Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-03
Government Estimates the Cotton
Crop This Year 11,o37,OOOBales
Weather and Other Conditions
Have Been Disastrous, Acre.
age Planted Was 1871 Per
Cent Larger and the Crop
Smaller Than Last Year

WASHINGTON, oct. 2.-Storms and insect
damage have wrought havoc with the cotton croI
this year and caused loss of almost 3,OOO,uOu
bales throughout tile growing season.
This years crop Will be approximately
IL 900. equivalent to o0O-pognI bales ac
cast made today basng its estimate on the
condition of the crop on September %. In us
first forecast of production made from condl-
lions existing june % the quantity was esti-
mated at IA, 266.OO0 bales. The ccnditlCn Of
the crop on September 20 was 563 per cent OF
a normal which is the lowest condition on
record for that time OF the year.
Cotton this year was planted on the fourth
largest acreage ever recorded-S0, S94,OOO acres.
In 1911 when @6.OAo,OOD acres were ianted the
crop was 1858, 900 bales; in 1913 when there
were 37.0S9. coo acres. the crop was l4,l5o,OuO
bales and in 1914 when the acreage was &c.
Mo COO the crop amounted 10 rs. 1Il, 600 bales.
Indicati ere that this years crop VIII
yield only 1903 pounds per acre, COMPARED with
201.7 pounds in 1911, lS2 pounds in 1915 ami
209.3 pounds in 1914.
In a statement issued today on conditions
existing September %, the crop reporting Doarl
'.There was heavy deterioration in cotton
again this month in the central cotton STATES
Louisiana and Florida have taken heavy toll,
Juncturing and destroying grown bols I" d
larger extent than ever before known
I'm horizons of Oklahoma, Georgia and Tennes-
see. Caterpillars have injured the late cotton
in southern Texas and eastern Florida. C3ol
nights caused cessation OF irulI'lls anb tne
plant shed its fruit considerably in the north
ern portion of the cotton belt.
'sThere is considerable late cotton in the
CsroliTas and some in northern Georgia which
will need a late killing frost to reach any
thing like full maturity.
favorable for gathering the crop and the high
prices prevailing for both cotton and the seed
caused the farmers In All parts OF me sopt,l
10 rush gathering and ginning. and there mas
been a much larger percentage of the crop
lrit through the gins than usual at this time
of the year. In southern Mississippi, and Ala
no pfOn
one Sdcking go the crop. the average in many
counties being a bale TO the mule or less. oyes
tn, entire Gotten belt the crop this season has
been rapidly picked and there Is less cotton re-
naming In the fields than usual at this time
OF the year. The Kicking season VIZ average
two or three weeks early.
WASHINGTON, oct. 2-fhe cotton crop this
wear will be approximately 1887 900 equiva-
lent 5O1-pound bales. The department Of agri-
culture made this forecast today basing It's es-
innate on the condition of the crop on Septem'
her % as reported by its agents and corre-
spondents throughout the cotton belt. The final
out turn of the crop, the department announced
will probably be larger or smaller than thal
amount as conditions hereafter are better or
worse than average conditions. report giving
its final estimate of production VIII ne lnaue
by the department on December IL.
Weather and other conditions have been dlsas-
trous 20 the crop this year. In its first fore
cast of production based conditions existing
June 20 the department estimated the crop
probably would he 4,26G,OOO bales. Heavy
storms during July damaged the crop so that
the forecast based conditions existing July
20 was 12.916,000 bales, loss of l,35O,OOO
bales during the month Further damage Oc-
Cured during the following month and the con-
diton Of the crop August % indicated a pro-
duction Of only IL 100000 bales as forecast by
the department of agriculture, showing a de-
crease Of l,il6.O0O bales In the prospective pre-
ductiUn.
While the acreage planted this year was III
per cent larger than last year, the crop prom.
Uses to be about the same as last years in size.
The final output last year WAS lib $50 bales,
two years ago IL was &c. 1874 900 bales, the larg-
est crop ever grown; three years ago IL was
Il. 1856 4S6 bales and four years ago 13,7O3,4 2l
bales.
Picking and ginning Of the crop are advancing
steadily throughout the belt.
Comparisons OF conditions. by states, follow;
Sanfemhar ~