The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-05
The Cotton Acreage.

! The New York Sun, commenting on
! the cotton acreage this year, says: "An
/ attempts made in recent years by the cot
/ ton factors Of the south TO induce the
| planters to reduce the cotton acreage, in
/ order to raise the price, have been fail
ures. We have reports from New Orleans,
| Mobile and Charleston, which leave very
little doubt that the cotton planting Of
this year will be even more extensive
than was that of last year. 1t must be
that the planters make profit out of their
crops, even at the low prices which have
so long prevailed in the worlds markets,
and even though the competition between
cotton-growing countries is greater than
it ever was before, 1t would not be neces-
sary, year after year, to urge the plant
ers to reduce the area if they actually
lost money by every years picking"
There are no very reliable estimates as
yet of the extent of the cotton acreage
this year. The reports relative to the
matter are largely guess work. 1t is
probable that there is an increase in the
acreage in Texas, where much new land
is being brought under cultivation every
year, but it is doubtful if there is any in
crease in the acreage of the other cotton
growing states.
1t is certain that in this state a great
deal more attention is now being given
to the cultivation of food crops
than there was few years ago.
very large percentage of the farmers
not only produce enough corn and meat
for home consumption, but they have a
surplus of these articles for sale. No re
liable statistics as to amount of western
corn and meat that find a market in this
state now in comparison with the amount
received before the agitation in favor of
diversified crops began, are obtainable,
but there is no doubt that the falling off
has been immense.
And the farmers are more prosperous
since they began raising corn and hogs.
If there has been no decrease in the cot
ton acreage, then the cultivated area has
been greatly increased While it is true
that the cultivated area has been in
creased somewhat, nevertheless that in
crease does not account for the large
acreage now devoted to food crops. The
conclusion is inevitable that there are
not as many acres planted in cotton as
there were a few years ago.
1t may be that owing to a liberal use of
fertilizers the yield per acre is larger than
formerly, and hence, while the acreage
has been reduced there has been no re-
reduction IN the total yield. The crop for
the year ending Aug. 81 now promises
to exceed the estimates considerably,
though it is doubtful if there would not
have been a demand for it at good price
if business conditions in this country and
Europe had been normal during the last
year.
Cotton always commands cash and that
is the main reason it is such a favorite
crop with planters, and although they
may not have received the cost of pro
duction this year they always entertain
the hope that prices will be better next
year There is another thing to be taken
into consideration. 1t is that only in a
few parts of the cotton states can grain
and meat be produced at a cost that
would enable the producers to send it to
distant markets and sell it in competition
with similar products of the west. After
the home market is supplied they could
not dispose of their surplus at prices that
would yield them as good net return as
cotton. Therefore, they are practically
forced to plant cotton.