Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-05
REPORT ON COTTON
ACREAGE STUDIED
Government Estimates on
' Areas Under Cultivation May
Prove Too High.
BY j. C. ROYLE.

special Dispa tch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 5.-Cotton grow
ers, traders, manufacturers and deal
ers throughout the United States de-
voted much of the national holiday
TO post mortems on the government
report on the condition of the crop
and estimate of production. and to
efforts to figure out how it will affect
the course of prices in the future.
The government estimate Of $50
per cent was so near the average
estimate of the private investigators
that it has been almost universally
accepted as correct. In the south,
however, the claim that 3S,2S7,00o
acres are being cultivated in cotton
this year is viewed with considerable
skepticism by many, who point out In
support of their attitude the many
:. instances in which the government
figures have overstated actual acreage
in the past. This skepticism is in
creased by the admission that June
estimates of the department in six
out of eight years have averaged
~ per cent larger than the crop.
This is attributed generally to an
oyerestimate of the acreage.
According to private reporting bu-
vance of the Department of Agricul-
ture, there is reported an acreage
increase of per cent. The govern
ment made the increase 10 per cent.
showing 3i.652,000 acres planted. The
department revised this estimate in
August to 34,4s5.0o0 acres The anal
} revision, after the crop was harvest
ed. gave the acreage in cultivation in
June, 1922. as 34,016,000. This was
an increase Of only IA per cent over
department had first reported. OF
the acreage planted last year, only
200 acres were picked, which
produced a crop OF s,761,S00 bales.
See Higher Prices Later.
In view of these facts, the cotton
trade, south, generally holds that the
l26 per cent increase in acreage. an
nounced by the bureau report points
TO the harvesting of only about 37,-
100000 acres this year. or approx
mately the figure reached by the ma
oority of the private reports. On
such an acreage as this the govern
! ments condition estimate would in
dictate a yield of 1l,O3s,OO0 bales.
This would be very poor showing
In view Of the large acreage and the
fact that the crop is at its best in
June. .0.
Such an outlook, the south holds, is
not encouraging to either producer
or consumer. for the production pos
sibilities usually shrink during July.
august and September. AS result.
with world demand at its present
hgures. prices are expected by the
south to be higher. but probably not
until later in the season.
Hesitation in Cotton Manufacture.
AS a result of these and other con-
d1tions, manufacturers and dealers in
cotton goods are heSitating, waiting
to see which way the cat will jump.
In New England there is more or less
uncertainty among the cotton mills.
A large number Of the factories closed
Monday and will not reopen at all
this week. Among these were the
est in this country. Estimates indi-
cate that operations this week will
not be more than 30 per cent Of the
manufacturing capacity of that sec
ton. This contrasts with capacity op-
erations and overtime work within
the last month.
Lack of new orders seems to be re-
sponsible Consumers are clearly
waiting for the benefit from possibly
lower prices for cotton goods which
they expect will be passed on as re-
suit Of lower prices in the raw cotton
market following the government es-
Innate. This hesitancy in placing or
ders for future cotton goods require
rnents extends as far west as the Pa
cific northwest, according to reports
today.
Wooden Mills More Active.
The business I'm woods is more act
i've. and although some cancellations
have been received by the wooden
manufacturers since the trend Of COM
modify prices turned downward these
have been negligible thus far.
Most interests in the wooden trade
predict higher prices at the opening
OF the lightweight season now but
few days or but there is considerable
hesitancy on the part of the buyers in
placing large orders for late summer
and fall goods.