Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-01
Watkins Bureau Reports
Cotton Condition $50

James L. Watkins & Son Cotton Sta
tstical Bureau of Fl. f. Bachman 81 Co.,
New York, says:
Our report indicates q condition for the
cotton crop of 500 per cent as of June 2lst.
which is the lowest condition for this date
on record and indicates a crop of IL ,O93, 600
bales without Iinters. Last year the con-
dition was S5.8 and the indicated crop 49,
325 600 bales, according to the government
report of June 2jth, yet the crop only turned
cut to be II, 1888, 1873 bales. The area under
cultivation this year is probably in the
neighborhood of 1000, 900 acres less than last
year due to an initial reduction of about
SH per cent ard a subsequent abandonment
of about 3 per cent on account OF excessive
rains and shortage of labor. Thus we enter
one of the most critical months of the year
-July-with hardly any prospect for max
ing a crop commensurate with the world S
minimum requirements.
lays the foundation for big crop, Whlle
wet May is the mother of disaster,
always producing a crop failure. rms year
we have had the wettest May in II years,
followed by wet June, and 1t is no eX-
aggera ton to say that the crop today was
never In a worse state of cultivation and
| never had weaker tap-root. A few weeks
of drought at any time during the next
three months would result in a calamitous
crop failure and a fabulously high price
for cotton.
personal house to house investigation
among the leading cotton mill districts of
the south by the writer shows these indus
| tries without exception to be enjoying the
greatest prosperity Imaginable. Both yarns
| and cloths are selling at record high prices
with q demand which appears Unsuitable.
| The only complaint and the only deterrent
| to q mountaineering consumption is the
shortage of la Dor.
We believe in higher prices for both spor
cotton and future contracts but we feel that
| spot holders will gain Il distinct advantage
| by disposing of and replacing with
| purchases of the new crop futures, thereby
saving the interest on large portion NJ the
| money invested and at the same time plac-
| ing themselves in Il position to share fully
\ in any subsequent advance. Mills selling
| their production ahead will likewise find it
ward sales with purchases of futures in
| stead Of buying the spot cotton and carrying
| it in storage for long periods.
| 1t is the consensus of opinion of the most
| intelligent minds in the cotton trade that
| futures can never again stand at any con
| siderable discount as compared with spots
| under the provisions of the contract now in
| force on the New York Cotton Exchange.
In our opinion no mill can long afford to
| ignore this situation. Eventually all mills
must resort to this modern method of con-
| Quoting business "r face the serious pos
| siE1iity of being forced out of business
by their more advanced and scientific com
| petitors
Weather.-During the past month the
weather has been generally favorable in 154
| partly So III Oh anu III
rounties In 333 counties the rainfall has
| been more or less excessive and in 90
counties the nights have been too cool
| In 90 counties rain is now needed.
| Cultiva tion.-The crop has been we'll cul-
| tiva ted in 105, fairly so in 275 and i'll 257
| counties it is poor. About IT'S per cent has
| feen chopped out compared with 92.4 pei
| cent last year and S7.6 per cent In 1917.
Condition of the Plant-The plant is in
healthy condition in 342 fairly so in 81
and i'll an unhealthy condition in 23S coun
| flies 1t has q good tap root in 2S7 fail
| in G2 and poor in 2SS counties.
| Stands.-Stands are good in 176, fair il
| 351 and poor in 10 counties.
| C@nplaints.-Grassy crops in 229 counties
| labor scarce in 40, some crops abandoned
in 49, 1ateness in rs, small plant in IS
worms in 90, lice in 10, and boil weevils ir
! 15S counties.
Remarks: The crop during the past
north has undergone a change for tht
worse owing to continuance of unfa
vorable weather over perhaps three-fourths
of the cotton belt Following a wet May
| the rainfall in June has been unusually
| frequent and excessive, resulting in mucl
| grass, and in consequence of the scarciS
| and high price demanded by labor mucl
| more than the normal amount of abandoned
| acreage. These conditions have also ia
vored the propagation and destructiveness OF
the boil weevi, which is now a serou!
| menace over a large area. There is imme
date need of favorable weather to over
come this situation. The acreage has beer
| reduced about SO per cent, making n tota
! area planted TO cotton approximately 81,
| 600, 0G0. The percentage condition of thu
| crop rs whole is go, as compared Will
last year. This report embraces the cotton
| area in Csc counties