EEPORT OP THE STATISTICIAN. 189 



holdings, and the wastefulness of the share system, especially -^ith large 

 gangs of hands. 



INSTANCES OF LAUGE YIELDS. 



With cotton, as with aU other products, instances can be given of 

 yields threefold greater than the average. With 12 bushels as the 

 general average for wheat, every State can furnish exjimples of 30 to 

 40 bushels; so, while nearly three acres are required to produce a 

 bale of cotton, if results are averaged, the individual yields laay vary 

 from 100 pounds of lint per acre to 500, with extremes even higher and 

 lower than these figures. It is a disparity having many causes, among 

 which are different degrees of natural fertility, the use of fertilizers, 

 modes of culture, degree of attention bestowed upon the crop at all 

 stages of growth, ineteorological casualties, and insect depredations. 

 No amount of skill can secure equality of results in all cases, or like 

 results by individuals in the operations of a series of years 5 yet the best 

 cultivators suffer a smaller proportion of loss from every cause of depre- 

 ciated yield than the average cultivator. Examples might be cited 

 showing these differences to constitute the margin between success and 

 failure, and to furnish the most powerful stimulus to persistent effort 

 and increase of skill. 



An extraordinary result upon pine-wood land, with high fertilization, 

 is reported from Wayne County, North Carolina: "Mr. Michael Edger- 

 ton, on five acres, average low grounds pine- wood land, surface dark 

 loam, with clay subsoil, raised 15,100 pounds of seed-cotton. He put in 

 drills 400 pounds Navassa guano to the acre, and broadcasted 75 loads 

 of barn-yard manure to the acre." The barn-yard manure he estimates 

 at one-third of the value of horse-manure. This is 906 pounds of lint 

 per acre, at 30 pounds per 100, which is a low yield of lint for such 

 cotton ; 1,000 pounds per acre would probably be the outcome, or two 

 large bales. 



In response to inquiries for the largest known local yields, with a 

 statement of the area, soil, and mode of culture, facts illustrating the 

 above-mentioned views are given, which are here presented. " They show 

 that, with very rare exceptions, the largest rates of yield are made upon 

 very small areas, usually 10 to 20, and often 1 to 5 acres. In one 

 instance, in Dallas Gonniy^ Texas, 700 bales are reported from 700 acres; 

 in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, 600 bales from 480 acres, and in Unioti 250 

 from 200; in Murray, Georgia, 400 pounds of lint per acre on 100 acres; 

 and in Ifash, North Carolina, 300 pounds per acre on 200 acres. These 

 are marked and rare exceptions. A bale per acre on a very few acres is 

 frequently reported from every State. In Eyde, North Carolina, two 

 bales per acre are reported on two acres. A boy in Texas grew six 

 bales on four acres. In North Carolina, 25 bales were reported on 25 

 acres. In most of the States there is no instance given of a bale per 

 acre on a large plantation. In many counties the best results on large 

 farms scarcely exceed half a bale, and in some it is denied that there is 

 a farm that has averaged a third of a bale the past year. An exami- 

 nation in detail of the reports of best results will indicate the variety of 

 instances of high production. 



Virginia, — While very few counties in Virginia grow cotton, there 

 are cases of large yields. Mr. R. M. Griswold, of Binwiddie, made 60 

 bales on 100 acres of light gray soil fertilized. It is cultivated in the 

 usual way, with tliree hoeings and five plowings. 



Mr. William H. Jarrall, of Sussex, made 15 bales on 12 acres, with fana- 



