Chapter IV · THE POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES

1. Cotton Production and Consumption

Ever since the Civil War the United States has produced more than half of the world’s cotton crop. From 1860 to 1900 about one-third of the annual crop was consumed by the domestic industries, and from that time domestic takings have increased, except for 1921, to an average of about 50% in the last few years. During the same period the actual size of the annual crops increased enormously. If we take the figures from the present back to 1790 it will give a rough idea of the progress since that time.

Year Crop in bales Exports % of dom. takings

(of 500 lbs.)

1790 3 1 66

1850 2,136 1,854 13

1860 3,841 615 84

1870 4,024 2,922 28

1880 6,356 4,453 30

1890 8,562 5,850 32

1900 10,266 6,806 33

1910 12,005 8,205 32

1915 12,122 6,405 47

1917 12,428 4,587 64

1919 12,028 6,760 44

1921 8,351 6,479 23

1922 10,369 5,049 52

(Expressed in thousands of bales)

WORLD’S COTTON PRODUCTION

1908

WORLD’S COTTON PRODUCTION

1922-3

WORLD’S COTTON CONSUMPTION

1908

WORLD’S COTTON CONSUMPTION

1922-3