The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-09-10
OKLAHOMA FIELDS ARE
FILLED WITH
PICKERS
COTTON YIELD IS LARGE
Plants in Good Shape and
Lower BOIIS Neat.

Cotton picIfag is now IN fun blast
in Southern and Western Oklahoma al
though just commencing IN the northern
ana eastern part OF the territory All
Indications point 10 record. breaking
yield this year. the only feature calcu-
lated TO cause alarm being the scarcity
Of cotton pickers.
Throughout the two territories gener-
ally the increase this yea5 over last
years yield is estimated at nom 10 t3 80
PEI cent with about the sanSe acreage
az last year The season started in last
spring with conditions unsurpassed for
planting. and has continuei particularly
favo bic. The only exception to the
generally favorable weather condition
was the excessive rainfall n August
which gave the plants o. tendency to go
too much to stalk. and increased the
work OF webworms and bollworms IN
some localities. although the damag
doae by these pests was restricted to
comparatively few localities.
While the stalks are unusually lux
uriant the number OF bolls seems TO
have kept pace with the growth OF the
stalks, and all OF them seem TO be filling
out In good shape. II was at first fea~ed
that the plants We're fruiting too low,
and that IRE lower bolls would be so
shaded that they would not open up
properly. but insrection OF the fields In
this vicinity Indicates that they are
opening fully as well as the ones higher
up. II the crop can have a week or two
of good hot weather now these win un-
doubtedy be an enormous yield Because
OF the frosts already reported in some
Of tie Northera states. some OF the
farmers are worrying owe. the possi-
bility Of an early frost here. and will
endeavor to get their crop picked early,
II they can get the hands to do it.
First bales" are reported already
fram Caickasha. Shawnee Miskogee.
Chaadler aud other 9oints. a i5erai
premium being paid in each case by the
merchants and Rinners. Guthries first
bale was brought in last week. whe-e
tHis years crop has hegua 70 come in.
Il is very generally selling for 10 cents.
Old cotton has been selling at Chickasha
for = cents.
From nresclt indications the cotton
picking win be actively IN progress in
all parts OF the state by September 10.
and the crop viii be beginning TO move
IN bulk by October l. The activity OF
largely upoa the price which is being
paid The farmers unions. which are
very strong In both territories. have
agreed to hold their cotton for II cents.
and there IS no question that they viii
stand together on the ororostloa rfe
movement for the holdin Of the cotton
crop was inaugurated by the farmers
unions last year iu accordance with the
recommendations OF the southern Cot
ton Growers association. ard proved
very successful 80 far as the g-owers
OF Oklahoma were concerned.
II the price early in the season is too
low to satisfy the requirements Of the
unions it win be stored uatil prices get
better, and 10 that end warehouses are
now being erected by the unioas at Nc
Aiester, wynnewood Shawnee. Ardmore
ana elsewhere a similar Plaza is also
being followed at Antlers l. r., where
the farmers or Ceda-. Jack Fork, Kia-
michi and Towson counties win unite b.
the erection OF a cotton warehouse.
The lahcr promlem IS gini a serious
one fa Oklahoma, although apparently
causing little dimculty IN Indian Terri
tory. More use than ever before r.ill be
made Of Indian cotton pickers in souta
western Oklahoma. especially IN the
counties in tbs Cheyenne aad Aapaho
country Members * those two tribes
under the tutelage OF John Seger have
developed considerable aptitude for
fasm work. and many Of them have be
come especially adept as cotton 1lclers
A. =. Johnson. who has big ranch nea.
Carnegie was one OF the largest em-
ployers OF Indian labor last year. They
have also been used Extensively in the
vicinity ~ Colony.
~ tho extreme southws stern .art OF
Oklahoma. where there Is a strong pre-
judiee against negro Labor the m ,st seri-
Gus trouble Is expected in taking care d
the cron. In this immediate vicinity
there is also great demand for labor
Guthrie could use soc pickess aad a like
number Is wanted at Perry Efforts ere
being made 70 induce white laborc-s
from the north or -ecen' immigrants
from European countries. - come 10 Ok
lahoma ana settle. and extra induce.
melts are being offered al,ng that line
Failing 20 secure labor of that sort
! planters .n this locality will prohahls
} import Mexicans from New Mexico and
Arizona. as was dcae during the cotton
. shopping time last spring.
Z