AMERICAN CROPS
AND CONSUMPTION.
The activity of the "Bremen Cotton Exchange" depends, to a large extent, upon the import figures, and these again are under the influence of the various crops. In America, big crops alternate with small ones, the cause for this diversity is to be found in the climate conditions, and also in the ruling range of price. High prices stimulate an extensive planting and a careful cultivation of the ground, while low prices have the contrary effect. The crop figures from 1872-1914, were ascending, an occasional decline was made good later on.
The following figures will make this clear.
American crops:
| 1872 | 3 650 000 | bales | |
| 1875 | 4 302 000 | " | |
| 1878 | 4 745 050 | " | |
| 1881 | 5 136 000 | " | |
| 1884 | 5 477 000 | " | |
| 1887 | 6 884 000 | " | |
| 1891 | 8 940 000 | " | |
| 1894 | 10 025 000 | " | |
| 1898 | 10 985 000 | " | |
| 1901 | 9 749 000 | " | |
| 1904 | 13 697 000 | " | |
| 1907 | 11 326 000 | " | |
| 1910 | 11 966 000 | " | |
| 1913 | 14 614 000 | " | |
| 1914 | 16 738 000 | " | |
| 1915 | 12 013 000 | " | |
| 1916 | 12 664 000 | " | |
| 1917 | 12 345 000 | " | |
| 1918 | 12 817 000 | " | |
| 1919 | 11 921 000 | " | |
| 1920 | 13 711 000 | " | |
| 1921 | 8 000 000 | [ 1] | " |
[ 1 ] estimated.
The reverse, which the production suffered since 1914, is remarkable, it is largely accounted for, by the want of artificial manure. German potash could not be obtained, and this was largely used by all cotton states, with the exception of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, which do not require that kind of fertilizer. In addition, the boll weevil has become a dreaded enemy of the cotton plant. The insect world produces quite an army of little fiends, that viciously attack and reduce the crop, many have disappeared, but the boll weevil is, at present, the arch-enemy; it is a small beetle which bores into the bolls to deposit its eggs there.