After surmounting many difficulties, the German cotton industry is once more in full swing, and with it, Bremen is again the important continental cotton market. The surrounding countries buy in Bremen as of old, though some outlets are still closed, owing to political and economic reasons. During the last three years, before the war, the import of North American cotton to Bremen averaged 2 500 000 bales, during the season 1920/21, it reached 1 200 000 bales, and in 1921/22, 1 500 000 bales, the decline, against the former years, is caused, partly, by the disappearance of some outlets, and partly, by the shorter working day. 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. The following figures give the distribution of the American crops.