The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-06
~ = CROP.
m n Is Worth by Yield
;z SELLING PRICE
y Be Misleading as TO Value. Aa
important Distinction. The South
Carolina Weather Bureaus Re.
port for November Con.
tains Startling Data.
SELLING PRICE

Carolina section OF the weather bu.
reau service, just out, contains much
that is of interest to farmers and all
others who keep up with crop condi-
tions.
The mcst interesting and valuable
portion Of the report Is In the nature
OF a reminder, or advice, to farmers
as to what makes the value OF the
cotton crop, and this Is especially
timely just now when there are 30
many BIZARRE notions as to how to in
crease the price. Tie report sho VS.
that he return on the crop to the in
dividual farmer Is represented not by
the price per tale, but by the price
per acre, and some CON PARSONS be-
tween South Carolina aud Texas are
made which illustrate the point.
The report says on t! is line:
1t is the common opinion that the
selling price II an agricultural pro-
duct is alone the measure OF It's profit
ableneSS. Theoretically this is true,
but in actual practice 1t is not wholly
true, and in sCmc Instances Is not
even the most important factor,
when productiveness is compared
with crop prices.
by far the greater part Of what
the average farmer raises Is for use
and consumption on his farm, and the
residue is the surplus on which alone
the selling price has any effect so far
--as the farmers fiuances are concerned.
The case is dSferent with the cotton
farmer, for thSentire production u
this staple must be sjld, and none can
be ploftably consumed on the farm,
and yet q series Of comparisons would
indicate that the selling price Of Cot
ton is less important than the pro-
ductivenesS per acre, In calculating
the prOftablcness Of this crop.
Hhe state ment that more money
is received for small than for largo
= ar -.3a. * ysts77he- -1e-:----
amUun0- or money received for the
smaller crop represents loss to the
cotton planter, in comparison with
the smaller amount received for the
larger crop. This view is less com
mon, and it is based, Of course, on
the larger yield per acre OF large
crop than small one. 1t may b. as
sumed as an approximate fact that
the cost Of cultivating au acre Uf cot
ton varies but little from year to
year, far less than the price per
pound or the yield per acre, and it
may also be assumed to be constant
in tho same locality, however widely
1T may vary in different loalties.
To illustrate all Of the foregoing
points, the value per acre has been
calculated for the total cotton crop OF
South Carolina and Texas for num-
ber OF years, selected to repre-; ent the
conditions briefly stated above. In
the value per acre, in South Carolina,
was Sl4 20; in Texas, S22. 80; the price
Fer pound was 1l.2 cents. In 1894
the value for South Carolina was
Sl4.3b; for Texas, $l2.50; the price
per pound 90 cents. La 1896 the
vaiu3s were, fer South Caralipa
SIS 90; for Texas, $1,000; the price
per pound 10 cents In 1898, the
year Of greatest production for which
values are available, The values were,
for South Carolina, sll; for Texas,
Sl3 80; tie price per pound SO cents.
The limits of this article will not
y, .,ofr ooffrnlt full discussion Of the wea thcr
. iHa,r6revailed, and the acreage cul-
mounts. In connection with the
ofely sailed per acre, but ih can
M ncre is the cdcd that the yield per
I nroti, ablenes;t f.oilins factor in the
pt ppather thar OF raising cotton,
,arcc yiclT the price per pound. A
the no.G and high price would be
~ I'VE 1st profitable combination, but
artule OF supply and demand as
ori itself very quickly In such cases,
Grating en- the variable factor, /. e ,
ie price. The conclusion is that in
ensiye farming will do more to make
cotton raising profitable than will
varying the acreage from year to year
in the hope OF raising the price by
linn ting production or increasing the
acreage to supply an existing deiici-
ency at high prices. IL the supply
can be made fairly constant the price
will remain fairly constant. The
effect Of the weather On the growing
crop is, after ali, the main factor In
the prt fitableness Of raising cotton.
PROGRESS OF FARM WORK.
AS to the progress OF farm wort
during November the bulletin says:
The weather conditions through
out .nsssrember were favorable fol
. as crops remained in the
Sainly of late, scat
s s .h:I,Ugh some
'.ieir first pitling dur
|month; gathering an hn.tin, h
3picking seed peas; dig inc ane
hg sweet potatoes; and &. herinf
FOR crops such as turnip, iaann,,
other root crops. Il
"A general killing frost, excer
= Ialong tie coast where it was u beav
~ frost, IN the l5h, with freezing ten
z peratures and thin ice over the uppe
aSarts'of the State, stopped oil furthe
3routh except OF the very hardies
vegetables in The coast trucl, regions
Yand ended the growing season of | 9O4
The temperature averaged slight
Sly below normal, But was never col
nough to afford safe opportunity 10
utchering farm hogs, have In tn
sssein portions whore much mea
cured and packed.
wing was delayed by drought
rain fell early in the m 1ntl
the ground and permi
"a. of lands for wheat ant
y: = q aGe acreage of both grain
Z Sriug the month, Ger
low, owing to the pre-
ther, but was. In the
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