398 i 
The rains of June, the season of most active efforts in keeping clear 
of grass, were far heavier than in that month of 1872, except in North 
Carolina. A comparison for July will show more rain in 1872 in all the 
cotton States except Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. The 
following is the statement for June and July, 1872: 
! 
JUNE. "SO 
A Z a Fe 
States. a 3 States. 3 3 
s S 3 e5 
she tee ag"| 3B 
a Gey =] 
ets so ae 
Sas 5S * 58 So 
S eH = P—ial 
o a 5) = 
5 A Ps 5 
4 A <4 A 
North Carolina. 4.13 16 I North: Caroling 2.22. s<..<«4--place 3. 98 13 
South Caroling Dee 3u\/ssoueh Carolina... + ..2.0.5--s2-se2 6.18 4 
‘Georgia ...- 3. 07 ONMeeorria. Lt) 22.J05.... eee eee 3. 90 7 
Alabama... 4.07 Ay PAM AI, .< cia 5 oo atk Pn eee cee 11.15 5 
Mississippi 2. 84 ZA || Wu Fis ISU) Ree meets ieione = 5. 42 3 
Louisiana 6. 69 Ai | OMIsians ./. 244.002 7525 Sees 5. 88 4 
Florida. 6. 46 6 || Plorida......-- D otecic sipete ss epee 5. 36 oo, 
‘Texas 6. 23 TOW lterrnsye foo.) od. eee eee 2. 35 11 
Arkansas 4, 53 || PAmWannasi-s: 22.0. b. oes a2 See 6. 96 5 
BRBMMGSS EO ae aise apna. yn win niomin'aie =| 6. 60 1D PREMNOSSEO. << <5 005 anime wee =s|,) 0b 11 
| 
During August there was also too abundant moisture for the highest 
condition of the crop. While some deterioration has resulted from this 
cause, other conditions have generally been favorable; fertilizers have 
stimulated growth, and labor has been steadier and more reliable than 
heretofore. ny 
Our June returns of area, when averaged carefully, due weight being 
given to each return in accordance with the quantity of cotton produced 
in the county which it represents, indicate scarcely 10 per cent. of increase 
over the acreage of 1872. The percentage of increase in counties of 
small cotton area is usually larger than in the principal cotton-produc- 
ing counties, making an average too high that is obtained simply by di- 
viding the sum of percentages by the number of counties. So, in reports 
of condition, an average thus made may be too high or too low; the 
former if the small counties return the best condition, the latter if the 
large producers are represented by the higher figures. The only accu- 
rate expression of the true significance of our returns—and the method 
which we always intend to employ when great accuracy is desirable, as 
with the more important crops—is obtained by taking into considera- 
tion the quantity usually produced in each county, as well as the sim- 
ple statement of the status of its crop. This was not done for the June 
and July reports, owing to the absence of the Statistician, and the reports 
of area and condition of cotton and other crops are, therefore, slightly in- 
accurate, in most cases too high, in a few too low, yet the difference is 
comparatively slight as to the crops whose cultivation is general. 
The condition of the crop is higher than in September of last year in 
Arkansas, the same in Tennessee, and lower in each of the other cotton 
States. The averages are as follows: Virginia, 98; North Carolina, 95; 
South Carolina, 86; Georgia, 90; Florida, 85; Alabama, 85; Missis- 
‘sippi, 82; Louisiana, 80; Texas, 92; Arkansas, 93; Tennessee, 925 
Missouri, 96. 
For the purposes of comparison we give the September statements of 
condition, as recorded in the monthly reports of the Statistical Division, 
for the past three years: ¢ 
