The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-07
PROTECT YOUR COTTON.
Good advice to Those Who Are Hold
ing the Staple.

The Wilmington Morning Star
says it has refrained from the occa.
sional course Of it's contemporaries OF
giving gratitous advice to it's friends
behind the hoe who are the bone and
sinew Of the country, and who are, in
these enlightened days Of progressive
farming, generally letter judges OF
practical questions than many who
take superficial OF sentimental view
of the situation. The Star is, how
ever, in a position to know that many
of it's friends are suffering serious loss
by the unwise exposure on the planta-
tiors 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. 1t has
been claimed by some OF those who
have no st6sing facilities that the
| bales will not suffer much injury in
the open if they are kept on their
edge upon poles which hold them 8
few inches clear off the ground; and,
II the bales are turned upside down
after every rain in order that the
moisture absorbed may be quickly
e7sporated. 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 minimum without the expense Of
insurance.
It must be manifest by experience,
however, that these specious claims
are not sustained by results. Ex
posure to the sun and winter rain
warps ard defaces the bagging, ruSts
the hoops, and makes an unsigntly
package, while tie later warmsr rains
OF the spring heats the cotton, fer.
mentaticn fcllo1s> and in many in
stances thirty to sixty pounds OF rot.
ting and worthless cotton must be re-
moved and the bale repacked in a
crude and unsatisfactory way before
il is fit for shipment. We have seen
in Wilmington recently thousands Of
damaged bales waiting for the slow
aud expensive process Of picking be-
fore they can BE- shipped as merchant.
able. Many ct these bales must prove
loss OF at least a cent a pound to
the farmer.
Moreover, the practice OF exposing
cotton at the plantations seems to be
largely corf1ed to our own section
that is to say, the Carolinas. Farther
South a better method prevails and
the warehouse system is used by many
farmers who have no storage facilities.
It should not be overlooked that mill
buyers and exporters prefer the lots
that have been protected even by a
temporary and inexpensive shelter
which Is within the means OF every
producer. There is, then, no question
as to actual weights and grades, nor
any delay in settlements, nor any re-
lection Of mis-shapen bales.
We are informed that some OF the
principal buyers are now refusing to
bid on exposed and damaged cotton
because OF recent heavy reclamations
from mills at home and abroad. We
also learn from representatives OF
Marine Underwriters that insurance
against country damage will be diff
cult to obtain next season, even at
advanced premiums.
It behooves the cotton planter
with these facts before him to pro-
tect his cotton crop from damage by
simple and reasonable precautions af-
ter 1t has passed the inevitable viccis'
si5udes OF frost, 2rcught, excessive
moisture, rust, insects and other
natural and unnatural foes between
the planting and the picking Of this
royal gift OF God.