The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-25
CULTURE OF COTTON
WILL BE SHOWN BY CHAIRMAN
DAFFIN AS OBJECT LESSON.
BEFORE COTTON EXCHANGE.
SEVERAL MINIATURE FIELDS WILL
BE CULTIVATED.

for the AdOEnment of the Stran'
by Means of CottOn-FOuntnin in
Front of the Exchange VIII BE
the PRINCIPAL "Pafch"-ChairmnI
DafHn Is Greatly Pleased by the
Number of Property Owners who
Have Applied TO Have Trees Sci
Out by the Commission Before
Their Places at Their Expense.
Miniatures of cotton fields are to be
spread next summer and fall before
the eyes of the members of the Sa-
vannah Cotton Exchange. There al
who run may read, in so far as the
illustrations may apply, of just how
the crop throughout this section is
responding to the weather conditions
Chairman P. D. Daffin of the Park
and Tree Commission will have the
miniature cotton fields under his SUI
pervision, and every care will be ex-
ercised in the culture of the weeds
that spring from the seed that he will
have planted early in the season. Mr..
Daffin said yesterday that he consid-
ers that the growth of the cotton will
be eagerly watched by the cotton men
on the Bay, who will naturally feel
interest.
Then, too" said the chairman of
the commission, "there will be a de-
cided novelty in the spectacle of cot
ton cultivated in the heart of the city.
Any visitors from the North who might
he hppa ha ba
will be under way will make it a point
to have look at it. To certain ex-
tent the modest agricultural enterprise
will serve as an index to the condi-
ton of the cotton crop throughout this
section, and there will be a chance
afforded cotton men to judge of this
condition without making expeditions
to real cotton fields"
1t is Mr.. Daffin's intention to use
several different varieties of cotton
seed. He has Peruvian, Brazilian and
Bombay seed, and ali three varieties,
besides varieties more common, will be
planted. A demonstration of the adj
vantages or disadvantages of varie-
ties may be given in this way.
Several small plots of ground on the
Strand, near the Cotton Exchange, are
to be prepared for the cotton. These
will be fenced with wire, in much the
way that the small park that has been
established just east of the Citx En-
change is fenced Chairman Daffin
erected that fence for the protection
of the grass and flowers that will soon
spring up in the Park from the many
dogs that frequent the Strand and de-
light to scratch holes wherever they
may. He says he has studied the con-
dftions and understands the needs well
enough to know that it is a necessity
if the best results in identifying plots
are to be secured, for fences to be-
erected to keep out dogs. He takes
very decided issue with aldermen, who
was quoted some time ago by the
Morning News, in his objection to the
fence about the small park.
Most conspicuous of the cotton
patches" will be that about the cir
cular fountains that stand immediate
ly in front of the Cotton Exchange
Three rows of cotton will be planted
about this fountain, and the effect will
be very pleasing when the plants burst
forth into bloom and the blooms are
succeeded by the fleecy staple.
The Park and Tree Commission is
now employed in planting trees. Be
cause of physical limitations, the COM
mission cannot, the chairman said
plant as many trees as are desired dur
ing this season of planting. This is
because there is but one team for haul
ing the trees, which have to be brought
from a long distance from the city
because of the inroads that have beer
made upon those nearer at hand. II
is now necessary for the commission
to seek suitable trees in remote for
ests. The result is that the one team
cannot bring in very many trees.
The commission, too, the chairman
said is embarrassed for funds, as the
appropriation made by Council for its
work is never sufficient for the needs
Though hampered in this way, excel
lent work is yet done. Mr.. Daffin said
that he has been particularly graft.
fed this season by the greatly in.
creased number of property owners
who have applied to the commission
to plant trees in front of their places
the cost being met by the applicants
This is a practice that the commission
is always anxious to follow. The
Morning News has long advocated the
adornment Of their places by prop
erty owners through this means, and
it is refreshing to lovers of arboreal
beauty to see that it's advice, by the
report of Mr.. Daffin, is being followed
Many dead trees, Mr.. Daffin said
are to be cut away by the commission
while many more, partially dead, have
to be trimmed up. This is work that
must remain for another season, he
said. for the reason that all the force
of the commission is now required for
the planting of trees. This is the sea-
son for planting, and attention must
be given to this important feature OF
the commissions work while the
chances for the live oaks that are be-
ing set out surviving their transplant
ing is the strongest. Later the dead
trees will be cut away to make way for
the younger ones that, in nearly all
instances. have been planted hard by
with the idea that it would not he
long before they would have to re-
place the older ones.
This idea has been DEVELOPED by
Chairman Daffin on the west end of
Oglethorpe avenue. From Barnard
street, west, during the FIVE years
Chairman Daffin has been at work in
the identifying of the city, there has
been two complete rows of new trees
set out, most of them having been dug
from their native soil when some
years old, and transDlanted. Conse-
quently. they have now attained con-
siderable growth and spread of limb
so that the old trees that, dying, have
been replaced, are not so greatly
missed as they would have been had
very young trees been reset