The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1907-08-07
and influential IMAGINATION.
lacforded me of add sing this

&Nabe and influential association.
1 Doubtess many of you wonder why
Sea Island cotton should be selected as
the subject of an article before the
National Association of Cotton Manu-
facturers. Phe sea island crop, consti-
tutes org one-half of / per cent of the
entire American production. Its value
Is only about l per cent of that of the
total cotton crop of the United States.
Its culture is restricted by soil and eli
mate to a narrow strip of the mainland
OF Georgia and Florida, and to the is
lands along the coast Of South Carolina.
Its marketing and consumption engage
the attention of a comparatively small
plumber of people. And yet sea island
cotton is seldom mentioned without at
tracing immediate attention. 1t has
peen studied and written about until
there is practically nothing new to be
said on the subject. 1t has played a
part in the creation and in the devel-
opment Of the cotton trade, which is
out of all proportion to its quality and
value, and it has had an influence on
the history and economic development,
not only of the southwestern portion
of the United States, but also upon
that of the British West India Island
possessions. 1t has a vital interest for
each of you which, perhaps, you little
aspect. !
What, then, is this sea island cotton?
'WheTce did it come? How is it pro-
duced? Why is it valuable? Where is
it spun? Into what products does the
yarn go?
The name is a mianomer. Only from
8 to IL per cent Of tho, crop is actually
produced on islands, the balance being
grown OF the mainland from seed orig
inally imported from the islands. The
cotton is a black-seeded, long-staple
cotton. 1t belongs to the group gossy-
plum Barbadence, so called because it
was supposed to have been first found
in the Barbados. 1t is said to have
been indigenous t o"the West India Is
lands, a perennial plant growing wild
there. The first reference to this west
sea island cotton is probably found in a
pamphlet published in London in 1866,
entitled "a Brief Description of the
Province of Carolina, on the Coast of
Florida"
The increase in the American con-
sumption should prove of interesr to
the members of this association. In
1870 only S per cent of the crop was
consumed in this country. In 1880 the
consumption has risen to 35 per cent.
In 1894, although the crop had increased
40 per cent, over 40 per cen Of it was
consumed in the United States. OF the
crop Of 1905-'O6 (Which was the largest
on record, LIPS, 900 bales), there was
exported only rs per cent, the remain
ing rs per cent being consumed in the
United States.
Technically, sea island cotton should
be divided into two groups the fine
lots grown on the islands near Charles
ton, S. c., which, even now, command
prices ranging from 80 cents to rs cents
per pound, and the remainder of the
crop, which is grown on the mainland
of Florida and Georgia, the largest
market for which is Savannah, Ga.
About 10 per cent of the crop is now
grown on the mainland of Florida and
Georgia, though, in past years, there
has been considerable variation in the
production of the crop.
From 1880 to 1890 South Carolina
produced in different years from 25 per
cent TO &c per cent Of the crop; Florida
produced about SO per CEN of the crop,
and Georgia produced from 10 per cent
to Is per cent.