The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-07-29
COTTON FEVER IN PORTO RICO.
Sea Island Cotton Of High Value
Produced.

A special from San Juan, Porto
Rico, to the Washington Star says
Within month the cotton ginneries
being erected on the water front of San
Juan will be ginning the most preten-
tious and certainly the most significant
cotton crop Porto Rico has raised
within the past forty years. The out
put will be at least 10000 bales of some
of the finest sea island cotton ever
grown. The best yields will exceed
/, 500 pounds seed and fiber to the acre
and of sixty eight experimental plots
all will show profit. Nothing but
sea island cotton has been planted.
and the tendency here is to encourage
as far as possible the growing OF that
grade only.
Within year, it is confidently exc
pected, the cotton boom in Porto Rico
will be attracting widespread attention.
And it is not improbable that through
such boom the rejuyenated Industry
will suffer by later reaction. The
principal promoter of the present move
ment in sea island cotton, who is now
witnessing the successful fruition Of
three years hard work, said yesterday:
Speaking fer our company, all We
ask is to be let alone. We are here
to handle all the sea island cotton
shat can be grown in Poetic Rico, and
we furnished the best obtainable Seed
enough to plant 1900 acres, free OF
cost to all who would try growing it.
We are more than satisfied with pres
ent results, and the outlook for the
future. Porto Rico should grow 5000
bales Of sea island cotton year. The
greatest danger confronting the enter
prise is that a boom in cotton here
will mean the unloading Of a lot OF
Door seed and the working Of wild cat
schemes to induce the growing of cheap
grades. Then when growers get little
or nothing for their crops because OF
poor samples of Porto Rican cotton in
the worlds markets there will be
slump and conditions will return to
their former depressed state. Conf
dence will be shaken and Porto Rico
cotton will get black eye.
GA few. weeks ago in Washington
had long talk with Secretary Of Agri-
culture Wilson, who expressed himself
as being much interested in what we
are doing here He assured me that
SO far as possible sea island cotton in
| terests in Porto Rico will be protected
| by his department.. There certainly IS
an opportunity for both the Federal
and the insulaI governments to accom-
plish vast and lasting good for Porto
Rico by a distribution Of high grade
sea island seed, keeping all others out
| I also received assurances from South
ern growers of sea island cotton that
they will steer clear of Porto Rico and
| let the ones now working have a chance.
Gone of the most hopeful signs thus
far in this respect has been found,
due to careful selection Of seed4
A Texan seed comes in the pest lis
sure to be introduced. The present
crop, where it has been property cared
for, will not run below % to 80 per
cent silk fiber, and will easily net SEQ
an acre. If our sugar men clear Sl5
an acre they are satisfied. Of course, if
a crop is neglected, the profit may
drop to $40. We figure the cost Of
cultivation at $40 an acre and the pick
ing at IS cents a hundred. Transport
alton to the gipneries will vary, ac-
cording to locations
st believe that If sea island cotton
is properly handled in Porto Rico
there will be no valid reason why a
few years hence there should not be
| textile fabric mill here paying we'll
on s1,OO0,oo0 capital and doing its
share toward making Porto Ricans self
sustaining, intelligent mill hnads.''
The recent decision of President
Roosevelt that 90,0 acres Of public
lands in Porto Rico can now be sold
leads to the reasonable supposition
that part Of this land, which will
doubtless be appraised at from 81 to
$40 an acre, will before long, blossom
with cotton. At least that's talk in
San Juan. The cotton fever is IN the
air.