Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-12
COTTON PRODUCTION.
Vast Extent of Land Vet Undevelope

Vast Extent Of Land Vet Undeveloped.
The era Of improved lands in the
United States is increasing at more
rapid rate than the national popula-
ton, even though the urban population
is increasing more rapidly than that of
the agricultural districts. The last
census shows that had the area of i'm
proved land increased at no greater
rate than the population, it would have
been 42,915,S91 acres less than 1t ac-
tually is.
The fact is due to use Of improved
agricultural machinery, by means OF
which one man in many instances IS
able to do the work Of from five to
twenty. The south has felt the influ-
ence and effects of this machinery less
than any other section Of the country.
But under the teachings of the agrl-
cultural colleges, the experiment sta
tions and the farmers Institutes, this
condition is being rapidly changed, and
It is only a question now Of few years
when the cotton farmers will be using
as many improved agricultural i'm
plements as any class of farmers In the
land.
With a few more improvements that
are sure to be made, the cotton picker
will be an entire success. Several
pickers have been in operation this
season, and our textile school has de-
monstrated that the cotton mill machin-
cry has no trouble in removing the ex-
ira trash gathered by the picker. The
cotton picking machines can run al
night as we'll as in the daytime, which
will enable the farmer to operate
double force of hands and save the
great loss of cotton caused by bad
weather. With the improved disc,
plows that are now being made, by
which one man and team can break
six acres a day; with the improved
cultivators. by which one man can DO
the work of three, and with the cotton
picking machine practical success, by
which one man can pick six bales
day, there is no limit to our increase
in the production of cotton even though
our industrial development along oth-
er lines calls FOR a larger number OF
additional men who are now doing
agricultural work.
The south can increase and will in
crease her cotton production not only
by more intelligent selection of seed'
not only by improving the fertility OF
her soil by every scientific and avail
able method, not only. by the improve
ment of the intelligence and skill OF
; her laborers, not only by the use or
more and more improved agricultural
machinery, but by the opening up of
new lands to give employment to thou-
sands who are coming from other sec
tions, as we'll as to our fast increasing
population.
TO realize the vast possibilities for
expansion along this line one has only
to examine the census report, that
shows that less than so per cent OF
the farm lands of the south are i'm
proved The report shows that In
farm land is improved; in North Caro-
lima only 366 per cent; in South Caro-
lima only Alb per cent; in Georgia only
4O.2 per cent: in Alabama only Ais per
cent; in Florida only 34.6 per cent; In
Louisiana only 42.2 per cent: in Texas
only 1876 per cent: in Arkansas only
AIS per cent; and in Tennessee only
50.4 per cent. By opening up this un-
developed territory, almost every acre
of which is good cotton land, the
south's ability to indefinitely expand
her cotton production cannot be ques-
toned, and therefore the alarm about
sufficient cotton supply in the future
should be permanently dismissed.-J
c.. Hardy, In Southern Farm Maga-
zine.