The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-10-04

Tor e. and there are other causes coming from
nee lfu lie ,islation yet to he enacted 1t Is GER
tain, however that these causes can not be
remed1ed In time to effect the price of the crop
now about to lie planted. even, indeed,
If their force can Re entirely destroyed The
cotton farmers must, therefore for the present.
resort to such remedies or palliatives for low
pri es as may come from their own action, in
dependent of legislation. The last crop O8920S)
has rrou~ht a hinher price than the preceding
one This resulted from the fart that 1t was a
much smaller one. The price would have been
mu"h higher if there had not been large sur
plus over the needs OF consumption coming
from the very large crop of 1892.
The natural rise in the price of cotton now
heing marketed has been largely impeded by
the great strike among the cotton factories OF
England. In this strike 60 900 operative, work.
Ing 1000 spindles. have stopped work. Tbs
effect Of this strike, up to this date, has been to
de 'rease the amount consumed by British fac
tories. since September /. 521 900 tales, and is
lihely to amount in the near future to more
than 1000 tales in addition. This decrease
in tho demand has ry certain law Of trade,
diminished the prize. or, which Is the
same thing. prevented the full rise
which would have come from the small
crop American. sDinnerS carried over from
last season an unusually large stock Of cotton,
having ought heavily at the low prices prevail
ing in the spring and summer. and whilst doing
On exceptionally good business, they have taken
so far 100000 ales less than for the same period
during last season. This also increased the
surplus. The prospect of another large crop,
coming from increased acreage, II that should
happen. would not only be an effectual bar to
any rise in the price. but would cause .
still further decline So that now
the cotton-raisers of the south are
confronted with this serious question
for solution: Shall we, by increased acreage
In the crop now heing planted, as compared to
the acreage OF that Of last season. raise a crop
of 100000 or 100000 900 rales, and thereby CLINT
the markets of the world. causing fall to the
low prices of 1912, and perhaps even lower,
or shall we, by reducing the acreage to the ex-
tent necessary to raise all our food and forage
crops and work animalS-eSpecially our meat
corn, horses and mules-increase the price Of
our cotton crop and at the same time
diminish the uses OF the proceeds Of
the crop ny a large reduction in the
amount heretofore applied to buy neo.
essary supplies? There can be but one answer
to this question in the minds Of thoughtful
men. If it be said among so numerous class
as cotton raisers it will re impossible to get an
agreement which will result in combined &C.
tion to plant reduced acreage in cotton, and
if this Re conceded. then the situation appeals
with still stronger force to each individual
farmer to decrease his own crop to the extent
needful TO raise his own supplies, for in case
there shall not be such a diminution in
the acreage as to AFFECT materially tho
price, so that the next crop is to be .
low priced one, the advantage to him who has
wisely raised his own supplies will be clear and
manifest. He will not have to buy high priced
supplies with the scant proceeds of low-priced
cotton. These proceeds will then re in the
main a surplus. or nearly SO. On the other
hand If there shall be such q general move
ment in the direction Of raising smaller crop
as to raise the price, then all who contribute
to II in the manner herein Indicated will
enjoy this increased price as the result
of their own wise action and at the Same
time be exempt from the expenditures for the
supplies which they have so raised After
much refe ton upon data collected from all
countries adapting to raise cotton, am salts
fled of this painful truth That we are never
at least in this generation, to have generally
the high prices for cotton we once had. Cot
ton will never, except in exceptional cases and
for short periods, be high enough to warrant
the producer to rely upon 1t as the means of
purchasing supplies which can be produced at
home. Very respectfully.
G. z. GEORGE.
-, Il E0~~on