The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-09
PROTECT YOUR COTTON.
Good ADVICE to Those Who Are Hold
Ing the staple.

The Wilmington Morning Star
says 1t has refrained from the occa.
sional course Of Its contemporaries of
giving gratitous advice to its friends
behind the hoe who are the bone and
sinew OF the country, and who are, in
these enlightened days of progressive
farming, generally better judges of
practical questions than many who
take superficial or sentimental view
of the situation. The Star is, how
ever, In position to know that many
of its friends are suffering serious loss
by the unwise exposure on the planta-
tions Of thousands Of bales Of cotton
to the continuous Spring rains this
season, which has been estimated, in
many instances, as high as 80 per
cent. of the market value. It has
been claimed by some of those who
have no storing facilities that the
bales will not suffer much injury in
the open II they are kept on their
edge upon poles which hold them q
lew inches clear off the ground; and, f,
II the bales are turned upside down
after every rain in order that the
moisture absorbed may be quickly
evaporated. It is also claimed that
the cotton SO treated will gain in
weight to the farmers advantage and
that the risk Of loss by fire Is reduced
to a minimum without the expense OF
insurance..
It must be manifest by experience,
however, that these specious claims
are not sustained by results. Elk
pcsure to the sun and winter rain
warps and defaces the bagglng, rusts
the hoops, and makes an unsightly
package, while the later warmer rains
OF the spring heats the cotton, fer
mentation follows and in many in
stances thirty to sixty pounds OF rot
ting and worthless cotton must be re-
moved and the bale repacked In 6
crude and unsatisfactory way before
in Wilmington recently thousands o.
damaged bales waiting for the SLOW
and expensive process Of picking be
fore they can be shipped as merchant
able. Many of these bales must prove
loss of at least cent pound t,
the farmer.
Moreover, the practice of exposirf
cotton at the plantations seems to b,
largely confined to our own section
that is to say, the Carolinas. Farthe
South better method prevails ant
the warehouse system Is used by man.
farmers who have no storage facilities
1t should not be overlooked that mil
buyers and exporters prefer the lot
that have been protected even by {;
temporary and inexpensive shelte
which Is within the means of ever,
producer. There Is, then, no question
as to actual weights and grades, no
any delay in settlements, nor any re
lection OF mis-shapen bales.
We are informed that some OF tn,
principal buyers are now refusing tt
bid on exposed and damaged cottoI
because OF recent heavy reclamation!
from mills at home and abroad. W.
also learn from representatives ol
Marine Underwriters that insurance
against country damage will be diff
cult to obtain next season, even a.
advanced premiums.
1t behooves the cotton planter
with these facts before him to pro
tect his cotton crop from damage by
4 simple'and reasonable precautions af
ter 1t has passed the inevitable viccls
situdes of frost, drought. excessiv,
moisture, rust, insects and othe
natural and unnatural foes between
the planting aud the picking of thi
royal gift OF God.