357 



In Xorth Carolina the leading complaint in several counties on the 

 coast and in the northern part of the State is, cool nights, arresting veg- 

 etation, in some cases accompanied by late rains producing rust. The 

 earlier part of the season having been favorable, the bottom crop is 

 generally good, but the middle and top crops have in some counties 

 been greatly injured, if not destroyed. In some cases the weed is large, 

 but the fruit is scanty and imperfect. In several counties in the interior 

 a damaging drought set in about the middle of August, which caused 

 copious shedding of forms. Several counties report very fine crops, 

 having escaped the injurious conditions of growth so serious in other 

 parts. Moore County reports the finest crop since 1S65 ; Pasquotank 

 better than last year and full average ; in Pamlico the drought only 

 reduced a superabundant crop to an average. In one or two other coun- 

 ties the crop is promising. The State average declined 15 per cent. 

 during August. 



The same general conditions are apparent in South Carolina. Damp 

 weather in some places has caused an excessive growtli of weed with 

 very little fruit. Eust and drought have injured many crops. Several 

 counties report a good prospect, although the bolls were opening late. 

 The general tone of the reports, however, is less hopeful, and the pros- 

 pects of the crop declined 13 i^er cent, since the last report. 



In Georgia a decline of 17 per cent, is noted. Protracted drought is 

 the leading cause of this decline, but in many counties it was accompa- 

 nied by extreme heat and hot, blasting winds. The destructive efiacacy 

 of the drought was not in all cases proportioned to its length. In 

 Dooly County some promising fields were parched within half an hour. 

 In Baker all the blooms of three weeks opening were blasted. Where 

 drought was less severe, in some cases the weed grew at the expense of 

 fruit. In other cases the close of the drought was marked by storms of 

 rain and hail, doing serious injury to the remnant of the crop. In a 

 few counties, such as Clinch, De Kalb, Elbert, and Sumter, the prospect 

 is reported as good. 



In Florida there is a decline of 25 per cent. In some counties, as 

 Levy, alternate flood and drought ruined the crops on the best lands, 

 causing great discouragement among farmers and a desire to emigrate. 

 In other counties severe drought alone, and in others heavy rains, are 

 alleged as causes of the decline. 



In Alabama, though the same injurious causes have been operative, the 

 general decline — 9 per cent. — has been smaller than in any other great 

 cotton State. In some counties it was noticed that high fertilization re- 

 enforced the injurious influence of the drought, which was more gen- 

 erally distributed, as there are fewer counties reporting promising crops. 



Mississippi reports a decline of 15 per cent. The general cause of 

 injury here was drought, which manifested itself more destructively 

 upon upland than upon bottom crops. In Washington County but one 

 rain has fallen since April. 



In Louisiana the falling off amounts to 21 per cent. The drought ap- 

 pears to grow in virulence toward the Southwest. The intense heat and 

 blasting, hot winds are more frequently noted. In Tensas the crops 

 having been planted mostly upon lately-overflowed lands, the drought, 

 instead of working injury, seems to have been beneficial, especially in 

 repressiug noxious insects. All other reports, however, are of a 

 gloomier tone. 



The most marked change in the prospects of the crops is found in 

 Texas. From an average of 105 on the 1st of August, the prospects fell 

 to 65 — a loss of 40 during Auoust. The untoward influences 



