The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-10-28
COTTON SEED AT $4,000.
Fortune Offered for Twenty Bushels OF
Marvel.
From, the Baltimore american.

MafV6i.
From, the Baltimore american.
ATLANTA, GA, October 18.-Mr. Jack
son, who lives on and oultivates the farm
Of Tax Collector Stewart. has created q
sensatlon In agricultural circles by being
waited on by committee Of South Geor-
gians, appointed by the farmers Of that
section of the State, to buy from him the
seed from 6, crop of cotton. The price to
be paid fer the seed is $4,000. and is
offered because the farmers believe that
If the cotton is planted in the South they
will be- ruined beyond repair.
The unnatural part of the offer to be
made Jackson by the committee from
South Georgia is the fact that the men
who will buy the seed do not wish to
plant them On the contrary, If they get
possession Of the seed they will destroy
them as quickly as possible, taking care
that not single seed escapes. The COM
mittee called on Jackson Saturday, but
he was not at home, and they have not
yet had an opportunity to make the offer.
The seed which the citizens of South
Georgia propose TO buy are the only ones
of the kind in the world. There are only
twenty bushels Of them, and the price to
be paid will be about 1000 per bushel.
Such price as that for cotton seed was
never heard of before. Jackson has re-
ceived hundreds of offers tor his seed. but
even lie was surprised when he heard
that com u.ittee would wait on him for
the purpose of Offering him as high an
$4,000 for his crop of seed. These seed
have history Of a kind that is unusually
interesting. Several years ago Mr. jack
son was presented with them by stravel.
ler, who hat brought them from the In.
terror of Africa, from part Of tEs Dark
Continent OIL which the foot of white men
seldom treads.
The man lad joined an exploring party
which had started to the centre Of Africa.
He was wealthy, and wen. on the trip
simply for the novelty OF the experience
While in tho very middle of Africa the
party came across some cotton, the stake
of which we're over twenty feet in height.
The Government botaniyt who was along
with the party took the measure from one
of the stalks, and it was from this stalk
that the first seed came. He cut off about
eighteen inches OF the stalk, with view
of bringing it to America.
On the stalk were sixty-fiye bolls, the
largest and finest ever seen in this coun-
try. The seed were we'll preserved by
their original owner, and were brought
safely to America. While on q trip
through the South the man who had
brought the seed from Africa told of
them, and stated that he would give them
10 some farmer who would take care Of
them. Jackson was mentioned to him,
and he turned the seed over to him.
Jackson planted Ehe seed and watched
their growth with fond eyes. he had
heard how high tie stalk from which the
seed were taken had been, and he deter
mined to grow stalks equally as high.
His frat crop was success. The stalks
of the cotton grew to an enormous height.
This year, when the time for planting
cotton came, Mr.. Jackson determined to
| give the seed 3 severe test and see II they
would stand it. he planted every seed
| in the poorest ground on his entire farm
and on the west side Of hill AS is well
known to farmers, the west side upland
ground Is always very poor. Though the
land was unusually poor, and the year
one of the worst cotton years In the his
tory of the South, the cotton fourished,
and is still blooming. Jackson used
nothing TO enrich the soil in which the
seed were planted. The test wasa nevere
one, but, notu outstanding that fact, some
of the stalks are as high as seven feet.
The cotton produced by these seed is of
the very finest quality, and 1t is even as
fine as long staple cotton. Jackson has
been offered ton cents per pound for what
he has raised this year, but he has refused
to accept it, and believes he will be able
to get fourteen cents for 1t. One Of the
peculiariGies o. this cotton is the fact that
| it is leahess. When the stalk grows up
leaves begin to sprour out on 1t, and after
they have grown out for some distance
the fruit Genes out from the stem Of the
leaf. After the fruit has partially ma
tured the leaf drops of, leaving the stalk
perfectly leafess This is the only cotton
| of this kind ever heard Of In this country,
and 1t Is causing no end of comment
among the farmers throughout the South.
The farmers of South Georgia have sent
their committee to Atlanta to buy the
seed from Mr.. jackson, because they ba-
lieve that If the cotton Is planted through.
out the South they will be ruined beyond
repair. They are Of the opinion that If
cotton will do 80 good under 90 severe a
test when planted and cultivated 1t will
produce so much that cotton will be 30
cheap that there will bo no money in 1t
for the farmer. Jackson says If the cot
ton is cultivated it will produce at least
two bales to the acre, and possibly %
much as four. lie feels sure that be will
be able to convince tho committee from
South Georgia of the fact that the cotton
will be the greatest thing the South has
ever seen or hesrd Of.
HI says that with this cotton in use all
over the S,uth the farmer can reduce his
acreage by over one-half and raise more
cotton then thar. he Is raising now. This
land that he docs not use for cotton can
be put to profitable use, and the income
Of the farmer will be doubled as compar-
I'd with the amount Of labor employed In
the raising of cotton.
Jackson does not much like the idea OF
having the seed destroyed, but will sell it
to the South Georgia committee If they
will pay him large enough price for It..
II be refuses the offer of $4,000 he will
have the consolation of knowing that be
has been offered the highest price ever
before offered for cotton seed.
Hundreds of others are anxious to get
the seed, but they do not intend to destroy
them. Jackson has received applications
for different quantities Of the seed from
| parties all over the South.
A few days ago Jackson received tele-
gram from the New Orleans Exchange,
asking what price he would take for the
Il