The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-09-24
DON'T SELL TOO QUICK.

DON'T SELL TOO QUICK.
News and Observer.
To the Editor IL desire to answer
some recent correspondence from farm
ers and others asking my views rela-
tive to the cotton crop and its proba-
BILE ruling price tor the coming season.
This is a problem that only time
can solve, but by combining many
opinions may enable the reader to be
benefited. This is an unusual crop.
What usually occurs in August is now
being realized in September, because
the crop is two to three weeks late.
1t is not my experience ever to get
full output from any crop two to three
The last bureau report was, in my
opinion, too high. I predict the next
to be less and continue to lessen to the
end OF the season, and that the crop
will continue to deterioration exclu-
sive of the damage of frost even at an
average date, which will catch large
part of the crop and larger part than
ever before. General deterioration in
the crop now seems to be going on
from one end of the cotton belt to the
other. It is the lint production per
acre rather than the extent OF acreage
which makes the crop.
Now, with an intimate knowledge of
the cotton crop conditions at this sea-
soa OF the year, venture the predict
ion that wit 1 the present unfavorable
conditions 50 far rs rust and shedding,
and boil weeyils, dry weather, ETC., the
cotton crop OF the season OF 10000
beginning on the LIST inst, may prove
to he very moderate one, not exceed
lrg eleven million bales. What is the
worlds consumption? Not less than
eleven and one-half million bales, and
VIII be more for the next twelve
m ,nths than ever before ON account of
lat years shortage and the worlds
progress.
For the last thirty years up to Janu-
AIRY, 1908, Liverpool seems to have
named the price of cotton for the
world. Since January, 1903, Wall
Street and New Orleans, being nearer
the cotton fields learned the weight OF
the crop and seem to have taken the
swing, now @here she goes, there she
gees" What Is the matter with cotton ?
Who ever heard since the days of Re-
construction of thirteen and fourteen
cent cotton, $50 per bale? What does it
mean? 1t means simply that one
more time in the history Of the cotton
planters of the Sonth consumption has
gone beyond their production. This is
Confirmed, for it seems like thirteen
aud fourteen cents would have brought
"at the last bale in the woods. It
seems to me, so far as the present crop
Of cotton is concerned, the farmers
Told the balance of power and are in s
position to take the place of Wal
f,reet and New Orleans and name the
rrice of cotton for some time to come
You are up to good proposition
farmers, provided you are capable o.
managing It,.
recommend selling your cror
slowly down to ten cents, then wal
until you can be better informed as t.
the size of the crop. Would not hurr,
r,y crop on the market after it get.
Under ten cents AS / see it now, yot
re in a position to control the profit
Of your own labor. Don't get fright
ened should Mr.. Neil and his ascot
ates come out with a twelve million
hale. crop. They have Interests Il
serve. Wall Street spectators deal il
margins and swing from ore side t.
The other. It matters but little will
them whether cotton Is high or low
provided they see your crop is too b,
to corner.
The world wants your cotton ant
will want it bad. They kcow your
crop will not exceed last years crop
and they know your lat years cro1
stopped their spind les nearly sixty days
and cotton jumped from eight to thil
teen and a half cents. This experience
, is too fresh and unpleasant on thei
minds to be caught the second time
therefore they will buy your crop NOR
rapidly than ever before.
] admit this il early for any one t
give out an opinion for the future W
on problem that so agitatee the worlt
:. and | may be wrong but want to war
you OF the position I think you holt
My position cannot be- aselfish ono 8
l am on both sides-farmer and mar
uacturer-but mostly q farmer.
share their loss and gain. My predic
ions may be misleading, do your ow
thinking.
-g..ss ASHLEY HoRnE.
revvA~ n ~