13 



t ion was constantly greater than the rate of consumption." Meanwhile the crops 

 111 the United States, with the exception of a few years, gradually increased during 

 the decade. 



Table X. — Showing supply and consumption of cotton in the United States and Europe — 



surplus stocks and prices. 



[In bales.] 



1881. — Largest acreage and crop up to this date. The crop of Texas reaches over 

 a million and a quarter bales. Cotton Exposition held at Atlanta. Number of mills 

 in India, 57; spindles, 1,513,000. 



1882. — Severe droughts in the upland cotton districts in July. Disastrous over- 

 flow in the Mississippi River districts and injury to crops by cotton worm. 



1883. — Good season and unprecedented crop made. 



1884. — Excessive spring rains and backward season. Large surplus accumulation 

 in manufactured cotton goods. Cotton Centennial Exposition held at New Orleans. 



1885. — The area planted this year, 18,000,000 acres. Planting somewhat late. 



1886. — With the exception of one year, the largest crop made to date. 



1887.—NnmheT of mills in India, 103; spindles, 2,421,000; consumption, 726,000 

 bales, 392 pounds each. 



1888. — Ten tons of Texas cotton seed shipped to German East African Colonization 

 Society, Zanzibar, Africa. 



1889. — Acreage this year, 19,566,000 acres. Texas takes the first rank as a cotton- 

 producing State, with a product of 1,470,000 bales. Indian Territory and Oklahoma 

 assume importance in cotton production. 



1890. — Excellent crop year and an unprecedented yield, it being the largest crop 

 to date ever produced. In the United States, 905 mills; spindles, 14,088,103. 



Prices. — Throughout this decade prices were maintained with remarkable uniform- 

 ity, although at times there were complaints of an accumulation of manufactured 

 goods, the supply being in excess of the demand. The large increase in the Euro- 

 pean stocks in 1889 and 1890 is the most noticeable feature exhibited in Table X. 



