The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-29
Crop Areas and Crop Conditions.

A recent trip through middle Geor-
gia. although not a very extended one,
was sufficient to verify common re-
port and newspaper information as TO
the comparative area of the cotton
crop and the general condition and
prospects of both corn and cotton as
we'll as other less important crops.
The character Of the seasonS-the
weather-has been practically the
same throughout the South. The
rainfall was moderate in January.
February and March-just enough to
enable the farmers to pillow and 9TH
erwise prepare the soil better than
has been done in several years. In
April it was barely sufficient to con-
tinue the soil in good workable con-
dition; that the temperature was too
low for prompt termination of seeds
of corn and cotton. So we have these
main features of farm conditions up
to date: The soil has been unusually
we'll prepared, and the farms are bet
ter cleared up and in more slightly
conditions than for several years. The
corn and cotton were we'll planted and
in good time, but the weather has
been too cool and dry for the proper
termination of the cotton seed. AS a
result the Stands are generally poor
and in many fields not one seed in
ten has peeped above the surface into
the chilly air. Many farmers were
very short in their supply of planting
seed and cut down the usual allow
ance per acre; SO that even had the
conditions for termination been good
there would have been no great sur
plus of plants. The cool weather mas
continued 20 this date (May I'D ana
there is little promise of higher tenn
perature-
So then the facts of condition are
these: At least as large an area as
was ever planted in cotton in the
South: imperfect stands and DEBATED
and sickly plants: no grass and weeds;
soil dry and cold.
AS to area planted, there is no room
to doubt that the farmers have done
as the old turkey hen was compelled
to do in order to cover 100 eggs at d
setting" They have spread them
selves" and have planted the largest
crop ever planted What per cent
of increase it is not practicable to say
Statistics Will tell us very soon. But
some one has said in regard to stats
tics that "there are three kinds OF lies
common everyday lies. d-n lies
and statistics" Now of course the
writer did not say that (the quotation
marks defend himl, and means no at
tack on the Government Statlstlclan
but desires simply to put the latter
on notice that if he trims down his
estimate on cotton area percentages
in his June report too closely that
some of the farmers will lose conf
denco.
At any rate. it may be safely said
there is no danger that the farmers
will so reduce the cotton area and
thereby cut down production as to
put the market up to 20 cents and
mus induce and enable our would-be
competitors in cotton growing to come
in and ruin the future prospects OF
this country as a producer of cotton
we gave rnem thai chance III 81, 63
ga and 65-four years in succession
But when the "war was over" and
the Southern farmer resumed opera.
tions at the "same old stand" some
what the worse for wear and with
greatly demoralized conditions, it did
not take many years for him to re-
cover for America, her prestige as the