The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-10-07
Cotton Production IN the South.


The Milwaukee Nt,cs says, "that among
the natural productions of the South in
which lies great source OF wealth, and
which invites capitalists from the north
and Europe, with promises of an abundant
return, none is deserving of greater atten
ton than the cotton production. The area
of land in the Southern States adapted to
cotton raising is almost unlimited. Only
about tn, zee and half millions Of acres are
now devoted to the culture Of the cotton
plant, while four or five times that extent
could be planted with profit The de
mand for cotton is largely in excess Of tie
supply, and consequently the profits of the
crop are enormous Here in the north a
farmer considers himself we'll repaid for
his labor when he raises twenty five bush
els of wheat, worth as many dollars, to
each acre sown. In the South the average
production of cotton to the acre is about
four hundred and seventy pounds, which
at twenty-five cents a pouud-the present
market price will show an average return
Of 1922 80 per acre, more than FIVE times
the return gained by farmers in the North
ern States a good hand will take care
OF ten acres. and only one bale to the acre.
of $50 pounds, gives $500 pounds of cot
ton per hand. American cotton now sells
in Liverpool from 10 l-2 to led. per pound
in gold. At even fourteen cents a pound
this year per hand to the farmer is 1915
this is allowing the farmer but one half
the crop.
The number of bales this year is esti
mated at 5000, 000, and a: twenty FIVE
cents pound the crop Of 1869 will be
worth, at 45e pounds to the bale, the sum
of 1897 500, ,O0O-more than the value of
auy cotton crop ever produced before in
the United States At twenty cents a
pound the crop Of this year is worth 270,.
100000. The market for cotton at bone
and abroad is always active, and there is
no likelihood that il will be overstocked
for mauy years to come, even with a crop
many tittes greater than that Of the pres
ent year.
" ltk judicious management there is no
doubt but that the production of cotton
can be made the most remunerstive of any
b. anch of productive industry in the
and will warrant the investment
of a large amount of capital. We are
glad to see that the attention of Northern
men is being directed toward this object,
and that many are entering largely into
he production of this very necessary ar
Ilcle of commerce. And not only are they
moving IN the matter of raising cotton but
several parties have already organized and
stsrted cotton mills in various portions of
the South, realizing that it can be manu-
factured into merchantable goods at great
er profit in the locality where it is raised,
than in the New England States, where the
cost of The transportation of the raw ma
terial must necessarily be added to the
price of the N nufactured goods
From present Appearances we feel as
sured that new era of prosperity will
soon dawn upon the South. As yet the
| eople have not recovered from the shock
and pro>tration caused by the war, but
with the opening of that section to free
la Dor and the introduction of Northern en-
terprise we may look to see those results
speedily overcome.