The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-29
sTop GAMBLING on COTTON.
An Experienced Farmer Gives His
Views of The Cotton Situation.


To the Editor: have read very
carefully the articles published re-
Gently in your valuable daily i'm re-
gard TO the late decline in cotton. and
Failed to find anything that meets
the whole situation. 1t is well known
that at least half of the cotton crop
Of the South is produced by white
ana colored renters. together with a
large per cent of small farmers. which.
as a general thing, have pledged or
mortgaged their crops. and in many
thousands their personal and real
estate for means to buy their fertili-
zcrs and provisions. and it is also well
known that q large per cent of the
merchants buy their goods on time
and are bound to collect, or they viii
go under. The crop Of 1903 never
was worth more TO the spinner than
. 10 10 cents, as there was an ample
supply of cotton goods in the country
for all markets that could be reached
and the factories generally lost money
or had TO cloSe-not for the want Of
raw material, but because they could
not sell their product without heavy
loss. The whole trouble can be remc-
died by Congress and our legislatures
passing stringent laws that will put
an end TO al gambling i'm futures. If
these various meetings proposed by
cotton men and farmers will all unite
in urging Congress TO stop this great
sin Of gambling, YOU will not witness
again so great u tluctuation in prices
When this wild gambling Sprang up
IN the spring of 1903 the staple was
selling at TO s 1-2 cents. and the
farmers were satisfied. \ shortage
of any crop per cent should only
have advanced the price per cent
and if the gamblers had been forced
to buy the real article ana stored aud
insured every bale, YOU would not
have heard of any sales or purchases
ut ! ) to G cents.
Now as To the cost of producing
cotton: ! produced cotton in n small
way for 25 or 80 years, and have kcpt
Il strict account of all crops from the
preparation Of the land until they
were housed. According to the Gov
ernmcnt report this year $4,000. 600
acres were planted. Say the CROP is
only twelve million. That would on;y
show an average yield per acre of
about 1-3 Of a bale or $50 to 166
pounds lint cotton. Here is my ex-
pense when Is TO 1-2 bale was all
raised per acre il cost not less than
cents. One bale per acre cost to
; cents. Two bales per acre cost
to cents per pound. This any farm
CT can do without so-called CONNER
cial fertilizers the greatest mistake
with farmers everywhere is that they
cultivate too much land: don't make
compost: spend tho fall and winter
without improving their lands: go to
The merchant in the spring and mort
gage q crop bcfore' amy preparation
has been made To seed anything; pay
very little attention to small grain or
any provision crop. My advice has
been year after year: Improve your
lands during fall and winter: plant
full provision crops; then 10 or 90
acres in cotton. which will yield 20
IL 40 bales, and there would be no need
for any mortgages.
Any 70 to rs year old boy could
easily make rich two acres during
fall and winter that would produce 2
to bales of cotton. which is about.
the average of our small farmers.
many Of whom cultivate g. 10 Ia Is
acres, and only get 10 bales. The
writer has several farms cultivated
by tenants. urged them all to rush
their cotton 10 Inarket and sell While
it was - To 10 cents. Those that
followed my advice are happy.
Those who think they can force cot