The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-12-01

SNO4NO NNN4NAS ~
obtained. Thus, the mercerization of the
Egyptian cotton-producing a most plausible and
deceptive imitation of silk-and the manufacture
of cotton blankets and others specialities were
strongly pushed. The desire to multiply the pres
ent sources of supply has induced a strong feeling
among German manufacturers in favor of cotton
culture on a large scale in German and British
African colonies as well as in other regions where
in cotton has not hitherto been considered in
digenous."
Another consul makes the following extract
from a gloomy article in an authoritative Euro
pean newspapers:
"In the cotton industry there is a crisis such as
has not been experienced in Lancashire since the
Civil War in America. Last January, medium
American cotton was quoted in Liverpool at Aid.
(9.48 cents) per pound. At the end of March the
price went to 5.34d. (1O.68 cents), and by the mid
die of June it had increased to 7.24d. (144 cents).
Granted that the supply is not equal to the de-
mand and that later the looms will be compelled
to stop, as long as there are violent fluctuations
the cotton industry of Lancashire will be almost
paralyzed. The new crop has been delayed fifteen
days. The consumption of American cotton is
increasing daily. The crop last year amounted
to about 100000 bales; this year the crop will
probably amount to II, 100000 O bales, while 12,OO0,-
900 bales will be consumed, thus depicting the sup
ply by drawing on reserves"
And now to complicate matters still further, the
boil weevil appears on the scene and successfully
defes all efforts to destroy or confne it. A few
weeks ago we expressed the opinion that it would
never reach North Carolina-that some means of
combating it would be found before it could reach
US. But a close reading since that time has shak-
en- our faith. The scientists are against us. Sec
rotary Wilson and the entomologists of the De
partment of Agriculture declare that the pest will
cross the Mississippi and conquer all the territory
in which cotton is grown. "You might as well try
to exterminate the house fly" Mr.. Wilson is quot
ed as saying. And the Washington correspondent
of the Raleigh Post further says that Mr.. Wilson
believes the pest will be in North Carolina within
two years. Against that statement, however, we
shall once more risk our optimism. The weevil
has been in Texas several years, and hasn't yet
crossed the State boundary, and we cannot un-
derstand why it should travel ten times as fast
within the next two years as heretofore.
But at any rate the situation is getting very
serious, and Congress should lose no time in max
ing a liberal appropriation for the investigation
of the subject. In the face of a possible annual
loss of $250,0OO,O0O to Southern farmers, as is
suggested in the official bulletin of the Depart
ment of Agriculture printed on page 2 of this
number, nothing should stand in the way of
prompt and vigorous action.
y 4
In North Carolina, so far as we can learn, the
average yield per acre this year is about 20 per
cent smaller than last year-this reduction in
yield, however, being somewhat compensated for
by a slight increase in acreage. Picking is un-
usually complete, as the failure of the top crop to
mature led to a generally earlier opening of the
crop. And we hear nothing to indicate that any
| considerable n1antitu is nnm held fnn L;nLo.