The Tupelo journal., 1906-11-16
FARMER AND PLANTER
A COTTON
Reasons Why the Southern States
Grow the Fleecy Staple
Best.

1t has been q puzzling question with
me for years why it is that the south
ern states have a practical monopoly
as regards cotton, which latter Is OF
tropical origin, hence might reasona-
bly, be expected 30 do far better In
it's native habitat, writes Delfs, In
Farmers Home Journal. 1t certainly
is not due to a general superiority
of soil, for with the exception of the
river bottoms-and more especially
that of the Mississippi the YazoO
delta and about % black prairie coun-
ties of Texas, by far the greater part
of the cotton fields are to be found
in the piney woods region, where it
requires on an average of nearly
three acres to make one bale. Taking
into consideration the fact that three
bales have been made on one acre
and ever more-it will be seen that
but one-ninth Of a possible yield is
the average that rewards the culti-
vatOr.
AS regards the old world, the prin-
cipal reason why cotton Is so scarce
there is the undeniable fact that the
population is too dense; in other
words, the claims of the stomach have
to be considered before those OF the
back. This disposes most effectually
of a very large percentage of the ter
ritory under consideration.
Before going any further wish to
direct the readers attention to the
but little known, but all-important
fact that with the exception OF the
larger part of Mexico-it requiring
irrigation-the country south OF the
United States-till you strike Chill
and Argentine confederation-cannot
properly be termed what might be
called "a permanent" farming district.
The only exceptions are certain local.
ties requiring irrigation, like Mexico;
they are nearly exclusively confined to
the immediate neighborhood OF the
Pacific, hence by no means exclusive
South of Yucatan farming within the
limits named above is usually car
ried on in this style, VIZ: The large
forest trees are deadened by girdling.
then the extremely dense and high
underground is cut down with large
sword-like knives ~(machete), is al
lowed to remain where it drops down;
the dry season finding it thoroughly
cured, when fire soon e~ffectually dis
poses of all there Is. This permits
the planting of corn, rice or black
beans, probably also of tobacco and
cotton. Nothing more is required till
the first three named plants return a
yield, then sugar can or bananas, in
some instances coffee and cocoa trees,
are planted, all these operations TAX
ing place in the same season. Inc
only implement now used is the above
named machete; the sugar fields, how
ever, are scraped with hoes; after
that the eXuberant cane keeps down
all shrubs that otherwise take every.
thing unless cut down, and thai over
and over again. If a plow We're used
the excessive rains during summer
would wash away every yestige OF
surface soil. But about twenty years
settles the fate of even the most level
dnQ IoTlllG u6lUS, lOI dIlCI ludI II 10
unfit for anything excepting pasturage.
Query: Can such regions properly be
termed farming ones?
But a few special words about cot.
ton are next in order. Whilst in Brit
ish Honduras | saw a few struggling,
perennial cotton plants about ten feet
high. Though receiving but little, II
any, attention, they were in a flour
ishing condition and the g capsules
high up Cotton picking there would
mean 'straining,' not STOPPING But
there is no doubt but that the labor
of keeping down the shrubs would be
a very slow and difficult one owing to
the utter want of a perfect shade. The
machete would be almost useless, for
it requires free elbow room to make
the necessary strokes, and the same
remark applies to a somewhat lesser
degree also to the hoe. Then again,
a large portion of the crop would ma
ture during the rainy season; how to
manage the indispensable drying is
the question. In other words, a man
could not cultivate enough to make
the most meager support, even il he
could save all, which, owing to an
excess of moisture, he a not.
Agricultural Education in GEORGIA.