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condition. The crop was full, the average in this county being half a bale (250 pounds) 
per acre. But a small per cent. yet in the field, and by the 15th of December the entire crop 
will have been picked. Aransas: The entire crop of our county for 1875 has been or wilt 
be picked. Fort Bend: For several years the cotton-worm has injured the quality of the 
cotton; their not appearing this year, the cotton is cleaner, has less motes, and grades bet- 
ter. From some cause, not well defined, the same amount of seed-cotton yields less lint 
this year than last. Bosque : The fall has been remarkably favorable for gathering cotton ; the 
crop is nearly all out, but not yet ginned. Most of the crop has been gathered pretty free of 
trash, and as the staple is of better quality than usual, the proportion of good to inferior 
cotton this season is quite large. Very little low grades this year. The yield in lint is 32 
pounds to 100 pounds seed-cotton. This low figure is accounted for by the unusually well- 
matured, heavy seeds, leaving less lint. Fannin: The crop will be housed by February 1, 
should the weather be at all favorable. The prices for gathering have been from $1 to $1.25 
per hundred. Red River: The early picking will make 33} pounds lint to 100 pounds seed- 
cotton, but the average will be about 30 pounds, the same as last year. The season up to 
December 1 has been beautiful, and almost without rain: in consequence, a greater 
proportion of the better grade will go to market. The crop is yielding largely; about 
80 per cent. is gathered. Bowie: This has been a very propitious season for cotton- 
picking. The weather has been a continuation of Indian summer, until within a 
few days. Cloudy weather has set in, and uow a norther is blowing. Marion: There 
have been 1,500 bales more cotton received at this port than at the same time last 
year. Houston: Our cotton was injured by drought and the storm on the 16th and 17th of 
September. Since the storm the fall has been, in every particular, favorable to cotton. 
No frost as yet. Second crop is opening finely; staple very good. Montgomery : Cotton 
gathered before the storm (September 17) is of superior quality: that picked since is not 
near co good. Hurrison: It is remarkable that as yet (December 2) we have had no 
frost in the higher lands of this county. On my farm the tobacco, cotton, and tomato 
leaves are still green. Since the storm (September 17) we have had good weather for 
picking. Mood: Owing to the dry fall the seeds are small and light, while the lint is long, 
and turns out well. Collin: The present has been the most favorable season for gathering 
the cotton-crop in many a year. All will be housed before December 25. Waller : The 
storm filled the seed-cotton with dirt, so that the bales were recognized as ‘‘storm-cotton.”’ 
A sample just taken from the bale is classed ‘‘ ordinary.” A little handling improves it and 
makes the sample a grade better. Grayson: This has been the best year for cotton since 
the close of the war. Our crop will run from three-fourths to one and a half bales per acre; 
last year scarcely half a bale was realized; this year the seed is very heavy, while the 
seed was very light, scarcely half matured, last year. Our acreage is about the same; if 
anything, less; yet we will double the crop of last year. Washington: Only one or two 
frosts yet, and not severe enough to kili growing cotton-bolls. We estimate, on an aver- 
age, 1,600 pounds seed-cotton for a 500-pound bale. Dallas: The crop of 1875 is at least 
50 per cent. better than that of 1874. First killing frost, 8th of November, ten days later 
than usual. Fall and winter unusually dry. Cotton all matured and open; will all be 
gathered. We estimate 400 pounds lint per acre; quality unsurpassed. Victoria: But for 
the storm in September the crop would have been the best since ’69, the number of acres 
planted being the basis of comparison. Smith: These questions (referring to the cot- 
ton-circular sent out by the Department in November) are certainly well-timed, and 
would bear repetition the first week in January. It would give your correspondents an 
opportunity of reviewing and correcting their year’s work. The seed this year is well ma- 
tured and heavy, in consequence of the late rains. Staple remarkably good. One cotton- 
buyer says he has not seen a bad staple this year. There is some sand in it, however, from 
the late storm. Liberty: Weather most favorable for cotton-picking, and, but for the storm, 
the staple would be very superior. Cotton was picked off the ground and piled together, 
making the whole an inferior sample. McLennan: Seed-cotton varies in weight with the 
season. Early in the season the seeds are green and heavy, and it requires more seed-cotton 
to make a given amount of lint than later when the seeds are dry and light. Gillespie: To- 
day, December 7, we had the first frost. Austin: The September storm having destroyed 
the top crop and part of the ungathered cotton, (about 25 per cent. of the whole crop, ) the 
difference between the present and last year’s crop is about 25 per cent. ; otherwise the crop 
would have been about the same. The quality is much better, doubtless, on account of the 
dry weather, which enabled farmers to house the cotton clean. Crop all gathered; many 
gins huve been idle for weeks. The smallest crop in proportion to the acre planted for 
many years. Bell: The Hurlong variety will give 1 pound lint from 2? pounds seed-cot- 
ton, or 3835; pounds lint to 100 pounds seed cotton. Quality about the same as last year. 
This county will make about 15,000 bales this year; over half gone to market. Home 
prices from 9 to 11 cents for best grades. 
ARKANSAS.—Saint Francis : Cotton-crop for 1875 will fall far short of expectation. Tt is 
hard to gather, and, when gathered, the sample is very inferior. Owing to blight, bolls are 
very small. Boone: Dry weather for the last three months has been favorable for the open- 
ing of the crop and for picking. Jzard: The fine season for picking has been counteracted 
general sickness, on acount of which two-thirds of the crop is ungathered. Miller: The 
