Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-04-11
STATUS OF 1906 CROp

) STATUS OF 1906 CROP
The Acreage May be Slightly 1ncreas-
ed This Year Over Last But Not
Over 1904.
a special 10 the Columbia, Is. C.)
State from Baltimore says
Summarizing Is pages Of letters Oh
Sthe cott6ii acreage outlook from
several hundred bankers In North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Tex
as, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma,
and Indian Territory, the States prac
.tically embracing the cotton belt of
the South The Manufacturers Record
says this week:
The replies indicate tendency
toward a slight increase in acreage
for the cotton belt as whole, an in
crease, however, hot overcoming the
decrease in 1905 from the acreage of
1904, and a tendency to be restrained
by certain natural factors. The re-
plies show steady advance iii diversif-
cation Of crops, frrner purpose than
ever on the part of bankers and farm
.ers to stand together for the common
good and greater degree of comfort
among the growers.
There is a general purpose appear
ent all along the line for the bahkers
and growers TO continue, even with
greater zeal, the policy of cooperation
which worked 30 successfully dur
ing the past season. This does not, Of
course imply less acreage as a whole
in 1906 than in 1905, although such d
reduction in promised in number Of
localities. Nor does it imply that the
acreage in some States will not be in
creased. New lands in Texas, Okla
homa, Indian Territory and Arkansas,
and, indeed, in such older States as
Georgia, South Carolina and Missis-
sippi, are being opened up and are
going into cotton. In sections like the
delta of Mississippi, where no fertili-
ger is yet used, OF where it is really
cheaper to buy supplies than to raise
them with cotton at 10 or IL cents,
moderate increase in acreage may be
expected aud many individuals will
plant from 5 to 10 per cent wider than
last year. But in the main the bankers
are not encouraging any great expau-
sion, but, on the other hand, are stand
ing by the wisdom Of the past II
months and are receiving from the
farmers hearty support. Some far
mers are still holding, not because
they expect much better prices, but
because they do not need the monsy,
and those who may not be satisfied
with the price at the time they gin the
coming crop are assured that they
will have no difficulty in obtaining ae-
comodations from the banks and mer-
chants who are backing up the grow
:ers in legitimate plans to make their.
crop 10 paying one. AT the same time
a voice Of caution is raised against
any combination to get excessive
prices, that being held as censurable
as are efforts of Wall street bears to
.depress prices. Here and there, where
experience has not taught wisdom.
the all-cotton idea is abroad, and some
few planters really favor permanent
Scent basis for the staple!
"The readiness with which the
growers favor conservatism in plant
ing this year and their determination
to work along with the banks are due
to the steadily increasing comfort Of
the many. The day of the old credit
system is passing, and now the grow
ers are found in various stages of
prosperity, from ability TO pay off
old debts and to lift mortgages to
ability to lend money themselves.
Their bank accounts are greater then
ever before and they are investing
their surplus in permanent forms.
They are buying more land and bring
ing the present holdings to a high
state of cultivation. New homes with
modern conveniences are being built
and old ones are being improved. Up
to-date impliments and machinery are
being purchased, a better grade of live
stock is appearing, some farmers are
investing in town property and -mov-
ing in so that their children may enjoy
better school facilities, the farms be-
ing rented, and more bank stock and
cotton mill stock and cotton seed oil
mill stock are being held by the far
mers, while better school buildings
and better churches III divers country
ueighborhoods bear witness to pros
pcrity growing out Of better prices for
cotton, and to the increasing ability
to maintain policy ins,,ring even
greater prosperity in the future.
Necessarily to diversity, to divert
some energies from growing in
to the raising of other crops, is Civ
ing place to deliberateness in follow
ing the policy as this stronger fnan-
cial condition of the farmers permits
them to enlarge upon the wisdom of
not depending upon one crop. Diver
sification, which implies more fertiliz-
ing and greater attention given to the
crops, began primarily for thousands
of growers in carrying out a "hog-
and-hominy' campaign-that is, in
living on ones own farm, in making
supplies at home. The growing in cer-
tain favored sections of early vegata.
',les and fruit for Northern markets