320 
DISEASES OF FOWLS.-ETC. 
29,000 bales per week. As to weight of bales, 
it isimpossible that the increase in weight of bales 
can make up the deficit between the apparent de¬ 
crease of 26 per cent., and the real one of 4 per 
cent., and I believe it is a mere catchpenny ma¬ 
noeuvre. Consider, the bales of the southwest average 
about 420 lbs., and those of Carolina about 330 ; add 
to these even 25 per cent., and we have Mississippi 
bales at 525 lbs., an increase that never occurred in 
one year even on one plantation; and I venture 
that the difference in weight has not varied 20 lbs. 
for 15 years, if we take out the advance made on 
cotton per bale, by banks. I mean to say, that the 
present average weight of bales has not been 10 lbs. 
less or 10 lbs. more for any one year, in 15 years, 
except the banking years. And I say further, that 
a jury of twelve men selected from the cotton 
states, or from the cotton-receiving cities, would 
say the difference in weight has not been over 20 
lbs., if that, for the past five years. And why 
should it be ? Freights have not advanced, our 
presses are not more powerful, nor is our cotton 
easier compressed—and a majority of us could not 
press 500 lb. bales without a greater loss of time 
and labor th^n would be compensated by the little 
saving. That the shortness of crop admits now of 
no possible doubt, I am well convinced, and I be¬ 
lieve it exceeds the apparent difference. Why, say 
you. Because I know of some planters who held 
on to a part, or the whole of 1844 crop, hoping 
better prices, and that the improvement in 1845 
caused them to send it forward, which was added 
’to the ’45 crop, but of course it does not affect the 
quantity received. If you will refer to page 279 of 
the Report of the Commissioner of Patents, you will 
see that I estimated a probable decrease of 300,000 
bales, on the 5th of last September. 
The matter now that presses forward—“ what 
hopes have we in an advance ?” I believe we may 
hope for it, not only on account of the certain vast 
reduction of stock that must be on hand, January, 
1847, but from the prospect of this crop. I am 
aware that new cotton has gone forward already, a 
few bales, and I believe it will injure the U. S. to 
hundreds of thousands of dollars, because the fact 
of cotton going into market before the 8th of 
August, is too strong proof of the forwardness of 
the crop, for the opinions of all planters to the con¬ 
trary, to show the truth. Notwithstanding this, 
and that I will have no credence, I assure you that 
the crop, so far as I see, or can hear, is from two 
weeks to one month later than the last crop. I 
have seen many large fields, have conversed with 
a large number of planters, and the information is— 
“ two weeks later,” three weeks later,” “ I be¬ 
lieve about one month later” than last year’s crop. 
In my immediate vicinity, there are five families 
belonging to our connexion, of which I am one, 
and I know we were picking cotton at this date last 
year, whereas I can see no prospect of being three 
weeks hence where we were at this date. As to 
myself, my cotton book, kept accurately for 15 
years, will show that on the 15th of August, 1845, 
I gathered an average of 160 lbs. per hand, and that 
I began to pick on the 4th of August. This year I 
have not seen an open bowl, and have not yet 
stopped my team oi my hoes, a thing that never 
occurred before. My neighbors are generally in 
the same fix, or if not, the grass in cotton fields 
shows they ought to be. The thing is certain -it is 
impossible for Mississippi with her mammoth load 
of 550,000 bales, to get it into market as 
early as last year; and though she may make the 
crop, yet, with an ordinary season, much of it must 
be a total loss. Again, all cotton planters know, 
that a seasonable, rainy year, is not favorable for a 
large crop, and that a crop in the grass from May to 
August, cannot mature as early, nor make so much, 
and that large, pretty cotton, is always deceptive. 
I therefore conclude—the crop of ’46 is more de¬ 
pendent on the latter part of this season than any I 
ever saw ; that an early frost, with these constant 
rains, will cut the crop under two millions of bales; 
and if the fall be very late and favorable, that we 
make the largest one that ever was made—but the fall 
must be very late, because there is not a crop of 
early fruit, nor a fair show for a middling one ; our 
dependence then is for a late crop of fruit. I 
would not be at all surprised if our crop dropped 
under two millions, which, with peace with Mexi¬ 
co, and no more experiments by the Government of 
these U. S., will bring forward the most thrifty 
times we have seen for ten years. M. W. Philips. 
Edward’s Depot, Miss., Aug. 9th, 1846. 
DISEASES OF FOWLS. 
A Correspondent in your journal (p. 241, 
current volume), who signs his name S., has 
thought proper to condemn my mode of curing 
fowls by a surgical operation. He says he has 
opened the crops of many hens, but never saved 
one. His modus operandi must have been wrong; 
for, from its simplicity, a child with a comtnon pen¬ 
knife, could perform the operation. S. comes to 
the conclusion that, had I given my fowls plenty of 
lime and gravel, the case would not have happened. 
Now I contend that my fowls had plenty of lime, 
gravel, and fresh water. Cbifsequently, it could 
not have been that your correspondent intended to 
lead your readers to believe that my fowls had 
none, and had become crop-bound. Furthermore, 
he says that he doubts whether any fowl would 
swallow anything liable to obstruct the passage of 
the stomach. If any one has any doubt of this, I 
can only affirm that the most apt thing that hens 
are liable to swallow, is dead particles of grass, 
which become matted, and create a stoppage. 
In conclusion, I would merely say, provide youi 
hens with proper food—lime, charcoal, gravel, and 
fresh water ; and if they get crop-bound, resort to 
the knife, as directed on page 142 of this volume. 
Keyport, N. /., Sept. 5th, 1846. H. T. Lloyd. 
Atmosphere near the Sea. —From various 
experiments made by the savans of Europe, it has 
been ascertained that the atmosphere over the sea 
contains less carbonic acid than that over the land ; 
that, when the sea is rough, and especially when 
the wind is violent, particles of sea-water, in a 
state of great tenuity, float in the air, particularly 
on the coast where the waves break; and that these 
particles are carried to greater or less distances, ac¬ 
cording to the violence of the wind, and the degree 
to which the sea is agitated. Hence the influence 
of sea-air upon the soil and vegetation in places 
near the sea. 
