The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-07-01
AsCENsION's COTTON CROP.
Leading Planters and Gin Owners Give
Their Views on the Condition Of the
Grop-Acreage Considerably

Grop-Acreage Considerably
Reduced.
On June 20 The Chief directed letters
to number Of leading cotton planters
and gin owners In Ascension parish
requesting them to report, under date of
June q, the result OF their investiga-
tions on the following points:
1. The extent to which the crop has
improved or deteriorated since the
last report, May %, 1905.
2. The extent OF new acreage put in
or original acreage abandoned.
3. The supply and efficiency OF labor
for Kidding the fields Of grass.
4. ANY general observations which
may seem proper.
To these queries Jos. Gonzales, of
the firm of Gonzales Bros, we'll
known merchants and cotton gin
operators Of Gonzales, replied as fol-
lows: 1.-THE cotton crop Of this section
has improved since May % last about
10 per cent. I do not think any new
acreage has been put in, but at least
10 per cent has been either aband oned
or never planted, owing to dry
weather at the beginning of the plant
ing season. Frequent rains since will
cause some already planted to be
abandoned. Labor has been and is
still short. I feel satisfied this years.
crop will be 80 per cent short OF last
years, even if the growing season is
favorable and the crop is well culti-
waited from now on. -
L. W. Armitage. proprietor Of
cotton gin at barrow and a progress
i've and alert planer, gave his views
as follows: II. Very much improved,
but to what extent I cannot exactly
say. 2. 10 to Is per cent Of the
acreage was killed by overflowing
rains in May, the best portion Of
which was replanted about June / and
is looking well for late cotton. 3.
Labor enough. Fields clear when
rains began. 4. Too much rain. IN
easiness is felt owing to the continued
rains of the last ten or twelve days
that the fields will be overrnn with grass
and that the plant is growing too fast,
with scarcity of forms and bolls.'
Hon. Walter Lemann, member OF
the big planting firm of the Lemann
Company, Limited, which owns and
operates a cotton gin on Peytavin
plantation, just below Donaldsonville,
writes as follows In answer to The
Chiefs queries: ssThe acreage on this
side of the river has been materially
reduced since last year. There has
been no new acreage put in Or original
acreage abandoned since the last re-
port, May 20, 1905. While the crop
has not deteriorated since that date, it
has not made the progress which
would have been expected of it in a
more favorable season. The heavy
rains of late have put the plant back
ward, as the opportunities to cultivate
the soil have not been present. There
has been generally great lack of hoe
gangs, and the cotton fields have suf-
fered as we'll as the cane crops be-
cause of the scarcity Of labor OF this
particular kind. In this vicinity, how
ever, there is some cotton which is in
| excellent condition, we'll cleaned of all
grass and ready to be laid by, and
with many Well-formed and developed
bolls in evidence
KleW & Collins, owners of a cotton
gin at Port Vincent, Livingston par
| ish, just across the western border line
| Of Ascension, report the result of their
investig ations as follows: Hl. The
crop has deteriorated Is per cent since
| May 20. 2. No new acreage has been
| put in and of the original acreage 5
| per cent has been abandoned. 5. The
supply Of labor has been very limited.
| 4. Too much rain has prevented work
| in the fields. -
| Jos. Rateau, q Well-known cotton
planter and gin owner who has extern
siVe cotton properties in this and adj
| jacent parishes, did not confne him.
self to Ascension in reporting on the
| condition Of the crop, but gave an
interesting summary of the cotton out
| look in this section, as follows: stAll
crops | have seen this year are very
poor, being small and good only il
patches. For every arpent of good
cotton, in the same field you will find
ten arpents OF bad. The Lemann
Company, Limited, have nice cotton
ID the front Of their places, along the
road on high land, but in the rear the
plant is only about a foot high. The
cotton crop this year will not be near
SO large as that OF last year. Ny own
crop is probably SO per cent short.
Down the bayou the acreage has been
reduced greatly. The Nichols, near
Ihibodaux, Howell, Boudreaux, Alb
raham & Preiean and others last wear
| had from two to three hundred acres
each planted in cotton; this year all
of that acreage is 10 cane. Last year
A. J. Guidry had lao acres in cotton.
this year he has only SO acres. In
my estimation, Judging from my cot
ton and all the rest 7 have seen, the
yield this year will be from two-thirds
to one-half of last years OUTPUT.
Last year one could see cotton ali
| along the line OF the Z. and P. and Y
and M. v. roads; this year there are
but few fields covered by grass,
Stores to Close at o'clock ON the Nth.
The following merchants have
agreed to close their places of bust
ness at O'Clock p. m. next Tuesday.
July 4, in order that their EMPLOYEES