124 



Nearly three hundred cotton counties are represented in these returns. 

 Divided into three classes, those returning quality as average, those 

 expressing various grades of superiority, and those with indications of 

 average quality inferior to that of a series of years, we find the per- 

 centages represented by each of these classes to be respectively 36, 37, 

 and 27. This would indicate a quality for the entire crop a little above 

 an average. The injury by caterpillars to the earlier pickings cut short 

 the top crop, which is inferior and liable to be stained, while the fine 

 weather of the autumn ripened more thoroughly the middle crop. 



The reports of quality, in comparison with an average for a series of 

 years, are, in North Carolina, divided very nearly equally between the 

 three classes, average, below average, al)ove average, with a slight pre- 

 ponderance in favor of the latter. In South Carolina the number in 

 each of the three classes is exactly equal. Georgia reports an advance 

 in quality, 27 per cent, of the reports being below and 40 per cent, 

 above average. In Florida the average reports are not numerous, the 

 other two classes being equal in number. In Alabama, average reports 

 are 40 jier cent, of the whole number ; above, 30 per cent. ; below, 24 

 per cent. Mississippi, average, 45 per cent. ; above, 22 ; below, 33. In 

 Louisiana scarcely any of the reports indicate superior quality ; those 

 below average slightly predominate over the average reports. Decided 

 superiority in quality is reported from Texas, nearly half of the reports 

 being above average, and very few below. Only 22 per cent, of Ar- 

 kansas reports are below average, 43 above, 35 average. More than 

 half the Tennessee reports indicate superior quality, the remainder 

 average. 



The causes of injury are various, the more prominent being the rav- 

 ages of worms in stopping the development of the bolls ami staining 

 the fiber; the destruction of the plant, or beating out the fiber, or re- 

 ducing its grade with dirt and " trash " bj^ heavy storms of rain or 

 wind ; premature decay arising from imperfect cultivation, superabund- 

 ant moisture in the soil in the spring, drought in summer, and the train 

 of diseases which accompany low vitality of the plant from whatever 

 cause ; and, finally, the effect of frost in arresting the development of half 

 mature fiber and in discoloring it. The relative influence of each cause, 

 in damaging the crop of 1873, as indicated by our correspondents, may 

 be stated in the following order in the different States : 



Iforth Carolina. — Rains, frost, worms. 



South Carolina. — Eaius, frost, worms. 



Georgia. — Worms more than all other causes combined ; rains, frost, 

 drought, high winds. 



Florida. — Storms of rain, worms. 



Alabama. — Worms, rains, frost. 



Mississippi. — Worms, spring rains, drought, frost. 



Louisiana. — Worms, rains, high winds. 



Texas. — Worms, rains, drought, frosts, bad gins and inexperienced 

 ginners. 



Arkansas. — liaius, worms, drought, frost. 



Tennessee. — Drougiit, frost, rains, plant-lice, a cold and wet spring. 



In the Gulf States the greatest injury thus appears to have been, 

 wrought by worms, excepting only Florida, where the devastating 

 storms in September and October, particularly that of September 19, 

 proved more destructive than the caterpillar, which was abundant and 

 sufficiently injurious. Though the main damage by insects was done 

 by the caterpillar {Anomis xylinw,) there was much loss occasioned by 



