The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-25
ebTI0n PRICES UNSTEADY.
ELUCrUATED IN NARROW RANGE
DESPITE BULLIsH REPORTS.
Crop Estimate Very I,ow-Onc Puts
TOTAL Yield at ii,OOO,OO Bales
1fadc Better Across the Water.

prices heve made no decided move.
dsspite the iss',srce OF several very
bpllish crop reports and the fact that
eemperatures In Texas have been
extraordinarily high. up to 114 de-
uresa II has also been very hot
elsewhers In the Southwest. Okla
homA. Arkansas. louisiana and even
1rSsnisaippi and Alabama have not
escaped. There are reports that the
extraordinary heat may spread to the
Eastward. Marked crop deteriora-
lion b reported In Texas. Several
s(atisticans have put the condition of
ne whole, crop at only ss to 20 per
cent One makes the total yield only
l1.ee0ooo bales. even allowing s.0o0.-
90 for Texas. which some others in
oIo< y too high. Some guesses on the
ersp, here given for what they are
worth. 90 ~ low n 100000 bales
Trade has improved across the water.
especially at Manchester. where the
demand has suddenly increased. The
New York stock decreased steadily.
The consumption OF American cotton
this season II expected by some ex-
psrsenced cotton men and close stu
cents of conditions In the trade to be
ne largest ever ynown.
They instanced the fact that there
= = more conf,dent feeling among the
merchants Of al the great trading
nations. Stocks OF merchandise are
bsiisved to be comparatively low af-
Ger several years Of cautious buying.
Y The date for the next government
report on cotton " close at hand. It
can hardly fail to be bullish. II IL IL
30 per cent II will have to be som-
pared with 70 q. year ago. 72.7 two
pears ago. when the crop was only
11.s7s.ooo bales and TAI In 1905
when II was only 11.s4s.oo0 bales.
Mr.. sully had five short crops In sue
9ession to build his famous campaign
Of ises-'ol upon and in most of those
years the September condition was
how, ranging from o. In 1902 to TIA
In 1901. although for an exception In
1ses the September condition was for
seme reason put as high an s1.a. It
ga not prevent the crop in that year
nom being another failure. lo.0ll,-
900 bales. The sully era saw crops
% only s.lss.ooo to- 10.7ss. 900 bales
With An acreage ranging from 24.-
9ss.ooo To- 3s.o15.vo0 acres az con-
trastsd with ss.ooo.ooo and upwards
duing the last four years. There 10 a
larger acreage now to reckon upon
hut the conditions have been had ac-
oording 70 many reports for some
time past that some very experienced
people look for q yield of less than
ii.ooo.ooo bales which they consider
would be practically failure in view
OF the increased acreage and the
largely augmented consumption of
American cotton.
One explanation II that very many
believe that present prices can not
Be sustained In the teeth OF an ex-
pscsed big crop movement early In
the season about to open. Bull spec
ulaKion has received several severe
setbacks within the last few months.
There are those who think that the
damage to the crop IL exaggerated
and even heat privately reported as
high an lis degrees In some parts
OF the Southwest has been In some
respects beneficial. Such tempera-
lures tend to kill the boil weevil.
Moreover the minimum temperatures
have In many cases been as low as IS
60 70 degrees. The future of prices
hinges largely on the size OF the crop
movement and the attitude of the
spinner. II he buys heavily, bull spec
ulstion may revive. Otherwise It is
believed that prices may sag to a
point which will encourage profess
sionai operators and the public to
take hold again.
Late In the week prices broke
under liquidation by tired longs.
There were reports Of rain In Texas
and more attention was paid to
claim that the boil weevil was
being exterminated by the excess We
heat. notably In the southern part of
Texas =