The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-24
TAKE CARE OF COTTON
SO URGES PRESIDENT OF PRODUC-
 ERs' ASSOCIATION.
He Tells of Three Methods for Pre- serving Most Important Agricul-
 tural CrOp in the World.

Montivello, Ga. Feb. 23.--(Special.l- l--- President Harvie Jordan. of the South ern Cotton Association, urges upon the farmers of the South who are now holding cotton. to take better care of 1t. The terrible weather which the South has experienced for the past few weeks has done untold damage to a lot of the cotton which has been exS posed to the weather without the prop CT protection, and in order to have this cotton in good shape for the market whenever 1t is decided to sell 1t will be absolutely necessary for better care to be taken of 1t.
 In speaking of the matter, Mir. Jor- dan said:
 Cotton Is the most valuable agri- cultural crop in the world and 1t is the great money staple of the South. The old system of marketing the crop as fast as gfnned, together with the meager warehouse facilities in many sections of the South has left the farm CTS in the present holding movement without proper and adequate storage room to protect the staple from in- jury by climatic conditions.
 While cotton can be stored under good shelter from the weather and kept in perfect condition indefinitely, yet the staple is easily and quickly damaged by exposure to the rain, sum shine and wind, particularly if the cot ton is allowed to come in contact with the soil.
 There are three methods which can be employed in preserving the staple from injury. one of which should be promptly adopted by every holder of spot cotton who is not already proper ly caring for the staple he is holding. First, store the cotton in a warehouse; second, store the cotton in a building on the farm where produced or under good shelter temporarily constructed; third, if no storage facilities can be had, place each bale on edge over poles or skids, raised six to eight inches above the ground and turn the bales over at least once every ten days. Un- less cotton has been properly protect ed by one of the three methods above stated during the past few weeks, heavy damage will ensue to the own CTS when the cotton Is placed upon the market for sale. In my travels through the South during the past few months have noticed a great deal of cotton lying around gin houses, depots and farms flat upon the ground with no shelter above anu nothing beneath the bales to protect the staple from the
 
 Cotton will soon rot under such con- ditions and when carried to market must submit to the picking process. which Is alike disastrous to the buyer and losing business to the seller For @ few dollars invested in lumber all the cotton now being held on the farms can be properly sheltered and cared for until such time as the now advancing market reaches a satisfac- tory figure authorizing the sale by the owners.
 '"The spinners want and must have good staple. They cannot make satis- factory yarns or cloth out of damaged cotton, and the producers cannot afford to stand the losses which will result from their own carelessness.
 The farmers should not falter one iota in their determination to continue to hold cotton until prices advance to satisfactory figures. They already have the hardest part of the present fight whipped. The buyers in all parts of the world are short and can no longer transfer their contracts to iat- CT months, as they have been permit ted to do since December. The mills must have spot cotton and the holders have 1t absolutely in their power to drive prices upward, merely by refus- ing to sell at present low figures.
 Cotton should be sheltered with the same degree of care that corn, wheat. oats and other valuable farm products are. Cotton can be insured at home in good storage quarters much cheaper than in the ordinary town or city warehouse. have cotton on my farm stored in corrugated iron warehouse built for that purpose, cheaply con structed, upon which I get a rate of only one and three-quarters per cent against rate of two and one-half per cent charged in towns and cities, with the extra charge for storage save1. But for the present let 1t be insisted that every man who now has cotton not properly protected see to it at once that a temporary shed Is built over the cotton and the bales raised off the ground under such sheds at least eight inches. Let us carry our cotton to