The imports of most articles of provisions, and of some of the groceries, are short of the actual receipts, the manifests of cargoes frequently failing to specify the articles.

COTTON CROP OF SOUTH ALABAMA FOR TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS.

Our limited space will only enable us to notice briefly a few of the leading articles under this head. A remarkable feature of the season is the very large falling off in the receipts of Flour, Wheat and Indian Corn. This has resulted mainly from deficient crops, but it is also attributable, in an important degree, to the increased facilities for reaching the Atlantic markets, through the canals and railroads which Northern enterprise is constantly multiplying and extending, and by which large quantities of produce are diverted from this point, where they have heretofore been directed for sale or transhipment. The arrivals of Flour from the West, since the first of September last, are only 591,986 bbls., against 1,013,177 barrels last year, and 1,617,675 barrels in 1846-47; of Indian Corn equal to 2,750,000 bushels, against 4,785,000 bushels last year, and 7,065.000 bushels in 1846-47; of Wheat equal to 110,000 bushels against 475,000 bushels last year, and 1,670,000 bushels in 1846-47; of Corn Meal 5,187 bbls. against 12,097 barrels last year, and 88,159 barrels in 1846-47. The total exports of Flour amount to 211,750 barrels, against 778,370 barrels last year. Of this quantity 5,066 barrels were shipped to Great Britain, 22,365 to the West Indies, &c., and the remainder to coastwise ports. Of Indian Corn, the total exports are equal to about 1,060,000 bushels, against 3,662,000 last year. Of this quantity 715,000 bushels have been shipped to Great Britain and Ireland, 75,000 to the West Indies, &c., and the remainder to coastwise ports. Of the small quantity of Wheat only a few hundred bushels have been exported to Great Britain, the greater portion having been taken for our city flour mills, or for "seed wheat," in Alabama and Georgia, where the crops last year were almost wholly destroyed by the remarkabie frost of April. The annexed table, the items of which we take from the "New-York Shipping List," shows a very

*Continued from November Number.

large decrease in the exports of Breadstuffs from this country to Great Britain and Ireland, as compared with last year, the period being from September to August in each year :

The very large falling off in the receipts at this port has produced a considerably higher range of prices than was realized last year, notwithstanding the very limited amount taken for export. The market generally was characterized by great steadiness up to the month of June, when a light stock caused so large an advance in prices, that some parties in the Eastern cities were tempted to make shipments here, doubtless with a hope of profit. The markets of the West, however, happened to be somewhat more available for supply, and we are under the impression that the imports from the East could not have yielded very satisfactory returns. We have no space to follow the market in its fluctuations, and must content ourselves with stating that the lowest point for Ohio, &c., was in July and August, ($4,00,) and the highest in June, ($7,75.) The highest and lowest points for extra St. Louis, &c., were $5 in August, and $8,75 in June. The extremes for Indian Corn have been 40 c. per bushel in December, and 85 c. in portions of April, May, June and July. Of Wheat, only two or three limited sales took place during the season, and these were at a range of 70 a 90 c. per bushel. Nearly the whole of the comparatively small quantity received was for the use of the city mills, or to go forward. We are pleased to notice that the grain crops of the West are declared to be unusually abundant, and we hope to see a large increase of supplies at this point. In Pork and Beef the transactions have been large, the quantity received, in all packages and in bulk, being about equal to the receipts of last year, and the average of prices has been about the same, though the extremes have not been as great. The lowest point for Pork was in November, when Mess was quoted at $8,374 a $8,50, and Prime $7,374 a $7,50. The highest point was in July, when Mess attained to $12, and Prime to $9,75 per barrel. In Beef, the range has been between $10 and $15 per barrel for Mess, and $6,50 and $13 for Prime--the highest in September and the lowest in December. The supply of Lard has been somewhat larger than last year, but the demand has contined generally good, especially for export, and with less fluctuation the average of prices has been nearly equal to that of last year. The extremes have been 5 to 8 cents per lb., the lowest rate having been reached at several periods during the year, but the highest only in the month of June. The total exports (all packages being reduced to kegs) are equal to 1,554,849 kegs, against 1,249,691 kegs last year. Of this quantity 696,259 kegs were exported to foreign ports, against 381,996 kegs last year, Great Britain having taken 425,830 kegs against 196,631 kegs last year.

LEAD.

