The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-03-31
F. M. FARR, President.

! WE EARNESTLY SOL
1allIIElul
And even in the face of a large
surplus, the price of the STABLE
- slowly but surely advancing
each day. With the present
holding policy, if persisted in un-
til after the reduction in acreage
and use of commercial fertilizer
has become an established fact,
there can be no question that the
price OF the staple will increase
at least two cents per pound
greater than prices being offered
today. Not only will the reduc-
tlon in acreage be an important
feature, but the retiring of the
entire surplus will only leave an
amount of cotton to meet the
actual needs of the mills for
spinning purposes between the
present time and next September,
and as there is at this time the
greatest demand for cotton goods
that has ever been known in the
history of the world, the SPOT
holders of cotton have every en-
couragement to feel that in the
near future the value of the
staple will be increased to the
minimum price agreed upon at
the late New Orleans convention.
which was 10 cents per pound
delivered at the ports.
THE PLANTING SEASON.
The opening of the planting
season is now upon us. During
the present month the principal
acreage to be devoted to corn
and spring oats will be planted.
1t is imperative that on every
farm at least a sufficient acreage
should be planted in corn to meet
the demands of the farm. Where
fall oats were not sown, it is
equally important that four to
five acres to the plow should be
devoted to spring oats. Spring
oats can be successfully planted
up to the 20th of March. 1t is
not only the imperative duty of
every farmer in the south, no
matter whether he be land owner,
tenant or cropper to reduce his
cotton acreage, but there should
be more hog and hominy' pro-
duced in the south in 1905 than
has ever been produced before.
If this is done by determined
effort, then in less than eight
months the wave of prosperity
which swept over our country
the past two or three years will
continue unabated, and we ex-
emplify to the world that the
south has the manhood, ability
and the determination to solve
her problem to the best interest
of her people. There is no half
way ground for any farmer to
stand upon. Every man is ex-
pected to do his duty in this good
year 1905. The man who fails
to do his duty will be a recreant
not only to his own individual
interest, but to the best interest
of his beloved country.
While | would not advocate
che planting of corn if raised as
a money crop, still it is absolutely
essential that you make the cot
ton crop free from the encum-
brance of supplies bought at
ruinously high prices with which
to make same. Cut down the
cotton acreage at least Is per
cent, and increase the food sup
plies from 25 to 40 per cent. 1t
makes no difference how fasci-
mating the production of cotton
may be, the uncontroverted fact
remains that when more Ameri-
can cotton is grown than is
needed to supply the worlds de-
mands the price at which it can
be sold will be less than the cost
of production. And when cotton
is sold at or below the cost of
production, not only the producer
but every line of business in the
south suffers a financial depres-
sion. Therefore, let us not lose
the golden opportunity which
presents itself, and which must
be taken advantage of within
the next thirty days, to increase
our food supply crops and to pre-
serve unhannerod tha oraof eto