The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-01
COTTON 4 AeREAGE
circular to Farmers by the Memphis
Cotton Exchange-Good Advice tO
Texas Farmers.

Circular TO Farmers by the Memphis
Cotton Exchange-Good Advice TO
Texas Farmers.
Memphis, Tenn, Dec. A.-At general
meetinglof the Memphis Cotton Exchange.
held Dec. %, 1896, the following resolutions
were unanimously adopted:
enormous total Of s,sol 95i bales, and greatly
exceeded the requirements OF the. worlds
panufactures. The marketing of this enorm.
4ns crop depressed prices to such an s5tent 81
past so years. 81 r..
The commercial value of the total crop was
S297 .0S7 $50. and only exceeded the short crop
OF 1s929S Sl2.H2OSl, although the production
was S,2O0,Ss6 bales greater. This crop with
Its proportionately low price, netted the pro-
ducer less money than will the present crop
with smaller acreage and production OF
II having been practically demonstrated by
the results of the present season that q small
crop Of cotton actually brings to the pro-
crop, and that the southern cotton producers
having grown their supplies at home, there.
by making cotton the surplus, or money crop,
are generally In better financial condition
than they have been in years, 1t is unques-
tionably TO the interest of farmers not to
produce crop greater than the requirements
OF manufactures. The growing Of large
crop of cotton entails proportionately greater
expense than a small crop. The cultivating,
ginning, freight, etc., in marketing the addi-
t1onal bales Is an immense Item, especially SO
when prices are deprecated by the fact that
past has demonstrated that in a large crop
year, with deprecated prices of cotton, rental
and realty values also depreciate, whereas,
with small crop and better prices, rental
and realty values improve proportionately.
The high range Of prices which have pre-.
walked this season as compared TO last season
has been, we fear, the means of sti imulatlng
on the part Of planters desire to increase
the acreage Of cotton for tho coming year, and
consumers are now holding off in laying in
supply OF the staple under the belief that an
increase In the acreage will depreciate present
prices and enable them to get what they need
at lower values. tt.I"H IS
Another matter for the farmers 10 bear in
mind, Is that at the present time when there
Ia remote possibility Of war, If such
should occur, the inevitable result thereof
would be TO deprecate the value OF cotton
and appreciate the value of all food crops.
Resolved. That the Memphis Cotton Ex-
change urgently recommends to the pro-
ducers that the production OF home supplies
be made the first consideration In planting
operations for the coming year, and the
acreage OF cotton be not increased over that
OF last year. -.r ..WEs,-EsN.
Resolved, That we approve and indorse the
American Cotton Growers Association for
bringing about the reduction In the acreage
spectfully urge the Hon. Hector d. Lane, the
president, and his coadJustors the presidents
OF the various cotton States OF said associa-
ton, TO urge It again upon the attention OF
the cotton producers Of the south.
Resolved, That the various cotton ex.
changes throughout the south be and are
hereby requested TO cooperate with this ex-
change in this matter, and that the southern
newspapers are also requested TO publish
/. Med. Massey, President
Henry Hotter, Secretory, ...@