The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-01-21
LONG STAPLE COTTON.

Some time ago told that L could
per pound in a fair season, which gave
yield of half bale to the acre.
gave the details of my estimate, and
so far they have not been challenged,
but, on the other hand, they have
been endorsed by many correspond
ents. 1t would be safe to say that the
average cost of producing one pound
OF cotton is over, rather than under 10
cents per pound, in this section at
least. Middling at this writing, will
not sell for more that "a cents per
pound. The cotton business, there
fore, is about as profitable as the city
merchant who is compelled to sell his
wares at half what he paid for them
1t is only question of time when
bankruptcy will overtake both.
1t would not be wise, if possible, to
abandon cotton as money crop, but
it does not require ghost to to tell us
that the present condition
Of the market is due to
excessive production, of course
we are told that it is owing to con.
tracted currency, tyranny of combined
capital, unholy greed of spectators
and many kindred causes; but none of
them near-of-kin to the real cause
reproduction.
We know the excess held over from
last year, that is, the number of bales
not needed by manufactures to supply
their customers. Today's dispatches
tell that 315, 1872 more bales have been
marketed this season than at same
date last year. What will the excess
be at the close of the present season
and the probable price at the opening
of the next?
If anyone can suggest a better
remedy for our troubles than a re-
duced cotton acreage, would like to
hear from him. We cannot quit rails
ing cotton, but we can and should, re-
duce our acreage and get the most
we can off smaller fields. A well
known writer in Home and Farm
urges the planting of long staple cot
ton. He states that he has planted
several varieties and some of them
produce from half to q bale par acre,
Tor which he received Is to 10 cents
pei pound, while the ordinary short
staple only brought 7 cents. He says:
rom ID to 80 cents and in some
instances Cook sold for as much as
% cents. 1t is true that long-staple
varieties are not as general thing
very prolific, but with proper cultiva-
ton on good land they will run from
one-half to one bale of lint cotton to
the acre. The Allen cotton--the
standard fancy cOttun-has never
proved with us so prolific as some
others. The Cook does better. 1t re
Semhles the Allen, but is somewhat
longer staple. The Eureka, a good
selling staple, will produce as much
cotton as ordinary varieties and out
sells them from 3 to 5 cents pound
The Southern Hope 1 consider the
best of all the staple cottons in yield
and general good qualities 1t has
sold for us this year at Is ga cents,
outselling the Eureka. Southern
Hope is a large seed, large boil cotton,
while Eureka is small seed and
small bolls, and is more difficult to
pick than any of the above named
varieties | do not consider the short
staples as worth planting another
year, as prices are down to starvation
figures, but if anyone desires to plant
them heartily recommend the short
lint Peterkiu. For fancy staples
plant Allen and Cook, fol gen.
eral crop, long staple, take
Southern Hope and Eureka. here
may be others as good or better, but I
have never seen them" IL
If we can raise long staple cotton as
easily as this correspondent and get
such prices, it will beat anything we
have yet tried and will give US the
required dollars from halt the number
of bales. This may be too ROSY pic
ture, but "long staple' should be
tried experimentally on q small scale