and that, in the absence of any untoward blight, planters will make as much or more than they gan gather."

It will thus be seen that the crop of 1844 is much larger than that of 1843. The low price of other articles, and the rise of cotton in the early spring, prompted to greater cultivation; and we believe that, taking into view the amount of stock on hand, the crop this year has been an over production.

The whole crop for the United States is estimated at 872,107,000 pounds. The cause of rust in cotton is ascribed mainly (by Mr. Ruffin, in his ag ricultural survey) to the depredations of myriads of very minute insects, to which the green cotton plant furnishes their best, if not their peculiar food. He adds, that though other causes may aid these insects--as weather, &c.—yet "it may be presumed that they would not be present, or be very few in number, if the preceding crop had not been cotton, but some other crop, on which these insects could not live."

General Hamilton, in an address before an agricultural society, remarks, on the culture of cotton: "That the rows ought invariably to run north and south; that not only the least amount of shade should be cast upon the plant, but that, as our winds prevail in the summer months, the highest amount of atmospherical nourishment may be given to the plant." He adds: "I believe, moreover, after the full moon in July, the perpendicular stem of all cotton over 4 feet high should be topped; and two or three of the long lateral branches on the full moon in August. I am satisfied that in rank and wet seasons we should make at least one-third more to the acre, by adopting this process."

He refers in support of this view to the principles laid down by Liebig, and also approves highly of Dr. Cloud's theory, as resting on the true philosphy of the plant. In a communication from Dr. Cloud on the subject of his method, he says to us: "My experiments in improving the culture of the cotton plant are rapidly gaining ground among planters; and I think I have reduced it to a positive demonstration, that cotton may be grown on the improved plan of manure and checks, and be sold in the market by the planter at 3 cents per pound, at least more profitably than it can be grown and sold on the ordinary plan of the country at 6 to 8 cents per pound."

The subject of preparing cotton for the market is one which at the pres-sent time deserves the serious attention of the planter. While the over production is so great, and the price so low, his success must depend much upon the superiority of his cotton; and, of course, that which, other things being equal, is best prepared, will find the readiest sale and command the best price. On this subject we subjoin the following suggestions from an experienced person, which we take from the Southern Cultivator, published in Georgia. He says: "I take all the care I possibly can in picking it out of the field, endeavoring to keep up with the opening as near as possible, taking all the pains I can to pick it clear of trash; I then dry it thoroughly on a scaffold, keeping one hand picking it over while the cotton is drying; I then pack it away cleanly in bulk, suffering it to remain until it becomes heated. My finest cotton last year remained in bulk about two months; this year I think of letting it remain three months in bulk. After it has remained long enough for the oil to be drawn from the seed into the staple, to give it that beautiful cream color so much admired, I then commence ginuing. I gin it very slowly on a fine saw gin, picking it over again as it is ginned, so as to get out any remaining trash that may be in it. I have

a flue that is fixed to the gin, through which the cotton passes after leaving the brush. The flue is eight feet long, and so constructed as to let all the dirt and trash drop in a box below, as the cotton passes over the fingers of the flue; the cotton passes from the flue into the cotton room. I never suf.. fer much to be packed in the room before putting it in bales. This is done with the greatest care. I press it down with a screw, instead of treading it with feet, as every pressure defaces the cotton to some extent. My bales weigh about 480 pounds. I sew up my packages very nicely, and put up my cotton in the best of bagging.

"Now, I request the farmers, before they condemn my plan as too tedious, to make the trial, and they will find it a money-making business. I would however state, that I make three qualities of cotton. My first and second qualities I plainly put my name on, and the place of my residence; the third quality I put the letter M on."

The increasing amount of the cotton crop from year to year, which finds no market to keep pace with the production, begins justly to excite serious apprehensions as to the result. In the public journals and agricultural papers of the cotton-growing States, we find frequent communications pointing to the necessity of curtailing the cotton crop, cultivating a sufficiency of provisions on their owu lands, and manufacturing at home the articles which are purchased from other States. The stock on hand will be much larger than usual. Add this to the larger crop of 1844, and the remaining stock (even allowing considerable for increased consumption) will be advanced so that eventually the amount left of one year may almost supply the demand of the year abroad. The duty has been taken off from cotton in Austria; but this will not produce any great change, as the amount taken will not probably reach to 50,000 bales. A correspondent in Mississippi makes the following remarks on this subject: "Emigration must soon cease to this State, as bringing negroes here expires by the limitation of our Constitution

in 1845.

"We have an immense territory not yet settled; much of it is choice land for cotton, which will be a dead capital to our speculators, who invested their borrowed bank paper; who will, by eloquent appeals to my countrymen, endeavor to prove that the Constitution should be amended, so as to settle up our fertile lands; but this will not take.

"We may therefore hope that some check will be given to the production of cotton, it having already reached to a fearful amount. We enter the European market, this year, with a capital of (say) 2,200,000 bales; a stock on hand, October 1, of 904,000 bales. The consequent prices are below the cost of production; we cannot grow it for 4 cents nett, at the present high prices of negroes, &c.

and

"But, suppose this crop exceeds 2,300,000 bales, as some suppose, consumption proceeds as for 1842 and 1843; we must then enter the market, October, 1845, with a stock on hand of over 1,300,000 bales, with the prospect that before 1847 we will have enough for two years' consumption then in the market. Will it then sell?" He adds, that the price of slaves there is higher now than in the hard times; and that a trader in Vicksburg, having a number of negroes, could not sell one in twenty days, as sugar planters only were buying or inquiring.

As to the demand for cotton, a writer in Hunt's Magazine for December last says: "The increase in our consumption has been pretty regular." He places it for the winter at 347,000 bales, which is an increase of 5.5 per cent,

a year. "If this ratio be allowed," he says, "this will give 370,000 bales as the consumption of the American manufactories for 1815."

The French consumption he estimates at 420,000 bales; and he allows the other demands on the continent to be 180,000 bales. He allows the English consumption to be 1,480,000 bales; and, with the data he has taken, he thinks there will be an excess of supply for a year of 300,000 bales; which, added to the stock on hand, will constitute a large amount. The stock on hand at Liverpool, September 13, 1841, was 921,000 bales. The receipts from other sources, besides the United States, are becoming larger, and leaving a proportionate increase every year.

In appendix No. 12 will be found some extracts from a late English paper, which present what is probably as fair a view as could be taken of the aspect of this crop in its relation to the European market at the close

of 1844.

The following account of sales, imports, &c., to November 29, 1844, is taken from the European Times, and furnishes suitable data for estimating the yet further prospect of this most important crop.

Alabama and Tennessee

a 33

a 37

57,200

1,600

Pernambuco and Paraiba

41 a 43

Aracati and Ceara

54366

Low-ginned Maranham

43 a 72

4 a 5

Laguayra

130

Common West India

1,340

1,656,730

1,682,330

29,160

Account of sales, imports, &c., of cotton-Continued.