The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-02
COTTON SUFFERS MOST DISASTROUS
 MONTH IN HISTORY
Yield Will Be Smallest in B Years, While Crop Condi- ton Is Lowest Ever
 Recorded
By Associated Press

By Associated Press
 Washington, September 1.-Cot- ton growing has just suffered the most disastrous month in it's his- tory. The indicated crop will be the smallest in the last 33 years, while it's condition now is the lowest ever recorded in any month in the history of the industry. Ravages of the boil weevil are principally the cause of the severe decline of the crop, amounting to a loss of 1,116,000 bales in prosective production since last months forecast. The depart ment of agriculture, in announcing today it's forecast of total 'produc- tion of 7,037,O00, equivalent 5oO- pound bales, based on canvass made August 25, declared every thing seemed to have gone wrong with the crop.
 An acre yield of I27 pounds to the acre is indicated for the country as whole this year. Never in the last 56 years has the yield been so low. The near | est approach was I39 pounds in 1868. Only 10 per cent of n crop 1 is promised in some counties of | South Carolina. Parts of Okla | homn will have not more than I5 | per cent of crop. About one | third of crop less will be l produced In sections of Texas, south Carolina and Georgin. A half crop or better may he pro- l duccd in Mississippi. northern l Alabama, northern Georgia, and 1 northern south Carolina. States | on the northern edge of the cOt- 1 ton belt may have about two- 1 thirds of n crop.
 ! The production was forecast q 1 month ago at s.2os, d0o bales. based on the July 25 condition of the crop l which was 64.7 per cent of a nor- f mai. Last years crop was 13,439,605 bales and the August 25 condition was 67.5 per cent of a normal The averag condition of the crop on August 25 for the 10 years, 1911-2o 1 is 61.7 per cent. The decline in con ditions from July 25 to August 25 was 1 lo.4 points, compared wien an aver | age decline of IT. points for the 10 1 years.
 l Forecast by States. l The condition of the crop on August 2o and the forecast of production oh 1 the condition by states, were; | Virginia condition 63 and produc- ton 11,O00 bales.
 1 North Carolina 62 and 523,0o0. l South Carolina 5o and 744,000. 1 Georgia 41 and 27,000. | Florida 59 and 16,oOO. l Alabama 53 and 472,00G | Mississippi 57 and 679,O0o.
 Louisiana 45 and 2a4.00O l Texas 42 and 1,93S,OU0 l Arkansas 63 and 729, ,000. | Tennessee "A and 235,000. | Missouri 7S and 50.O00. 1 Oklahoma 4s and 474,000. | California S3 and 75.000. Arizona S5 and 47,o00. | All other states S5 and blank.
 Lower California's production fore I cast Is S4,000 bales which is included Tn California figures but excluded from United States total. 1 In commenting on the conditions the department in statement said:
 Departments statement | The damage has been the greatest in the area from central Oklahoma l to North central Texas, the fall in condition amounting to from 25 to 30 points. Declines of from 10 to 20 points, are shown for Southern South Earn1i0a 4. bama, the Delta section of Mississippi and throughout the belt. west of the Mississippi river, except in the north- ern edge where some slight improve 1 ment occurred
 Conditions are especially bad, not above Is per cent in Southern Okla homa, and not oyer third of a crop is promised in the adjoining portions of northern Texas. In Southern and l Central South Carolina the promise Is for less than third and in some
 counties, not over 10 per cent of a
 crop The Central belt of Georgia
 and most of East and South Texas
 promise about third.
 Everything seems to have gone
 wrong with the crop In Southern
 South Carolina. in Georgia and Ar
 kansas and in portions of other
 states, excess rainfall and cool 1 weather have con.bined<to give a big
 weed which the bool weevil in the
 flush of early invasion has attack ed
 voraciously, destroying all squares
 land bolls set during August and even lattacking the larger bolls.
 From 40 to go per cent of the bolls
 are affected in Southern South Caro-
 lima and the proportions run very
 high in other states. Westward from IGeorgia through Alabama, Missis-
 sippi and Louisiana to Texas and
 Oklahoma, the weevil has multiplied
 far beyond the usual experience. In
 Oklahoma notwithstanding heat and
 drought. it is worse than ever ex-
 perienced In Texas it is the chief icause of deterioration. Il n