The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-05
1912 COTTON CROP
S1,971,311B BALES
SHORT OF 1912
Secretary Hester Makes An
nual Report of Crop
Conditions
ALABAMA SHORT
BY 34S,00O BALES
Texas Crop Shows Considerable In
crease in Weight, But Is Offset
by Falling Off in Other
Sections

New Orleans, September 4.-Sceretary
Hesters annual report on the cotton
crop puts the crop of 1928 at a.
167,115 bales, decrease under that of
1s11-12 of 1,971,311 bales, and an in
crease over that of 1901 of 2,04702o
He says that the crop of Texas, which
is $4,000 bales over last year, Is the
largest ever grown in that state, but
that the Texas increase has been more
than offset by a falling off in other
sections, the group of "other gulf
states embracing Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma.
Missouri, Arizona. California, Kansas
and New Mexico having fallen off 49,
600 bales, and the group of Atlantic
states, including Alabama, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Kentucky and Virginia, showing a de-
crease of 100000 bales
Weight of Crop Heavier
The weight of the crop, Mr.. Hester
says, was 427-100 pounds per bale
heavier, the increased weight being
equivalent to be additional $4,000
bales of last years growth. and prac-
tically every vestige of the crop has
trench on the visible and invisible sup
ply left over from last season to the
extent of 10000 bales.
In grade the crop has been better
averaging middling TO strict middling
compared with an average for last year
of strict low middling to middling
He puts the average price per pound
for middling for the year at 1870
cents compared with 1915 last year,
14.61 year before and 14.37 in 1909-10,
and the average commercial value per
bale at S63.59 against S51.45 last year
and $3.50 the year before.
The value of the crop, including the
seed, is put at s99S, 425,o59 against
$937.2S0,764 and attention is called to
the fact that for crop embracing
1,971,311 bales less cotton and S93, 600
tone less seed, the south received over
61,o00,000 more in money.
Approximately the actual growth was
14,095,000 bales. or $4,000 bales less
than the commercial crop.
His report of the crop by states fol-
lows, in thousands of bales
Alabama 34S.OOO Short
Alabama, 1890, against 1873 last year :
Arkansas. 500 against 9i1 last year
Florida 62 against s5 last year; Geor-
gia, 1920, against 2S7S last year; Louis
lana, 800. against 403 last year, Oklaho-
ma. 1851, against 1896 last year; Mis-
sssippi, 1042 against 1921 last year
Norti Carolina, 974, against 1894 last
year; South Carolina. 1921, against 732
last year; Tennessee, 375. against 573
last year; Texas. 1862, against A327 last
year.
Total crop bales. 14167, against 49,
1873 last year.
Mr.. Hester says that American mills
have had another year OF remarkable
activity both north and south, the num-
ber of bales used having been great
er than ever before. and aside from
mention in some instances of necessity
for more labor there has been a sin
gular absence of complaints of any
kind In the south, which has been the
most active. mill replies as rule have
contained the stereotyped stateemnt OF
full time"
An Increase of $4,000 spindles is shown
In sonthern mills in operation, and seven
mills in course of construction, with lib
eral additions of spindles to old concerns
embrace total exceeding 800 600 addi-
tional spindles, most of which may come
into play in the near future. Last sea-
son, he says the mills as a whole did not
reach their maximum consumption until
the last half oh the year. This year. while
the aggregates have varied, there has
Teen no let up from month to month
and early indications of record consume
tion were sustained as the season pro-
gressed.s
He puts the spndles in the south at
12.S19333, including old, idle and not conl-
pleted, against 12,3ls,356 last year.
Consumption of Cotton
The consumption of American cotton by-
northern and western mills is put at
2,6l7.o0o against 2,4Sl 600 last year.
North and south, the aggregate con-
sumption was 5,5S7 900, while they used
2ls,000 bales of foreign cotton, making a
total consumption of all kinds of 5,S05, 800,
against o. 433,0o0 last Year
lie puts the worlds consumption cf
American cotton at 149O3, CO., an increase
over last year of 3SS.000. and an increase
over the year before last of 2,S49,O00
In the south Mr.. Hester makes the con-
sumption 225,492 bales over last year and
05,943 over the year before
OF the total of S41 mills S04 have been
in operation. Including one exclusively on
foreign cotton 80 We're idle and in
course of construction.
The years consumption is divided as
follows: