Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-15

Hon. Hector ID. Lane Interviewed az
New Orleans.

new ofienhhs
Tlmes Democrat,
The hon. Hector II. Lane. commissioner
OF agriculture for the state OF Alabama.
was In the city yesterday, Registered at
the Hotel Piokwiok. Mir. Lane Is dis.
tiugulHhcd man among the cotton plant.
crs, aud Ia the president OF the Cotton
Planters association Tor the United
States When Anen by representative
Of the Timcs Democrat yesterday he fur
nished some Information highly instrue-
tive TO all interested Ia agriculture In
the South,
Mr., Lane has just returned from an uN-
tended tour through the state OF Texas,
having visited TcXarkana, Sherman,
Waco, Dallas, Corslcaun, Fort Worth,
wenthcrford Austin. Houston, aud other
smaller towns, and whom asked what was
the result Of hls observations with regard
to the cotton crop, he said;
81 find the cotton crop, on an aver
age. three weeks later than last year"
TO whit cause do you attribute the
delnyl" he was asked
ION account OF tho cold, dry spring the
seed did not germlnnte. and when tho
rains commenced they were so excdnsive
ana continuous that they caused the plant
To become Hurfarr-roOtod, having little
or no tap root, went into the nelia
aud pulled up stalks to ascertain this
fact"
"What Is your opinion on the acreage
question:" the reporter asked
"On the acreage question Ia Texas the
Galveston News gives the decrease In
acreage IA 20 por cent, Tile Houston Post
~ u per cent; Hon, A. j. Rose. the com
missioner Of agriculture OF Texas, reports
officially Il decrease Of n per cent. aud
my investigotons lead me 10 believe that
these estimator are couRpryntldr."
what ~ the condition OF the cotton
crops" tho reporter askod.
THE cotton crop Ia tho largest, most
| productive and important sections Of tho
| State has been suffering from drouth FOR
tho past 1--WE or six wcal's according to
! locality"
What do you think win be the outcome
u the crop7'
with favorable conditions from now
on tho TcNaa cotton crop can not reach g
| per cont OF last years yield. But n tho
drouth continues, ami tho Indications are
that II win continue. ! do not believe the
Yield In Texas VIII equal 90 per cent OF
last years crop. In making the estimate
| wish 90 be conservative. Every person
familiar with the cotton plant knowa
| that excessive moisture. followed by great
hoat and hot sunshine. finding the plant
surfnco-rootod, win cause 1t to shed al
most everything on It,"
what was the condition OF the crops
In ArkanmsY'
II found the crops there In very poor
| condition also ! saw many crops abhn-
doned because OF excessive rains, being
unable to clean the neldr OF grass and
! weeds"
MIR. Lane spoke most encouragingly OF
| the corn crop, and also OF the highly
beneficial results that II would have on
the farmers.
lie said: I'm every State visited
found tho corn crop splendid, and the
acreage simply immense, II Is my belief
that cents per pound for cotton FOR
! last years crop was tbs Incentive that
induced people to plant such an enormous
acreage In grain, thus laying the foundn-
tlon FOR future Independence. You will
md that the farmer from now on will
not be u helpless dependent, Ms ! found
| in TaKaH that there Will be no difficulty IN
finding shelter for grain crops which will
be made there this year"
"Whnt was the condition OF the cotton
crops In your State tAlhbama) when you
left there two weeks ago3''
THE thirteen black belt counties Of
Alnbamn. that make onc-half OF tho on
tire cotton crop Of the State. are nub-
stantally In the same conditiop hH the
black lands Of Texas, with more aban-
donmont entirely OF crops In Alabama
than In Texas. which ! ascribo TO the IN
ferior quality OF labor In Alabama"
How do you think the yield will COM
pare with last years yields9"
II consider that the Yield Of Alabama
this year will not be within 70 per cent
OF last years Yield. This IL attributable
10 three reasonsi First, a reduced nere-
nRe Of Is por cont second. n decrease IN
the use OF commercial fertilizers OF 20
per cent. this gather officially through
my office az commissioner OF agrlcuturc)i
| and third. bad season, much rain, e.c
One can readily see hiatt this estimate OF
decreaaa IN Alabama Ia very moderate"
In rcply TO the question. 'Avhat do you
think OF the report OF the department. q
Agriculture2" Mr. Lane Aaid From all
tho Information can gather. from per-
ronnl inspection OF tho crops IN several
States. and from my knowledge OF how
weather conditions affect She cotton plant.
I am decidedly VI tho opinion that tho
report OF the department OF Agriculture
at Washington. issued yesterday. pre-
sents a more favorable condition than the
crops Justified"
Air. Lane left the city yesterday oyen.
Ing for Montgomery.