The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-27
Serious Shortage.

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 | Serious Shortage.
 The serious shortage in the cotton crop 1 which is now threatened, would mean aa enormous financial loss to the United States except for the fortunate fact that the southern states enjoy practical mo- noply in cotton raising. There are very | few sections of the world outside of our I southern states which produce enough cotton to cut any figure at all in the worlds available supplies The consump- ton of cotton throughout the world has a tendency to increase and is only limited by the actual amount that can be raised in our southern states. The cotton plant CT in this respect is in much more com manding position than Is the wheat raiser who has to compete with farmers in Rus sia, India and The Argentine, which or dinarily grow enormous crops of wheat that are handled by much cheaper labor than can bo obtained in the United States. It is to be reasonably expected that the price of cotton will show advances which will perhaps more than compensate the planters for the big shortage. At present the worlds total visible supply of cotton amounts to about 4,500.0 900 bales, as com pared with 3N1 ,O00 bales year ago this time. It may, therefore be some months before the price can show sufficient ad- vance to properly reflect the big proba- ble shortage in this years crop It will probably pay splnners to lay in large stocks of cotton while it can still be bought at reasonably cheap prices. Later on, when the worlds visible supply Is found to be very insufficiently replenished by the new crop, consumers may be re- quired to pay prices which may seem ex traordinarily high in comparison with previous years. The southern planter, on the other hand no doubt, will show wis dom in holding his present stocks of cotton. The south at present is in an extremely prosperous condition owing to fairly good crops and reasonably high prices for years back, so that even if net financial returns from this years crop prove unsatisfactory, yet the south ought to be able to stand such loss with out any serious impairment of its pros perity.
 Alabama Conditions.
 Following are the telegrams received by the Journal of Finance from the bank CTS of Alabama:
 Cotton crop in this section three to four weeks late. Poorest prospects ever known. Nearly everybody planting over now. Cold weather destroyed first plant ing. Acreage about same as last year. No boil weevil here. With favorable weather conditions from now on and late fall it may be that we will make a fair crop yet. We have never had a crop failure on Sand mountain.
 HOGAN JACKSON,
 Bank of Albertville, Albertville. Cotton crop thirty days late in this section. Acreage probably 10 per cent less than last year No boil weevil in Ala bama. Everything depends upon season from now on. W. P. G. HARDING,
 First National Bank of Birmingham, Birmingham.
 Condition poorest in years. Acreage re- duced 10 per cent. From bad weather crop quite a month late.
 J. F. JOHNSON,
 Bank of Greenvllle, Greenville, Butler County.
 Poor stands. Excessive rains cause farmers to be three weeks late with work Cotton grassy and dying from dam aged seed and cold wether. Acreage slight ly decreased. I regard conditions most unfavorable. T, w. SHOWS,
 Merchants and Planters Bank, Luverne, Crenshaw County.
 Condition for South Alabama 70 per cent. Acreage 10 per cent less No weevil or other pests. J. c. FAY,
 Merchants Bank, Mobile