The Mena weekly star., 1921-09-08
COTTON CONDITION LOWEST EYER SEEN
With Drop of l51 in August 7.O57,OOO Crop Now Is Predicted-Untay- orable Weather and Weevils
 Chief Causes.

Washington, 0epts 4.--CcNAt"S '' condition of the cotton crop during August caused a reduction of l,l66,- O0o bales in the estimated final pro- duction as compared with the amount forecast a month ago.
 Production this year was forecast today at 7,037 900 bales of 800 pounds gross by the department of agrieul- fure. which based it's estimate on the condition of the crop August 70, which was 49.3 per cent of normal, forecasting a yield of l27.O pounds per acre.
 Lost 15.4 Points.
 The production was forecast a month ago at S,203, ,000 bales, based on the July condition of the crop which was 64.7 per cent of a normal. Last years crop was 13,439,6OS bales and the August % condition was 67.5 per cent of normal. The average con dition of the crop on August 20 for the ten years, 191l-20, IS 6l7 per cent. The decline in condition from July % to August 25 was 15.4 points, compared with an average decline of 7.7 points for the ten years.
 The condition of the crop on Au- gust 25 and the forecast of produc- ton based on the condition by states were:
 Virginia: Condition 63 and produe- ton Ii ,00O bales; North Carolina, 62 and 523, GOO; South Carolina, 90 and T44.000: Georgia, 4l and 827 900; Florida, 59 and 16,000; Alabama, 53 and 2,000; Mississippi, 57 and 673,- GOO; Louisiana, 45 and 244,000; Texas, 42 and l,938,000.
 Arkansas 729OO0 Bales.
 Arkansas condition 63 and produc- tion 729,000 bales; Tennessee, "A and 1S5, 600; Missouri, 78 and 50,000; Ok lahoma, 4S ard 474,000; California, S3 and 75,O00; Arizona, S5 and 4l,- GOO.
 All other states 85 and no produc- tion figures. Lower California's pro- duction forecast is 34,000 bales which is included in California figures but excluded from United States total.
 The condition of cotton on August 25 was the lowest it has ever been in any month in the history of the cotton growing industry, according to the records of the Department of Agri- culture In commenting on the con- ditions, the department in a state ment ssid:
 Great Oklahoma Damage.
 "The damage has been greatest in the area from central Oklahoma to north central Texas, the fall in con- dition amounting to from 25 to SC poirts. Declines of from 10 to 20 points are shown for southern South Carolina, Georgia, northern Alabama, the delta section of Mississippi and turnout the belt west of the Missis- sippi river except in the northern edge where some slight improvement oc- cured.
 Condition are especially bad, not above IS per cent in southern Okla homa and not over a third of a crop is promised in the adjoining portions of northern Texas. In southern and central South Carolina the promise is for less than a third and in some coun- ties not over 10 per cent of a crop The central belt of Georgia and most of east and south Texas promise about third
 Everything Goes Wrong.
 Everything seems to have gone wrong with the crop. In southern South Carolina, in Georgia and Ar kansas and in portions of other states, excessive rainfall and cool weather have combined to give a big weed which the boil weevil in the flush of early invasion has attacked woraciously, destroying all squares and bolls set during August and even attacking the largest bolls.
 From 40 to 90 per cent of the bolls are affected in southern South Carolina and the proportions run very high in other states. Westward from Georgia, thru Alabama, Missis- sippi and Louisiana to Texas and Ok lahoma, the weevil has multiplied far beyond the usual experience. In Ok lahoma, notwithstanding heat and drought, it is worse than ever exper- fenced. In Texas it is the chief cause of deterioration.
 "The army worm is present in large numbers thruout most of Arkansas Tennessee and north Mississippi, but the defoliation Of the heavy growth is not looked upon as an unmixed evil Boil worms and the usual pests are present in greater numbers than usual. but their damage is small com parad with the weevil, In North Carolina and Virginia the long drought has been almost as destruc- tive as the weevil elsewhere.
 "The northern edges of the belt. from Virginia and North Carolina thru Tennessee. northern Arkansas and northern Oklahoma promise about two-thirds of a crop. Mississippi and the northern portions of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina still fore cast better than half a cron"