The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-12-29
bales a. Ten cents than twenty a ave

cents.
LINTLEss COTTON.
| A correspondent writes for intorma-
ton about lintless cotton ana It's
adaptabiiity to the black land OF
| Travis county. have had no expe-
rience with it, but have read that OF
others who have tried 1t. My con-
clusion is that it won't pay, as 1t calls
for the same labor in cultivation and
a little more In harvesting. The fol-
lowing from q correspondent in Home
and Farm, living In Louisiana, Is, l
believe, q fair statement of its charac-
ter and value:
1 tried it this year. 1t makes
great quantity of seed that are lintless
and think would be prob able to the
hill farmer, were it not for the trouble
in gathering. The boil opens very
large and frill and unless some one is
present to get every boil as 1t opens It
will all fan out and waste. 1t Is
claimed for the cotton that 1t will, II
planted by the 10th of June, shed off
at least 200 bushels of seed per acre.
This have not tried, therefore l can
give no opinion. But from my expe'
rience think it would pay the hill
farmer TO try peas and commercial
fertilizer in preference to the lintless
cotton seed, as the hill farmer, as u
class, are not able to experiment with
anything that think is so uncertain.
However, do not condemn the lint
less cotton, but for the reasons stated.
1 do not think It will pay the ordinary
hill farmer to invest In it. / think the
best thing for the hill farmer Is to
raise plenty of pease, corn and pota-
toes, and make his own meat, and
then make cotton as surplus. BY
doing this and using economy, under
our Democratic administration we
will have better times.
UNCLE JERRY's LAST REPORT.
The secretary of agriculture has re-
Gently Issued his fourth annual re-
port which, like all preceding reports,
shows up the ability and patriotic de-
votion of those running that depart
ment, and it's great benefit to the
country in general and the farmers In
particular. Common fairness COM
pels the admission that Secretary
Rusk's showing is good one and
that his important Office has been
we'll administered. The part played
by agriculture in the development
and prosperity of the country
is forcibly exhibited in the report
where We are told that of more
than one billion of dollars rep
resenting the exports of our
domestic products for the past year,
nearly so per cent consisted of agri-
cultural products, thus not only max
ing the United States the creditor OF
the world for sum exceeding $780,
600, 00O-the excess of our exports over
our impol ts-but relieving our home
markets from surplus product which
would have otherwise have reduced
prices to a point below cost of produc-
tion.
1t is gratifying to learn that in
spite of an aggregate increase OF I'M
ports, there is reduction in the pro-
portion of imports consist
ing of products which COM
pete with our American agriculture
for while In the fiscal year ending in
1889, 81 per cent of the imports were
competing only A per cent of our i'm
ports for the past fiscal year did 30
compete.
This is progress in the right direc-
ton, but there is plenty of room for
Improvement. 1t is evident that ag-
riculture has received little benefit
from the protective policy that has so
long prevailed, when A per cent Of
our imports compete with home pro-
ducts.
1t does seem strange that we should
import $67,O00,O0O worth OF ami
NAL products, $67 ,OOO, 600 worth
of fibers, $27, 100000 worth OF
hides, $50, 100000 worth of fruits and
wines, $25, 600, 600 worth of raw silk
and millions OF dollars worth of cot on
and other farm products that could be
raised as we'll In our own country.
The object OF the agricultural de-
partment Is to encourage and help in
the home production OF products now
only grown in foreign countries and
the opening of foreign markets for our
surplus.
Uncle Jerry has been an honest and
efficient officer and has done much to
merit the good opinion of those most
directly interested ia his work.
He is entitled to credit tor having
the German embargo on pork renewed
and for the establishing of cattle in
spection -ystem that has induced the
British authorities to allow the i'm
portation of American cattle. He is
doing much to popularise Indian corr
as an article of human food 10 Euro
pean countries, his agent in Germany
reporting that he Is fast breaking down
the prejudice that has hitherto ex
listed against maize for human con
sumption, and 1t Is confidently ex
pected that the foreign market fol
corn will soon be very much enlarged
1t is to he hoped that the good work
may 60 on.
FARM SUPERSTITIoNs.
3 A few days ago dry cold wind be-
gan to blow from the. nOrthw west which
r suggested the approach of norLhel
8 and thoughts of a "hog killing time.'
b Meeting q neighboriDg farmer of more
!. than average intelligence. l suggest
3 ed the hope that nOrther suitable
? for pork saving might be close al
1 hand, as some of my hogs were IN
. comfortably fat and my larder shor
= of meat. He replied he hoped colo
Y spell would not come for few days
Q when we would nave change of thu
y moon. Although quite familiar witt
Q the common superstition that The