The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-30
100, ,0OO Bales Less Than
 1905.
COMMISSIONER MAKES REPORT
soole Says Cotton is worth Ten
 Cents a Pound.
zn ssatemeas 10 Farmers, Head oi
 state ARrtcuiture Department lt Advises Growers to Hold Back for Good Prices.

The cotton crop of Alabama. from present indications. will be 100000 bales less than the State crop for 1905. This statement was gI out in an official notice by State Commissioner or Agriculture R. R Poole yesterday to the farmers of the State
 Every pound of cotton is worth 10 cents a pound" says the statement, and if properly marketed. will bring that amount"
 The cause of the poor outlook now is to be found in the weather condi- tfons which have obtained during the season. While two months ago. the prospect was for one of the largest crops ever raised in che State. periods of excessive rain and prolonged terms of heat have wrecked havoc with the staple. and have seriously reduced the probable output.
 This condition of affairs has worked tc the disadvantage of the farmer. says the Commissioner. in that when the outlook was bright the price or cotton dropped, and now the raiser finds himself confronted With poor crop and a poor price. He advises the farmer to hold back his cotton until he can get fair price for it. The statement of Commissioners Poole foi- lows:
 .'Departnent of Agriculture and In-
 dustrfes. Montgomery. Ala. Au-
 gust 20, i1sos
 q have received many requests to give the crop conditions as reported to this office by our various crop corre- spondents throughout the State.
 ssThe cultivation of the cotton crop has been remarkably good, and up to the first of August, the plant was in q healthy condition. the outlook being very promising. During the latter part of July, the rains were little exces- sIve ana caused a large growth of stalk; in many localities there has been complaint of poor fruitage, but upon the whole, throughout the State, the , conditions were very favorable. The first of August found the plant in healthy condition. but rather too much by dry, hot weather, which has caused the plant to suffer very much from lack of moisture.
 'srhe dry, hot weather caused the plant to rust and shed very badly. There has been much complaint about blight. While in the earlier part of the season the o~op seemed to be late one, the dry, not weather has caused a premature opening of the hoi1s, and the result is that in many sections, nearly all the cotton Is now open The bolls are small and imma- ture, and consequently the lint is very short; the indications now point to an- other short crop Tn AlaSsms.
 Is Worth Ten cepts-
 Tn my opinion. the present crop will be shorter by over 100000 bales than the crop last year. The fine prospects for a crop in the earlier part of the season has caused the prices to be de- pressed: the farmers of the state are now confronted by a short crop and low prices. Every pound of cotton of this crop is worth 10 cents a pound and if properly marketed, will bring that amount. My advice to the farm CTS of the State is to market their cotton slowly. I am satisfied by pur- suing an intelligent course in this matter. that the price of cotton is sure to advance.
 .'The corn crop is very good. and the reports come to me that wherever the farmers have planted, the yield has been abundant.
 "R R. Poole. "Commissioner of Agriculture and In
 dustries."
 A number of letters of Colonel Poole have been sent to farmers through out the State