The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-10-26

account OF the WeeVll, Out tuIs was
more than Offset by the new land-cow
land-that went into cotton IN Texas
this year.
In Oklahoma and the Indian Terri
tory there was a large increase in
acreage. Just how large it is difficult
to accurately estimate. It has been
tho custom in the Indian Territory in
the past to estimate acreage by nations.
This year an effort was made to get
the figures by counties, and the result
was confusing to say the least.
In the older states there was great
deal of land planted in cotton that
was not in cotton last year. The little
land owner about the town planted
cotton in his backyard and under his
orchard trees, but the "city crop" IS
not worth considering, and few
baekyards planted in cotton are apt to
give the casual observer an idea Of
enormous acreage that the facts may
not Justify. In point Of fact in many
states there was a great shifting of
crops. a planting of cotton on bottom
lands, and an abandonment OF cotton
on uplands which did not promise a
large return for the amount Of labor
necessary to successfully cultivate
them. In states like Louisiana this
was the case. and in some of the older
states of the eastern portion Of the
belt that have been under fertilizers
for quarter of q century. the posi-
bility of an increase In acreage was
limited. A careful study of the stu
alton shows that the acreage this sea-
son was record breaker, but. at the
same time not nearly as large as the
world has been led to believe.
70 be counted against this increase
In acreage there must be considered
the scarcity Of labor in the South.
Never before has there been such
lack Of labor for the cettou fields as
there has been this year. The labor
question is the great question IN the
South. The question is Just as grave a
one in Virginia as in Texas. in Okla
homa as in Georgia. There was more
cotton planted evrey place than could
be successfully cultivated, and the re-
suit is very plainly apdarent. 1t is a
spotted crop, with good and poor cot
ton in the same section, - is the often
expressed opinion of those who have
seen the crop. The reason for this is
to great extent due to the fact that
lack of labor has made it necessary to
neglect many of the fields. 1t is
possible to plow and plant more cotton
with the same amount of labor than
it is possible to cultivate properly and
pick. The question of securing pick
ers has been a serious one since the
first boil opened; there is much cot
ton still in the fields that should have
been picked weeks ago.
To consider the weather that makes
a crop it is necessary to go back he
yond the tina for the first breaking of
the ground and consider the weather
OF the previous winter. In this connec-
tion it is we'll to consider the peculiar
conditions which resulted i'll the two
bumper crops that are ever held up as
criterion of what the South should
do in the way OF a cotton crop. In
the winter preceding the bumper sea-
sons there was great deal of rain,
the ground was full of substance and
the plant grew vigorously, sending
down q deep tap root. In the late
summer came dry weather. The plant
seemd to wither, but the deep tap root
held it's life. Then came warm fall
rains, and frost held off unpyeced-
entedly late, while the plant, filed
with new life, made cotton.
The bumper crops have been win
ter crops The rains of last winter
were not such as those preceding bnm-
per crop years, put at the same time
they were up to the average, and the
soil was in fair shape, when it was
broken. The planting season was q
good one, and there was more early
planting than ever Before. There are
two stories. however, to this early
planting. Ir some states, particular
ly in Texas, there was a great deal OF
cotton planted too early. The farmers
were anxious to get it in early so as,
if possible, to, beat out the insect
pests. and they planted too early,
without a proper consideration OF the
weather conditions, and the cotton was
either entirely lost or turned out very
poorly.
: During the early Period of the
growth of the plant il nsde rapid pro-
gress. It was almost the unbroken
rule that the bloom was full and
heavy. The prospects for record
breaking crop seemed the best ever
known. Over the whole South there
spraug mp the idea that the crop was
going to be by far the largest ever
grown. The South supported this
opinion By selling cotton short around
and under 91a cents. There is always
a time in the life of every crop that
it seems very good. Good weather
during the early summer often paints
the picture of perfection, only to have
is rudely wiped away later on. Every
crop has its period Of deterioration.
and in considering the deterioration
of The present crop it is best to lock
at the condition in different sections
separately
There are. however, many general
characteristic about the crop his sea
son which prevail so generally that
there is no use considering them sec
tionally These general conditions
are what give the crop the individu-
atty that every crop must have.
In the first Mace the nlant this wear