The course of trade in this article has undergone a marked change within a few years past. For several years past the product of the mines greatly exceeded the home demand for consumption, and considerable exports were made to Europe, particularly to France. In 1845-46 the product was greatest, our receipts at this port being 785,000 pigs, and this was also the season of the largest foreign export, the amount reaching 175,000 pigs. The average price that year was about $3,50 per 100 pounds. Since then there has been a rapid falling off in the product, so far as shown by the receipts here, while at the same time the home consumption has increased, until, instead of being exporters, we have not only absorbed the whole product of our own mines, but in turn have become large importers from Europe. We have no data to show the exact amount of foreign Lead imported into the Northern ports this season, but from the best information we can gather, we presume that it does not fall short of 200,000 pigs. The receipts at this port since the first of September, are 415,400 pigs, against 508,557 pigs during same period last year, and the exports are 410,146 pigs, all of

which has been for Northern ports, except 451 pigs to Yucatan and 1,000 to Havre. In regard to the course of the market, we have to remark that, as has been the case for one or two previous years, only a very small proportion of the receipts has changed hands here, the great bulk being merely in transit to Northern ports. Occasional sales have taken place, however, and the extreme prices of the season have been $3,87 per 100 lbs. in December, and $5 in April.

HEMP.

In our last annual remarks upon this article, we stated that the accounts from the West respecting the growing crops were favorable, and that there was likely to be an increase in the shipments to the Atlantic markets. The result is that the receipts are nearly double those of last year, being 34,792 bales since the first of September last, against 19,856 bales during same period in 1848-49. Of this quantity very little was sold in this market, the great bulk having been forwarded to the Northern ports. In the few sales that took place the extreme range of prices was $90 to $140 per ton for dew-rotted, the highest in October and the lowest in June. The total exports since the first of September amount to 36,035 bales, as follows: for Liverpool 1,218, for New-York 23,845, Boston 7,663, Philadelphia 2.093, and Baltimore 1,216. The following table exhibits the comparative receipts and the average prices for a series of years:

From our inquiries respecting the growing crop, there would seem to be no doubt that the supply will be materially short of that of last year, particularly in Kentucky, where the crop suffered greatly from long drought. In Missouri the promise is said to be better, but it is supposed there will be a lack of laborers in the cutting and preparing for market, owing to the extensive emigration to California.

COFFEE.

The operations during the past season in this leading article among our foreign imports, have been marked by some extraordinary features. The news of a large deficiency in the product of Brazil, and a consequent falling off in the imports into the United States, gave an early impulse to speculation, and prices gradually but steadily advanced from 64 cents in July, 1849, up to 144 cents in February last, when the stock in first and second hands was about 60,000 bags. This was the highest point of the market, and as speculators rested here, and as consumers bought very sparingly, while at the same time fresh imports almost daily added largely to the stock, (in the middle of March it was 98,000 bags,) a turn took place in the market, and the decline was much more rapid than the advance, the price in May having run down to 74 cents. At this point consumers bought more freely, and speculators again came forward, which not only prevented a further depression, but caused a rapid recovery of a portion of the lost ground, the current rate at the close of June being 92 cents per pound. Since then there have been but slight fluctuations, and the closing rates for Rio are 9 a 94 cents per lb. The first cargo of the new crop arrived on the 18th of September, which was earlier than usual, and the greater portion was sold at 8 a 9 cents per lb. The following statements show the imports, stocks, &c. : Estimated stock out of grocers' hands, on 1st September, 1849, of

all kinds...

Imports direct from Rio de Janeiro.

Cuba, Laguayra, &c....

Received coastwise for sale, (estimated).

Making a supply of...

225,013

.bags....6,000

.20,627 -245,640

..51,200

.bags..302,840

Against a supply of 360,970 bags last year, or a decrease of 58,130 bags. In the direct imports from Rio there is a decrease, as compared with last year, of 74,116 bags, while in the imports from Cuba, Laguayra, &c., and coastwise for sale, there is an increase of 15,486 bags-making the actual deficiency in supply, as above, 58,630 bags. Of the direct imports there have been shipped to Europe and coastwise 5,286 bags, and the present stock of all kinds, out of grocers' hands, is estimated at 28,000 bags-showing that the quantity taken for the consumption of the West and South has been 269,554 bags, against 354,970 bags last year, or a decrease of 85,416 bags.

1.-PRODUCT AND CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR IN THE NEW WORLD.

The quantity of sugars on hand on the 1st of August, in the principal markets of the world, was only about one-half of that on hand at the same date in 1849. This deficit has created some surprise among those engaged in the trade; but a moment's reflection will show that a different state of things could hardly be expected, from the progress of population and consumption. The difference or deficiency does not proceed, as many no doubt suppose, from any great falling off in the production, or from short crops in any part of the world, but from the rapid increase of consumption in the United States and Great Britain. In 1840, England consumed two hundred thousand tons of sugar, and in 1849 this had increased to eight hundred and seventeen thousand tons, caused, principally, by the addition annually of four hundred thousand to the population of that country, and the low prices ruling part of that time. Up to 1846, prices ruled comparatively high; but since the passage of the law of that year, there has been a great reduction in prices, and an increased use of this necessary of life has been the consequence; but allowing only the same rate since these depressed prices, there are still ten thousand hogsheads, of one thousand pounds each, which are required every year more than the preceding one to supply her wants.

