see, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah and
Kansas hes increased / l06, 900 and
the grcuo Of Atlantic States, Ala
bama, Georgia. Florida, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Kentucky and
Virginia, has gained l, TAI 900.
He puts the average commercial
value Of this crop at s46 81 per bale,
against s6l 68 last year and the total
value Of the crop at 1928 1876, ,359,
against s6l7 SOL, 54S last year and
5480, ITO, 282 5ne year before.
Referring to values he gives details
Of prices, showing that taking the cot
ton belt as a whole, the highest figure
for midcling was II l6 cents per
pound at the opening Of the season in
September and the lowest 6 2 cents
on the 29th Of December, bu0 says
that the crop as a whcle averaged
strict middiipg. and that the -erage
value per ptuu1 was 80 100 cents
compared with II Is 100 last year.
In reference to wright be puts the
average per bale al SIS So 100 pounds,
showing 3 gain over last year Ct I 49,
100. This crop, he says is the heavi-
est IN weight per bale Of any recorded,
the best previous weight having been
513.96 in 1893 80, the year Of the larg-
est previously reported crop.
Mr.. Hester remarks that while each
and every crop has had its distinctive
features, the story Ct none is fraught
with circumstances more peculiar aud
interesting than the one just market
ed. It Is not to be wondered that
when in last December the agricul-
tural department. put forth an esti-
mate pointing to mora than twelve
and quarter million bales, feeling
akin to panic was felt in every SEC
tion Of the cotton growing States.
Mr.. Hester recitss the manner In
which this monster crop has been
handled; bit il has practically all been
marketed, avoiding a crash which
seened at first inevitable, and will
remain a las'!ne monument to the
conservatism ard cooperative power
OF the southern people. In this great
economic struggle all elements joined
In the victory.
Mr.. Hester makes the actual growth
for the season 13. 100000, and sa!s
that the recent report Of the census
bureau OF cotton ginned does not cover
the entire growth; that all OF the
years growth has not been einned, or
II gipned, full returns therefore have
not been made. MI. Hester pays a
high tribute to the CENSUS bureau
methods, saying that 1t affords mass
Of invaluable information to the cot
ton world superior to any that has
ever been put forth, and that he IS
quite certain from bis own private In
7estigatior and consultati:n with
Director North tha. in another season
sne bureau viii be able to 2 We almost
e1 exact showing Of the actual
growth.
He puts the spi2dles in the south
at 9,205, $40 against 8,6i5. 369 last
year. The net gain in the runber Of
southern mills over last year has been
| Is, n:kng the total nov III. or
these 7G9 nave been in operation dur
ing the year, 38 are id:e and 80 are in
course ct erection, Is ola and out OF.
date concerns which ceased business,
Having been crossed eff the list.
In reference to the general cotton
manufacturing industry in the United
States, MI. Hester says that Ameri
eau mills, north and south, have had
the most active season on record, but
while the totals show an excess in the
number Of bales Of American cotton
consumed by domestic factories Of
495 600 over last season, bringing the
aggregate to an amount never before
reached. it is at least $50, COO bales
less than it would have been with
favorable labor conditions. In the
south the growth OF spindles continues
on large scale, those in active mills
having increased 823, 1913 and there
are new mills In course OF construc-
tion and additions being made to old
conditions embracing $4,000 spin
dies.
Mr.. Hester makes the consumption
Of American cotton by northern mills
(!n round fsureS 2,200,00 bales,
which tog ther with 2, 164. 900 bales
by southern mills makes an aggregate
for the United States Of 4. 1854, 900,
against 1850, 900 for the north last
year ard l, ,9l9, 900 for the south, a
total OF 8. 86e 900, showing an increase
tor this year Of 495, 900.
MI. Hester puts the worlds con-
sumption Of American cotton at ILL.,
8e3, 900 bales, against 10, 1913 900 last
year ard 10,876, 900 the year before,
an increase over last year OF l, SOC. 900,
and over the year before OF LOOT 1000.