The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-24

Oau De by which the mar
keting OF the crop can be extended
through the year the price OF cotton
can be maintained at a higher figure,
and above the cost of production. Just
now many insist that the farmers
should Jump Jim Grow" and ''cut
the pigeon wing" because the price OF
cotton has passed the cost of produc-
ton by a small margin. This should
always be the case, and would be il
the crop could be handled as as a unit
or three. fourths Of it. It is said that
the whiskey trust has never been able
to have matters exactly as they de.
termined, on account OF the moon
sinner, the amount Of whose produc-
ton and the price at which it will be
offered cannot be taken into the est
mate. So with the cotton 0 anter the
man In the way OF managing the sale
or the crop is the small farmer who
raises from one to three or four bales
genera ly getting advances to a greater
amount than the cotton will bring and
which he generally carries to the next
crop by a mortgage upon his horse,
COW CT perhaps land. When the bale
Is gathered he is compelled to put it on
the market, whether tbs price is four
or ten cents, and the price of the cot
ton is actually lowered by his eff ort to
meet his obligations. The amount OF
cotton produced by this class cannot
be ascertsined There is no way by
which we can make an estimate. TIE
Census gives US the number OF acre in
farms from the smallest to the largest,
but there is no way to ascertain the
amount of cotton raised by each far
mer. I hope that the next Census will
give us some data along this line, ind
I am corresponding with the Super
visors regarding this matter.
Any plan to successfully maket the
crop must contain a provision to buy
outright a large portion Of this cotton,
or an assignment of the mortgage
sticking thereto, and money for this
purpose will have to be provided. The
s2lnners and weavers have daily out
put of their plants and therefore con-
tinuous work for the managers OF the
sale OF their products.
But the cotton comes in, in our sec
ton, IN about three months and not to
exceed four or five in any of the s sases,
and it must be arranged as it comes
forward. Now can the farmers keep
this organization together the oGher
seven months or ever if the system Ia
perfected so that the business will grad
ually extend over t~hree-fourths Of the
yearR I5 seems to me that the farmer
needs an organization embracing not
only the selling Of cotton, but ell his
interests, and which require meetings
every month Of the year, Il which
will promote his welfare and can also
be successfully used for the sale of his
cotton crop. Persons not farmers
cJuld cooperate in the work of selling
the cotton.
The raising OF cotton has been re-
duced almost ID perfection. What we
now need is to perfect the selling-so
that the producer may receive q just
price.
This is en- o2portune time to take
steps on this head. There will be but
a small surplus left over for next year,
or rather the eurplus no existing wi
be greatly reduced. II arrangements
can be made by which the next crop
and it's successors shall not be offered
go Rs to reduce the price,-that is, that
the surplus shall be il the hands of the
cotton growers, "a good start will have
been made.
1t is the best opportunity stree 1890
and If allowed to psss may not return
in ten years.