The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-11
RouND BALE VS.. SQUARE BALE.

To the Editor Of the Herald:
sir.-The enormous reduction IN the
price Of cotton since the demonetiza-
tion Of silver in 1873 has become 30
vital TO the cotton producer that ne Is
compelled to look closely to every; re-
duction in making, and markeeihs
came. Labor has been reduced fifty per
cent while the handling and market
inc has been reduced scarcely anything.
The introduction Of the Round Bale
seems to solve the question OF reduc-
ing the cost Of putting cotton into the
hands Of the spinners.
The cost Of marketing cotton In our
interior cities has been about one-naiL
cent per pound or $3.50 per BALE anu
tbe price of that Is regulated lless tne
lire, by Liverpool, cotton being one OF
the few articles that no pay was OF 10
received for the covering.
The square bale costs the FARMER
s1.so in tare, for which ne never re-
ceiyes a cent, and il 1t is compressed
40 cents more also the go cents ne pays
for bagging and this he loses, Tor the
hapeIne and ties never weigh on bale
Of cotton over twenty: four pounds ana
often when 1t reaches It's foreign oes-
tinatIon there Is scarcely any. bagging
on it, besides many Of the ties are
gone. e. z
The pluckage Of a bale Of cotton when me
II "a shipped abroad iss fully fifty cents
per bale, therefore we have cost +for
handling cotton going abroad OF $3.50
per bale, and II handled at home $40
and this does not include commissions
or freight. ~. r
The round bale does away with s per
cent of the tare, which saves the far
mer s1.4o per bale, also the go cents
for bagglng and ties. also the 40 cents
for COMPRISING, I and the so cents
pluckage. .t.... ....
The cost for packing the round bale
Is $100 and the covering about 60 cents
and to offset this cost. the round bale
will bring 4-10 Of one per cent. more
per pound, which Is $500 per bale.
There will be a large reduction IN
ocean rates Of freight in favor OF the
round bale on account Of Its being
easily loaded and unloaded from tne
ship hold, also the larger quantity that
can be packed in a ship, and the aooii-
ton Of the stevedores. To sum up tne
advantages Of the round bale over the
old square bale in money, there Will De
2 saving to the producer by the round
bale Of 1910 to s4.00 per bale, besides
creating some consumption for cotton
az the round bale Is covered with cot
ton duck.
IF the Lowry round bale will save
in the expense of handling and market.
ing the cotton crop $500 per bale, 1t Will
put into the pockets Of the farmers OF
the South fully forty millions OF dollars
per annum, and all classes WILL be ben
Gifted by the increase Of the circulation
of that money, for 1t now largely goes
into the pockets Of foreigners
II the farmer will see his own inter-
est and study 1t carefully, he will kno"
that the reduction Of the cost OF max
ing and marketing cotton must come
out Of the cost of handling same, as the
price Of labor has been reduced to tn
point Of starvation, and ne cant 90 any
further in that direction.
Transportation commissions, covering
COMPRISING and plucking are the only
means left for reduction, and, believe
the round bale has, or will solve the
question, unless the greed Of monop'
oily destroys the desirable results, which
il legitimately carried out will enrich
the South and ner people, irrespective
of the masses or classes.
The writer of this article has no In
terest in the round bale.
Whenever the round bale comes into
use, then farewell to the village, towr
and city crops Of cotton.
FARMER.
Augusta Evening Herald, October, 81