The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-14
THE SITUATION AS TO COTTON
BY MARTIN CALVIN, Assoo

At what time in the history of the Union, indeed of the whole world, has the situation as to a single staple crop of any section of any country aroused 80 deep, widespread and continuing an interest as the American cotton crop! In large measure, cotton is the crop of a great section of this country, put cotton, as Hon. James H. Hammond, former Governor of South Carolina, de- clared in his place in the United states Senate quite half century ago, is King.
 Passing from the controversy wheth- CT the crop of 1904-05 will prove to be less or greater than 12.000,00O bales the world is intent on two inquires:
 First-Will Southern planters as one man, adhere to a refusal to sell spot cotton now on hand, till prices ad- vance to the normal figure?
 Second---Wil cotton producers agree to reduce the acreage for 1905-o6 20 per cent. and then religiously observe such agreement?
 The bears will do all in their power to defeat the proposition which looks to sharp reduction in cotton acreage on every little farm and big plantation They will labor increasingly and in- Eidiously to influence breaks all along the line, the moment the farmers agree to reduce the acreage and adopt other measures which will restrict the crop of 1905-06 to limit within the 1O,0OO,- GOO figure.
 These two facts every Southern farmer, every producer of cotton in this country, whether he makes eight bales or 800 bales. should keep con- stantly before him.
 Write tho two propositions, so vital to your interests, on a slip of paper and paste in your hat.
 T will hold all the spot cotton I have until prices return to the normal figure"
 T will cut the acreage had in cot ton last year full 25 per cent"
 Then let it be remembered that the farmer who breaks away from these z rules will do so to his own, hurt and to the injury of his fellows.
 In discussing the essentials to a good year in cottonS for the present season and for future seasons, it Is being vigorously urged that their should be reduction in the use of fertilizers 25 to 30 per cent, as well as u reduction in acreage.
 Tn a previous article on the crop for 1905-06. declared I thought the sug- more study the proposition, the more thoroughly convinced do I become that such course would be extremely un- wise.
 Men do not plant cotton and toll with 1t the year round for fun. Ex- perienced farmers, who keep a close record of t4eir farming operations tell us that it costs from 2 cents to 8 cents pound to raise cotton. This being true as a whole. or true in part. first consideration with every farm CT snoulo pc 10 adopt and cling to a method in cotton growing that will reduce the cost of production. This Is just as necessary as a reduction in acreage. How can the cost of pro- Guction be lessened-appreciably les ! eened? By increasing the yield per acre. This desirable result cannot be accomplished except by a liberal and intelligent use of fertilizers per acre.
 So much for that branch of the sub Ject in a general way. I shall return to it before l close rnis ao cle, for 1t is a matter of vast importance to our people.
 Here is an item which has been lost < sight of in the discussion of the pend ing. all-absorbing question.
 The first step that should be taken. looking to a crop which shall be with fn the 10.000,000 mark. must be to make a positive reduction In the mum Der of mules assigned to the cotton