The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-25
What it Costs TO Grow Cotton.

LAUR1NBURd, Y. c., September 5.-An
extended discussion has been carried on
for some time in the newspapers of this
and other Southern States on the actual
cost of raising cotton in the Southern
States, most of those engaged in 1t taking
the ground that it cannot be successfully
grown for less than eight or nine cents,
and many Of them putting the cost of
production considerably above those
figures, when the interests on the money
invested in the farms, horses, and lmple-
ments was taken into consideration. But
most of these writer's have been theoreti-
cal farmers merely. I have obtained the
following statement from Mr.. S. NJ.
Shaw, a well-known and successful far
mer of this (Rchmond) County, who
does not make theoretical assertions or
predictions, but states what he he's actu-
ally accom- plished in the cultivation of
the cotton plant. He says:
II have given close attention to cotton
culture for the last thirty years, and for
the last seventeen years l have kept
regular set of farm books. I find the
cost of labor in 1890 and 1894 to have been
about the same; fertilizers about 25 per
cent. cheaper in 1894. In 1890 sold my
crop for All average price of SIG cents. I
made % l-2 bales Of 500 pounds each for
each plough on my farm. That crop cost
me 8 81 cents pound to put the cotton
into bales. The taxes on my farm, the
wear and tear of implements, wear and
tear of stock, rents or interest on my
farm, were not included in the cost OF
production.
"In 1894 I made twenty-five bales Of
cotton of 500 pounds each, over 200 bush
els of corn, and nearly 1000 pounds OF
l. 81 h 70 T M a q
the average price received for that crop of
cotton at $50 cents per pound; to pro-
duce it cost me 3.99 cents pound, that
is, to put it into bales ready for mar rket
taxes, interest, wear and tear, etc., left
out of the calculation as in 1890.
'Now, to get at the actual cost Of pro-
ducing cotton, have reduced the value
of nv farm one-third from what was
offered for it in 1890; have estimated the
wear and tear of implements and stock
and find the net profit of my crop OF 1894
paid me s. % per cent. on my Investment.
So, in order to get 6 per cent. on my
investment, l ought to get six cents for
my cotton. In other words, it costs at
least six cents pound to raise cotton i'll
North Carolina, and it can be raised at
that figure without loss. All over that is
clear profit to the farmer. So, eight cents
is fairly good price for cotton, | should
say. My fertilizers cost me Sl66 per
plough. I do not think any man in this
State can raise cotton cheaper than |, be-
cause have one of the best adapted farms
in the State for cotton culture. and the
statements saw from Mr.. Kinnon to
the effect that lie could raise it at 3 IL
cents I do not credit. 1t is all talk to say
that cotton cannot be grown in North
Carolina for less than 8 or 10 cents. |
shall be satisfied if I can get or I IL
cents for this years crop, and 1 shal!
then make from to2 cents per pound
clear profit on it, after deducting every
kind of expense that enters into its pro-
duction. In Texas I suppose it can be
proftably grown for less, say cents."-
NcW York EUcning Post.