OCR Text |
Show FORECAST 1918 COnONJJUTPUT August Most Disastrous Month That Has Ever Been Recorded. DROUGHT CAUSES .LOSS Production Drops 2,482,000 Bales, a Decline of 24 per Cent in One Month. WASHINGTON. Sept. 3. August was the most disastrous month to the cotton crop that has ever been recorded, record-ed, a loss in prospective production amounting to -2,482-000 bales resulting from the severe drouth. The department depart-ment of agriculture today forecast the crop at 11,137,000 equivalent 500 pound bales, basing its estimate on a canvass made August 25. In a statement issued with the crop report, the department, of agriculture said: "The past month was the most disastrous dis-astrous in its effect upon the cotton crop that has been recorded, the do-cline do-cline being 17.9 points, equivalent to a depreciation of 24 per cent in one month. The forecast of yield per acre, 14,5 pounds, is smaller than any yield ever reported. v "A large acreage, however, permits a forecast of total production of 11,-137.000 11,-137.000 bales, which is but slightly smaller than the last three crops. The depreciation was more or less general throughout the cotton belt but greater in the west (Texas and Oklahoma especially) es-pecially) than in the east. The principal princi-pal cause of the decline Is extreme drouth but ' contributary causes are boll weevil, red spider and rust." |