The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-10
Big MOVEMENT OF FERTILIZERS.
Trade Will Be Lively With the
Farmers This Year.

The movement of fertilizers out of
Charleston has set in at lively rate,
and in the next few weeks the move
ment will assume even greater proper
tlons, as result of the large increase
in the cotton acreage on account of
the present high prices of the staple.
The plants of all the independent
companies are hard at work and
several of the factories Of the Virginia
Carolina Chemical Company, all which
closed down last summer on account
of the large stock on hand, have re-
sumed operation. All the local com
panies brought over large stocks into
this season, and it is we'll that this
happened for it enables the companies
to meet the present lively demand for
fertilizers. The large stocks are in
the nature of a blessing for there
would have been serious inconvenience,
if the factories had been caught this
season with empty stock sheds.
The demand for fertilizers is heavier
than it has been for years. The high
price of cotton and the often express
ed belief by men, in whom the cotton
raisers have confidence, that the
price of the staple can not go backward
for some time, has induced the farm
ers to plant a large acreage of cotton,
and preparations are making towards
this end. All indications point tc
the largest cotton acreage in many
years, and there will be consequently
demand for almost every pound of fer
tilizers that can be manufactured.
But for the fact that the present price
of cotton is high and is expected to
remain high next season, there would
have been much less cotton raised next
season, for the reason that the farmers
are in better condition financially
than they have been for some years.
There is always much of hue and cry
raised in commercial circles against
the farmer planting so much cotton.
It is wondered why they do not diver.
sify their crops and raise corn and
other things for home use. but in
most cases. it is not optional with
the farmers what they must raise.
Money is advanced to them by the
bankers and merchants in the small
towns and in every instance, the money
lenders stipulate that cotton must be
raised, even to the extent of the acre
age, as a precedent to the loan, and
the farmers have to raise cotton. The
farmers have not gotten the full bene-
6t of the high prices of cotton this
year because, as is usually the case,
the cotton is out of their hands when
the top prices are reached, but they
sold earlier in the season at good
prices, and they have been able to
make many Improvements about their
farms and besides have money in the
bank, which would save them from
borrowing. If prices had not remain
ed as high as they have, large num-
bre of farmers would not plant cotton
this year, not being forced to do so
in consequences of the demand of the
bankers and merchants. With high
prices and the general scarcity Of the
staple, which insures good prices
next year, Che farmers are naturally
going to plant largely, fact which is
evidenced as already stated, by the de-
mand for fertilizers.
Fertilizers have advanced a6out ten
per cent. in prices, but this advance is
not commensurate with the big ad-
vance in the prices of cotton, and the
farmers are not kicking against the
prices of fertilizers. This advance is
natural, a result of the great demand
for the fertilizers and the price will
doubtless go higher as the end of the
planting season approaches, and the
stock of the fertilizers runs low
Charleston Post.