If the increase in the United States from births and emigration amounts, as may be presumed, to one million per annum, and the consumption be thirty-five pounds each person, including the vast amount of sweets manufactured in various ways, there would be a call for 35,000 hogsheads of similar size, to meet the demand, forming in the aggregate 45,000 casks of sugar more in 1850 than in 1849.

There is no country in which the crops have decidedly fallen off to any remarkable extent. Short they may have been, but not so much as to have caused the present advance in prices. The wants of an additional population have been left aside, although, in our opinion, quite sufficient to have produced the scarcity which extends itself all over the country.

In the present state of Cuba, it can hardly be expected that the island should produce more sugar in future than she now does; and the circumstances remaining the same, she must in a few years feel the want of laborers, as it is said that the cholera has carried off 25,000 slaves. It is fair to conclude that, with the friendly feeling which now exists between Spain and England, the British ministry have eagerly seized the opportunity to press the extinction of the slave trade upon the Cabinet of Madrid, which could so easily be effected with an expected naval force of upwards of twenty vessels of war.

In Porto Rico years have elapsed since any importations have occurred from Africa, nor is there any deficiency of field labor. The free and white population amounts to far beyond 500,000, while the slaves do not exceed 47,000. This, while adding to the security of property, places at his disposal as much free aid as the planter desires, at very moderate wages.-N. Y. Herald.

2-COTTON GROWING FACILITIES IN CEYLON.

A communication from Badula, in Ceylon, dated 8th July, gives the following sketch of the cotton growing facilities there :

"I have delayed acknowledging receipt of your kind letter of 18th March, hoping to have sent you samples of the various qualities of cotton grown in the island, but at this season these are rather difficult to be got, and I must defer sending them till next or following mail. So little is known of the productions of this island at home, that, I dare say, I may as well begin by telling you that the natives have cultivated cotton from time immemorial, but the production has been barely sufficient to supply the native manufacturer. It is grown over the greater part of the island-principally the northern and eastern portions of it. As to cultivation, it gets none, being sown by the natives along with their grain crops, and receives no care or attention; they simply content themselves with plucking the crops as they come to maturity. Samples of a superior quality from Bourbon seed have been raised at Jaffna and Batticalou, but the cultivation was abandoned, and it was found to interfere with that of the cocoa-nut tree. A parcel raised at Jaffna, sent home some years ago, sold for, I believe, 6d per Ib.; and a sample I grew at Batticalou was valued in Liverpool at the same price. Mr. Fennie, one of the American coton planters, who is in the service of the East India Company, with a view to the improvement of the production in Hindostan, and who some time ago visited this island, says, that in every essential-in soil, temperature, and climate-this island is calculated to produce cotton equal in quality and cheaper in price than that of the United States. His words are--I am of opinion, from what I saw of this climate and soil, that Ceylon will produce the article of cotton equally well-and, when the comparatively small amount of capital required is considered, I doubt not it may even produce the article cheaper than we can in America, where a large sum must be laid out at once for labor, and where the expense of food and clothing is much greater than the imported labor of Ceylon costs, besides the risk of losing the laborers by death after they are purchased.' If any of your friends should think of doing anything with cotton cultivation here, I shall be happy to give them every assistance. I have lands of my own well adapted for its cultivation; and I have no doubt government would be disposed to give every facility for acquiring lands for such a purpose. I believe that more than one-half the island is, by soil and climate, adapted for it; so that there is field enough, the island containing about 24,700 square miles, with a population of only 1,500,000. One great advantage of this island for carrying on cotton cultivation with English capital would be the facilities for obtaining both land and labor cheaply and easily. The former cannot be obtained in Hindostan, where there is a population, at anything like a reasonable price, as there is no unoccupied land, and the natives devoting their fields in the first place to the cultivation of grain, will on no aecount allow any other cultivation to interfere with that which supplies them food; so that it is only to a comparatively small extent that they cultivate cotton, indigo, or other produce for sale, to enable them to purchase a few superfluities. Now, where plenty of land is to be got, there is no population, or the soil and climate are also unpropitious; and the inhabitants will not emigrate from the rich and over-populated grain districts, to work for a less rate of pay than they can obtain in Ceylon or Mauritius; neither will they cultivate cotton any more than sugar or indigo, unless they obtain advances before even the land is ploughed; but in no tropical country can any dependence be placed by European capatalists on the indigenous population, for steady work; for, being all possessed of paddy fields and other lands, they will only work for European capitalists when their own fields do not require their labor. From what I have myself seen-and I believe it is generally admitted--both soil and climate of Ceylon are superior to that of India; whilst from the facility of its