The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-03-29
CENSUS OF COTTON GINNING

Avery q rtans w 0rks Undert a ken
sasS by; y Il q Cen sns nnraau
& Tho Greenvillo Mountsine cr says
various efforts havo been made to per-
fleet agencies for securing early and
trustworthy information as to the quan.
tity of cotton annually grown in tho
United Statos, with Wow to reducing
to q minimum tho fluctuations incident
to an industry SO greatly dependent
upon supply and demand. 4
Slatistios Of this crop uaed in oom.
moroial oentors havo to do with tho
cotton as marketed during oaoh year
ending August 81, and arc gathered
very largely through reports Of tran ms
portation lines touching tho cotton
folds, SO long as it was safe to as.
sumo that practically the whole of the
cotton crop rcaohcd it's market through
the common carriers, thoir reports
constituted q fairly trustworthy basis
for estimates Of the commercial Drop,
but, as much cotton now goes directly
from tho folds to tho mills without
passing through tho hands of traupor-
tation companies, this means Of gather
ing cotton statistios is annually beoom-
ing moro aud moro unsatisfactory. All
returns arc made in commercial bales.
which is au unsatisfactory unit of moas-
ure. During the rast century tho
Average weight of the commercial balo
more than doubled In somo sootions
the oottan balo now means tho SQUARE
package averaging in weight 498
pounds. In other regions it means a
bale Of 400 pounds, while in still other
localities is found tho round bale ayor.
aging 269 pounds. Mono Of tho means
hitherto employed has reported the
number and weight of these divors
kinds Of commercial bales. Yho rela-
tive number Of square aud round bales
is changing and with this the ayora ge
wsight of the ordinary unit, tho com
meroial bale, IL being modified. Henoe
the Importance Of substituting fixed
unit like q pound for variable unit of
measure like balo, thus enabling tho
country to know tho actual quantity Of
cotton produced.
Believing that tho reports Of cotton
ginncrs, showing tho number and avcr-
ago weight Of tho bales passing through
their hands during o given year, would
afford trustworthy statistios, tho Unitod
States Census Office has by cofrespon-
donco and through tho cnumeratora
obtained from each ginning establish
mont Of the country report Of the
quantity Of cotton handled of the orop
OF 1899. The attemptto obtain the Stats
| tics Of the cotton crop through this agen
oy has boon 90 suocossful, and the me.
thod promises to develop statistics so
much moro comploto and satisfactory
than those heretofore adopted that the
Director Of tho Oonsus has decided Ia
undertake an annual census Of the cot.
ton crop through tho diroot cooperation
Of the ginnors.
The SUCCESS Of this annual cotton
crop; report must dopond altogether
upon tho promptnoss and aoousaoy with
which reports are roooiyed. Asthe in
formation aolioited Ia very largely 70,
tho boneflt of tho cotton ginnors and
cotton grow0rs, tits boliovod that the
ginners cordially respond to tho
efforts Of tho Census Office to rendol
thiIa aoryico to tho South and to all
tlose Interested In Its groat staple,
Tho Oonsus Office is now undertakina
obtain tho facts regarding tho oottt i
Drop Of 1900, through blanks mailed 10
to the cotton ginners. Those injuries
should bo promptly, and accurately
answerod and returns d at onoo III tho
frarked envelope, which requires nc
postage. Ginners will not fail to soe
that tho alIooega nf thia fnotIisv m;l1 ~.