The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-08

OF which We have a monopoly, but it is
the only great staple crop Of which any
nation has practical monopoly. No
other agricultural product holds such a
commanding position as cotton in rela-
ton to the worlds commerce and in i'm
portance as a basis of enormous manufac-
turing enterprises, which employ more
than million operatives and MANY hun
dreds of millions of capital. The United
States can proudly claim the production
OF IS per cent of all the worlds supply of
cotton, and for her share of this kingly
staple from our Southern states Europe
pays annually almost s4OO, 900, 900. An
other almost equally astonishing fact is
that single state can claim one third Of
the cotton produced in the United States,
r rec for it the princely sum of $685.
ooO ,O00 year, on an average. This sta to
Is Texas, where almost every acre of land
will grow cotton and the yield will range
from one-quarter Of a bale per acre on
the poorer soils to one and one-half
bales on the fertile, highly cultivated bot
tom lands.
Made Rich by Cotton.
Texas suffered less from the disastrous
III system after the war than the South
& tern states. The tide Of immigration
faced that way, and the newcomers found
the lands We're unusually cheap and fer
tile. The soil, seasons and climatic con-
ditions were perfect for the raising Of
cotton, but the yields Of wheat, corn and
vegetables were also exceptionally fine,
cotton raising, and this greatly aided the
older families, who had been thrown into
debt, In recovering from their losses Of
the war period. Year by year Texas has
been gaining in Importance as a producer
of cotton, and what her future position
and wealth from this great staple alone
may be it is impossible to estimate. A
recent government report says: There
is every reason to believe that the 81, 000,-
900 acres of central black prairie of Texas
could, fenced .be, produce the entire
crop now2grown In the South
@ Southern Texas Is especially adapted to
cotton raising, and II 1t were not for
the presence Of the destructive boil Wee
vii in many of the counties, the yield
would be enormous. The worst tavages
of this pest are being avoided by early
planting, more cultivation and the use of
seed which natures rapidly soSthat the
cotton ripens, in the summer before the
weevils have become very numerous. In
this way Southern Texas has a great adj
vantage over the northern sections of the
state, where the spring does not come so
early. After the cotton is picked the
same soil will yield a bountiful harvest
in vegetables.
Another advantage which the cotton
planters of the southern counties have
over those Of the northern region is that
they can secure Mexican labor, which Is
much cheaper than either negro or white
labor. This fact, together with the great
ACA IAASy VI IAAO SOll, "lA1Sll WILL yAC1u VIGIL,
year after year. without enrichment,
makes 1t possible to grow cotton cheaper
than in other sections, and so offsets
much Of the loss sustained by the raw
ages of the boil Weevil.
Value In Cotton Seed.
Another source of wealth to the south
Texas cotton grower is the demand for
cotton seed at the various manufactures
Of the by-products Of cotton which have
been established in many \of the cities
a. nd 10 f1,t11 for
all of these industries, as scientific ex-
periments are constantly showing new
uses for the seeds, the air dry cotton
plants, the stems and the roots. In the
seeds were not supposed to have any
other use than for planting and thousands
Of tons were annually burned or thrown
into the rivers. Finally it was discovered
that they had fine fertilizing properties
and that they could also be used for feed.
ing cattle, mixed with other fodder.
At last people awoke to the fact that
the oil which was contained in the cot.
ton seed. could be extracted and had a
commercial Halue In 1925 an oil mil
from that time the value of cotton seec
oil has been steadily increasing. Ir
southern Texas today there Is a large
amount of capital invested in the OF
are annually sold to these manufactures
by the planters. From forty to forty five
gallons of oil can be obtained from each
ton of seed.
After the oil is extracted there remains
another by-product of great value, name.
ly, the cotton seed meal, which Is an ex.
cellent fertilizer and is used extensively
as food for live stock, This has been
round OF great advantage to the farmers
o.. southern Texas who engage in truck
farming, where it Is necessary to renew
the soil to get quick crops and to those
who are fattening cattle for market.
Inc hulls which remain after the oil
Is extracted and the meal removed make
an excellent fuel and the ashes are found
to contain such large percentage Of
potash and phosphoric acid that they are
very valuable for fertilizing the soil.
Endless Uses for OH. D.
For the OIL itself there seems to be an
almost endless variety of uses and there
are fortunes awaiting those who engage
In this industry. .~--.E-.'S -
Southern Texas offers a most exception
al opportunity for the capitalist who
wishes to invest in manufacturing enter.
gates to more than a score of industries
the spinning and weaving of cloth. the
disttlling of oil and manufacture Of its
py-products, the converting of cotton
nuns INTO paper, and the stems into cot
ton sacking. Texas, especially the south
ern section, is the home of cotton and
1t Will not be many years before the
raw material will be made into mer-
chand1se there within her borders. Texas
cheap fuel oil is alone to be great boon
to the cotton manufacturer and fine rail
Ioad facilities are another great aid,
immigration may help to solve one OF
the great problems Of the cotton grower
by furnishing cheaper labor, and the new
machinery for the planting, the gang
plow, which cultivates on both sides If
a row of cotton at the same time. saving
the labor Of several men, and the ma
chine for "chopping OUT the extra plants
in the rows when the young cotton plants
appear above the ground, which opera
ton, done by hand is one of the most
costly in cotton culture, will take care
Of the others. All these lower the cost
OF production and insure increasing riches
to the cotton producer, who, with the
grasp one Of the worlds greatest staples.