Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-05-24
Cost Of Raising Gotten.
Statistics Showing Comparative Yields IN the
Various Counties Since 800.


spondence this morning are quoted
statements made by Theodore III.
Price to the New England Cotton
Manufacturers Association in Bos. esr
5 ton some time ago as to the cost OF ant
raising cotton. l take issue as to fig
these and in support OF my case will l9
give few facts and figures which an
you can rely upon as being correct, raj
as for years have kept record of i'm
costs which showed the following re- asc
cults: flo
Clearing land of previous years tis
stalks takes the labor of ono good
hand day to clear two acres; at a CO.
day wage of 75 cents that equals In
81 cents per acre. These stalks
are either burned or 'sturned under;"
if the former, cost would he about Is
cents per acre, 80 we calculate thatit Ab
costs 80 cents per acre to prepare
the land for the plow.
The first plowing consists of All
throwing two burrows to the middle,
thus covering the knocked down
stalks. A good plow hand will "run
over" say four acres per day, at
cost for wage of rs cents, feed for
the mule, 80 cents, with 10 per cent
for wear and tear on plow and gear fa
"a very conservative estimate
value of which is say $40, which
would make the four acres cost $2.O5, Ba
or say 30 cents per acre.
After the ground has thus been
s'two furrowed" it is "broken out" Ro
j. g., the blowing is completed at the
rate OF two acres per day, with cost
80 pom same basis-equals 81 per acre.
We now have the ground ready 30
for planting at say cost of SO per
acre.
The cost of seed per acre is not Oh
less than 81. With a "planter'
about 6 acres per day can be planted
at labor cost of 80 cents per acre, Oh
which makes the total cost thus far
$3.50 per acre.
We now come to the cultivation, ~,
which, worked:out in detail, as the
above has been, will cost $3.50 per
acre, which brings the cost up to the
"laying by" to s11.1O per acre. ~
1t takes about 1900 pounds of
seed cotton to produce 500 pound
bale of lint, and it never costs less Cl
than SO cents per 100 pounds to pick.
When the crop is very large and la.
Dor scarce, we pay. from 60 to rs Co
cents for picking; but this estimate,
say SO cents per 100 pounds, equals
$3.50 per bale, to which must be
added the hauling to the gin, at 80
cost of not less than 81 per bale, and
also the cost of ginning and pressing,
which is about 81 per bale--a total d.
of $3.50 per bale for picking, gin
ming and pressing, i. e.. % cents per
pound. Et
This statement is based upon cot.
ton planting in the Mississippi delta,
where the average lint produced is II,
about 800 pounds per acre and where
no fertilizers are used.
= There are three systems of raising
cotton: first, the wage; second, the III
shares third, the rental. This cal
culation is based upon the first or
waee system. G.
"Now, divide the $11.10 it has cost
up to picking by the 800 pounds of
lint per acre) and you have $40 per a.
pound. Add to this the II cents per
pound for picking and ginning, which
would give the actual cost, prepared =,
for market, of 6.20 per pound. y
Freight, insurance and factors COM
missions will add three. quarters
more, or say 6.95 it must bring to II
pay the actual outlay of the planter.
is allowing nothing for use of
tfv1and or depreciation in value of Fl
mules, wagons, gins, etc., or for in
terest on investment.
Now, where does Mr.. Price get his :,
cost of A cent per pound? -