FARMERS' REGISTJEJR— COMMERCIAL REPORT— ROT IN COTTON, &c. 575 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 COMaiERClAL REPORT. 



He who-qommunicates bad tidings performs an 

 unpleasant and thankless task. When prosperity 

 attended all occupations, when every one appeared 

 to be actively and profitably employed, whether in 

 agriculture, manufactures, or commerce, each 

 reaping a fair harvest for his toil, he who under- 

 took to depict the lively scene which was presented 

 to him, felt a pleasing excitement, and a sensation 

 of pride in describing the prosperity of his fellow 

 countrymen. But now that the bright prospect is 

 overcast, a corresponding sj^mpathy excites feel- 

 ings of a very different character. 



So sudden a reverse has seldom, if ever, been 

 experienced, extending as it does, to every class 

 in every community throughout the union. We 

 hear of fiiilures among the merchants of the large 

 cities, and of distress in every quarter. AVe hear 

 of capitalists who had engaged to furnish large 

 sums of money for the prosecution of works of in- 

 ternal improvement, unable to comply with their 

 engagements; of large operations undertaken by 

 the states being consequently suspended ; of con- 

 tractors unpaid, and of laborers deprived of em- 

 ployment. We find commerce in a great measure 

 suspended, agricultural productions fallen in price, 

 confidence destroyed, and in short, an entire revo- 

 lution from a high state of prosperity to one of des- 

 pondency and (to many) of ruin. 



Where this is to terminate none can yet foresee. 

 The cause is much easier traced than the termina- 

 tion ; but it behooves those whose duty it is to 

 guard and to promote the welfare entrusted to 

 them, to put an end to tlie present state of sus- 

 pense. Whether the causes of the existing de- 

 rangement are attributable to personal feelings or 

 to constitutional scruples, the elFect is such as re- 

 quires great forbearance to rest quietly under it. 



Before the expiration of another month, it is to 

 be hoped that the Bank and Deposile question, 

 which has engrossed the attention of both houses 

 of Congress will have been brought to a satisfac- 

 tory close. 



Within the last two months every article of ex- 

 port has declined in price. Wheat may he quoted 

 at 85 to 100 cents ; Cotton 10 to lOJ cents ; Flour 

 $4 50; Tobacco .^3 to $9 50. Public stocks have 

 fallen 10 to 20 per cent. Interest on money which 

 'ast year was 4^ to 5 per ct. is now 15 to 20 per ct. 

 Stocks in substantial banks at New Orleans which 

 were worth .^116 have fallen to .^94. Exchange 

 on England 4 per cent, below par — a circumstance 

 unprecedented since the resumption of specie pay- 

 ments in England. X. 



January 28, 1834. 



growing in the same field. Each was equally per- 

 forated; but the hull of the Tennessee, which was 

 three fourths thicker tlian the Creole, could not be 

 penetrated by tlie ant. By taking the bolls of 

 each kind of cotton, and with a knife paring off 

 the hull, or covering of the boll, the depth that 

 the bill of the ant had penetrated, might be easily 

 traced. The hull of the Tennessee cotton, of the 

 first year's growth, would not be perforated more 

 than half way through ; the Alvarado was not as 

 thick, but sufficiently so to prevent injury ; while 

 the thinness of the Creole admitted the bill of the 

 ant to the seed. 



It is in wet seasons, when tlie growth of cotton 

 is luxuriant, and fermentation easily excited, that 

 we witness the greatest devastation." It is proba- 

 ble the ant may be found in all cotton growing 

 countries, and equally abundant every year : but 

 from some local cause, either from the peculiarity 

 of the season, or quality and exposure of the soil 

 upon which the plant is situated, the hull is more 

 or less thick. It must be owing principally to the 

 place or climate, as it is observed, Tennessee or 

 Alvarado after being planted here a few years, are 

 equally liable to the rot. On observing the thick- 

 ness of the covering of the bolls of the Tennessee 

 cotton of the first, second, and third year's growth, 

 I found that in the latter year the hull was as thin 

 as that of the Creole. 



ROT IN COTTON. 



From the Louisiana Register. 

 Parish of East Baton Rouge. Jan. 1834. 

 Mr. Alexander : I observe in No. 31 of 

 your Register, that a writer in the " Southern Ag- 

 riculturist" has ofifered a solution to the often agi- 

 tated inquiry, " what is the cause of the rot in cot- 

 ton?" 1 beg leave to differ from that writer in 

 opinion. I believe it is caused by an insect perfo- 

 rating the boll. Some few years since my atten- 

 tion was drawn to this subject, and 1 became satis- 

 fied that the rot was caused by an ant ; — in coming 

 to this conclusion, I observed the bolls of the Ten- 

 nessee, Alvarado, and the Creole black-seed cotton, 



NUMBER AND INCREASE OF CORRESPON- 

 DENTS. 



Tlie friends and correspondents of the Farmers' Re- 

 gister may feel some interest in the following exhibit of 

 the number of individuals who have added to the value of 

 our work by their communications. It is cause for con- 

 gratulation, and an augury of valuable future results to 

 the agricultural interest of our country, that so many 

 intelligent fanners should already have surmounted 

 their objections to writing, and are willing to unite in 

 this great plan of "mutual instruction." This number 

 might be, and we hope yet will be, increased tenfold. 



It should be observed, that no one individual is count- 

 ed twice in the following enumeration, although he may 

 have written many times, and that no private corres- 

 pondent, (as such) is counted at all. This distinction 

 is made because all extracts from private correspon- 

 dence are inserted without authority from the writers — 

 and because it is hoped and expected, that all private 

 correspondents (who are not already included,) will 

 hereafter be enumerated among the writers of articles 

 intended for publication. 

 In No. 1, there were original communications from 



7 correspondents 

 No. 2, - - - 6 other new correspondents. 

 No. 3, - - - 8 — — — 



No. 4, - - - 12 — — — 



No. .5, - - - 14 — — 

 No. 6, - - - 6 — — 

 No. 7, . - - 12 — — — 



No. 8, - - . 15 — — 

 No. 9, • - . 20 — — — 



Whole No. of correspondents 100. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS AND READERS. 



In this and the preceding No. of the Farmers' Regis- 

 ter, we have been enabled to present to our readers an 



